Workshops

Workshops are an opportunity to explore a folk art or music form in depth with an experienced instructor. Check out our Midwinter workshop offerings so far, and check back soon for more additions and updates!

Dance
Each day features dance workshops lead by Andy Taylor-Blenis. An international dance instructor, Andy will share dances from countries as far and wide as Portugal, Mexican, the Balkans, and Japan. 

On the afternoon of December 29th, Steve Pike, dance leader and Folklore Village Board Member will lead an Irish set dance workshop ahead of the Dec. 29th Gaelic Galivant party. 

On December 29th and 30th Bob Walser will lead workshops in Balfolk dance. Balfolk is a folk dance revival movement growing in popularity in Europe, the United States, and beyond! Balfolk pulls from a variety of folk dance traditions, featuring dances from France, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Belgium, the United Kingdom, and Ireland

December 31st will also feature a workshop and review of the Francaise and Heilsberger Dreieck dances. Greg Winz will lead participants in these dances, culminating in our tradition of dancing them together at the New Year’s Eve party.

Singing
Sarina Patridge and Heidi Wilson will lead singing workshops on December 29th, 30th, and 31st focusing on Yiddish songs, Swedish songs, and their own originals. On December 31st Sarina & Heidi will lead a singing showcase at the evening party. Enjoy singing in community in our beautiful, historic Plum Grove Church!

Music

The Festival Band is an intrepid group of musicians lead by Amy McFarland, Maria Terres, and Liam Kantor. The Festival Band meet every afternoon to play tunes together, laugh, and prepare the special music for favorite New Years Eve dances the Française and Heilsberger Dreieck. All levels and types of instruments are welcome!

On December 29th and 30th Bob Walser will lead Balfolk Music workshops where musicians will learn tunes to play for the December 30th evening party. Balfolk is a folk dance revival movement growing in popularity in Europe, the United States, and beyond! Balfolk pulls from a variety of folk dance traditions, featuring dances from France, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Belgium, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. 

Traditional Mexican Embroidery

Learn traditional Mexican embroidery techniques with fiber artist Ireri Andrea Muñiz Ortega! The workshop will start by covering the basic materials needed for embroidery. Then, we’ll dive into two beautiful Mexican embroidery styles: Purépecha Embroidery from Michoacán and Tenango Embroidery from Hidalgo. We’ll explore what makes each unique, including their traditional stitches used to depict everyday scenes. Participants will create their own embroidered pattern or landscape for the final project using these techniques.

Blacksmithing

Learn the basics of blacksmithing with Greg Winz and Hans Barkei! The forge will be open in the afternoons on December 29 and 30 (weather depending). Come try your hand at blacksmithing and create a small project like a post hook!

Theater Arts

Johanna Gorman-Baer will inspire your theatrical side with her engaging Theater Games, a favorite staple for adults and youth. She’ll also lead a cast of all ages in creating a comical skit for the New Year’s Eve party. The skit workshop is on the afternoon of the 31st, with an after-supper rehearsal for the evening performance.

Eco-Printing Community Project

We hear you: it can be too bright in the men’s bunkhouse! For this year’s community project young artist Phoebe DeWitt will be leading us in an eco-printing on curtains for our men’s bunkhouse. Eco-printing involves using environmentally friendly printing materials such as old toilet paper rolls, potatoes, prairie plants, shells and fruits to make one of a kind art. Join us in decorating curtains for our men’s bunkhouse!

Pocket Crankies

Come make pocket crankies with Tova! Crankies, or moving panoramas, are a nineteenth-century art form believed to be a precursor to cinema. Crankies can be anywhere from the size of a matchbox to a backdrop on a stage, and many include shadow puppetry, lighting, and music along with paint or collage. In this workshop, we’ll be making pocket-size crankies out of regular household materials

Party Planning is for Everyone!

Participant-lead party planning is a huge part of the Midwinter Festival, but it can be intimidating to sign up as a party planner if you’ve never done it before. In this conversation-based workshop lead by Johanna Gorman-Baer we’ll discuss Jane Farwell’s concept of party planning, why it’s an integral part of the community-building aspect of this festival, and what is really means to plan a Midwinter evening party. Are you a long-time party-planner? Are you party-planning-curious? Have you attended a Midwinter party in the past and been blown away by the thematic table games, jokes, and shenanigans that add to the overall atmosphere? Then this workshop is for you!

More information on additional crafts and workshops coming soon!