Spring Swedish Music & Dance Weekend
March 18 – 20 | Online, via Zoom

Välkommen till Spring Swedish Weekend! Our 2022 weekend took place over Zoom with workshops in dance, music, and cooking, evening parties, social hours, and more. Featuring guest instructors Ewa and Tommy Englund, and Gunnar Iggendal, Spring Swedish Weekend was an immersive cultural experience for all. Many thanks to longtime Folklore Village friend Roo Lester for her work organizing the weekend. To learn more about our Spring Swedish Weekend, check out the information below. 

Schedule

Click here to see the weekend schedule.

Artistic Staff

Ewa & Tommy Englund are known for their clear teaching and knowledge of a wide range of dances.  Born in Hälsingland, they resided for much of their lives in Sandviken, Gästrikland.  Both have earned their big silver medals for polska dancing and have served as judges for a variety of events. They have won the Hälsinge Hambo contest four times. Ewa is a judge for the polska medal testing and is responsible for the dances from Hälsingland, Jämtland, Ångermanland and Härjedalen.  Both Tommy and Ewa have received the gold medal for their work researching, preserving and teaching polska traditions.  The gold medal is the highest honor in the land.

Gunnar Iggendal is a fiddler and keen polska dancer who received the big Silver Polska medal in 1984. Gunnar has his roots in Hälsingland, a province in the east of Sweden about 400 km north of Stockholm. For many years he has been the leader of the Stockholms Spelmanslag, who toured the USA in 1998. He is respected for his care and dedication to musicians while sharing knowledge of the music and dance traditions.

lydia ievins
Based in Montague MA, lydia ievins plays nyckelharpa and five-string fiddle for Scandinavian and English Country dancing. Her absolute favorite thing about playing in either genre is the boundless opportunity to create rich harmonic lines. During the pandemic she’s been refining the ability to play duo gigs alone, thanks to looper-pedal magic. As an avid dancer herself, she infuses her playing with rhythmic clarity and sensitive phrasing to produce irresistible dance music. Her most recent CD, Koivu (2018), debuts a collaboration with Helsinki-based pianist and composer Juha Kujanpää.     www.lydiamusic.org

Char Bostrom from Saint Paul, Minnesota, has been pursuing her love for and interest in Scandinavian dance fiddling for many years.  In the greater Twin Cities area pre-Covid she played for four dance groups and is a member of Ole Olssons Oldtime Orkestra.  She has traveled around the country and Scandinavia attending workshops and playing for dance. 

Martha Levenson is an avid Nordic fiddler who divides her time between fiddle and the hardingfele. She loves to collaborate with dancers, and is known for her clear rhythms when playing for dance. Martha has directed the Seattle Lilla Spelmanslag for fifteen years and maintains a private teaching studio as well. As a teacher, Martha emphasizes fun, the importance of energetic and accurate styling, and good technique. Martha also enjoys traveling, walking, and practicing aikido.

J. Miller of RedBarn Catering is the chef extraordinaire at each of Folklore Village’s annual festivals. J. prepares cultural meals with fresh ingredients, serving up a feast for festival participants. At this virtual festival participants will have the opportunity to learn how to make a Swedish main dish and dessert in two cooking workshops. Get insights on how to get a recipe just right and cook up a delicious Swedish feast with J.!

Roo Lester is a dance instructor and long-time friend of Folklore Village. Roo partners with Folklore Village to arrange Spring Scandinavian Weekend each year and also teaches dance at Folklore Village’s Fall Swedish Weekend.