the show goes on - in Sweden

Subject: RE: the show goes on - in Sweden
From: Fidjit
Date: 19 Feb 10 - 05:47 AM

well now this Seems to be leveling out at around 540'ish.

Wonderful!

Even got asked, "for directions" ( their words )via our leading fiddle player's connections to a 90 year old dance group in Los Ageles U.S.A. for the steps to the Rosa Waltz. That was nice of them to ask.
Seems those taking part there are now getting on a bit and liked something a bit slower.
What makes me scratch my head is that, if they have been going for 90 years, that they haven't searched out the net for all the dance sites that are there.

Chas

Subject: RE: the show goes on - in Sweden
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 26 Jan 10 - 12:58 PM

Make it a square- I've once or twice encountered deer, rarer, moose, on my way to and from dances here in New Hampshire, USA!

Lovely video, Chas- thanks!

Subject: RE: the show goes on - in Sweden
From: Fidjit
Date: 26 Jan 10 - 11:21 AM

In the, Sweden - Sidney - Colorado triangle.

Covering a lot of ground.

Chas

Subject: RE: the show goes on - in Sweden
From: Fidjit
Date: 26 Jan 10 - 11:18 AM

Now up on 480 hits !

Chas

Subject: RE: the show goes on - in Sweden
From: Fidjit
Date: 22 Jan 10 - 05:37 AM

quote unquote

Don't need a video of that. It will haunt me forever.

Chas

Subject: RE: the show goes on - in Sweden
From: Marje
Date: 22 Jan 10 - 05:19 AM

A moose coming home dance practice wearing white socks ...? Wish you had a video clip of that!

Seriously, thanks for sharing the video. Made me want to be there. A friend of mine has just started playing the Gånglåt Från Äppelbo but said he wasn't sure about the speed, so I sent him the link to show how it was used at the dance.

Marje

Subject: RE: the show goes on - in Sweden
From: bfdk
Date: 21 Jan 10 - 01:07 PM

Thanks, Chas, that tune's called 'Feder Mikkel' here, so I assume it's just translated directly into Danish. We dance to it quite a lot here.

Beware when getting up close and personal with a moose.. Glad to hear both survived the encounter!

Bente

Subject: RE: the show goes on - in Sweden
From: Fidjit
Date: 21 Jan 10 - 05:12 AM

Tyres = Dubbdekk in Sweden.

There's been a few people interested in the music in the car.

For information it's a group based in Kiel & Hamburg area of Germany. A great band. "Hans Dans", Folkdans & Kandidel

Tunes played in the car.
AE Lam
Tanzboden
Lutt Matten/Vedder Michel

Vedder Michel is known as, Er Du Gallen Gutt in Norway/Sweden.
Are You Crazy Kid?

Which reminds me.
Had a nasty meeting with the "King of the Forrest". An Elg (moose) on Monday evening on the way home from dance practice. Not a nice experience I can tell you. Closest I've ever been so far. It came out from the Forrest slowly, just a few yards ahead of me. Don't think I'd have seen it if it hadn't had white socks. Rest of it was black as the night. A huge eye glared at me through the windscreen as I swerved left and his head nearly took off the wing mirror.

Chas

Subject: RE: the show goes on - in Sweden
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 Jan 10 - 07:02 PM

We have those ty/ires over here, too. We call them "studded." In the old days, they put special shoes on the horses and mules...called "caulking" shoes.

I sent a link out to a few friends, too. It is really great to watch. We've enjoyed it several times. Thanks, again!

kat in Colorado

Subject: RE: the show goes on - in Sweden
From: Betsy
Date: 20 Jan 10 - 06:42 PM

Well done Chas, I enjoyed it, and some may not know (though Leadfingers mentioned it ) that the snow tyres in Scandanavia have pins like small blunt spikes coming from the tyre treads. Nevertheless, they didn't stop me going off the road in Finland some time ago !!.
Great to see that you're putting yourself about and I still remember the pleasure of finally meeting you at a session in Oslo.
By the way the Swedes DO like a drink, but it seems to have been handled in a rather diplomatic manner on the video.
Stay in the peak of fitness and continue to keep them entertained.
Love to Mick and Janicke,David Harrisson and the gang in Oslo when you next visit .

Regards ,

Betsy

Subject: RE: the show goes on - in Sweden
From: Fidjit
Date: 20 Jan 10 - 05:09 PM

Not any more. Thanks Laurel
Your comment arrived.

Chas

Subject: RE: the show goes on - in Sweden
From: open mike
Date: 20 Jan 10 - 03:10 PM

hits, yes, but are there any comments? i have tried twice to post
and only yours shows..somehow.

Subject: RE: the show goes on - in Sweden
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 20 Jan 10 - 05:39 AM

you might get a few more hits! I finally sent the video to a group of Australian dancers.

sandra

Subject: RE: the show goes on - in Sweden
From: Fidjit
Date: 20 Jan 10 - 04:04 AM

now up on 427 hits. Didn't know this would be so interesting to everyone. Thanks.

Chas

Subject: RE: the show goes on - in Sweden
From: bfdk
Date: 15 Jan 10 - 06:29 AM

And a very Happy New Year to you, too, Chas!

Did you spot me in the dance videos? :o))

Bente

Subject: RE: the show goes on - in Sweden
From: Fidjit
Date: 15 Jan 10 - 04:22 AM

No it's not disabled.

Hey it's had 281 hits ! Wow!

Last hit was my own.

Chas

Subject: RE: the show goes on - in Sweden
From: Fidjit
Date: 15 Jan 10 - 04:16 AM

Thanks Laurel

Don't think it's disabled I'll check

Tried to listen to your radio show but I get the time wrong.

Have a nice 2010

Chas

Subject: RE: the show goes on - in Sweden
From: open mike
Date: 14 Jan 10 - 04:20 PM

i posted this link to the SCAND list i am on..
i hope they all enjoy it ( i am looking glass alice on you tube)
i posted a comment/response to the you tube site and it is not there.
do you have "comments" dis-abled?

i basically said i love the way the procession enters the dance area
to the walking tune...and then gets into dance formation ... nice!

Subject: RE: the show goes on - in Sweden
From: Fidjit
Date: 14 Jan 10 - 07:09 AM

Hi Bente

Happy New Year.

Chas

Subject: RE: the show goes on - in Sweden
From: bfdk
Date: 14 Jan 10 - 05:12 AM

Brilliant video, Chas, thanks for sharing that! I recognized the 'Feder Mikkel' tune (third playing in the car), some Schottiche and Hambo and, obviously, the waltzes. Can I come next time? ;-)

No pretty snow pictures here, but a few Danish dances - usually no amplification at this venue, either.

Best wishes,

Bente

Subject: RE: the show goes on
From: Fidjit
Date: 14 Jan 10 - 03:57 AM

Greg

No amplification needed, Mate. We make enough noise without.
Everyone is there to listen and to dance.

I hate carting around a PA system anyway. Especially home afterwards.

Chas

Subject: RE: the show goes on
From: greg stephens
Date: 13 Jan 10 - 12:11 PM

There didn't seem to be any amplification, is that right? Brilliant, if so.
Thanks for sharing that. Nice to see what is the same, and what is different.

Subject: RE: the show goes on
From: Fidjit
Date: 13 Jan 10 - 11:24 AM

Normal wedding would have a disco I guess. Although I've been to one where we played, but the bride was a friend of us dancers.

There are normal ceilidh type dances, arranged by the dance clubs. We've (halmstråket) have played at three in the past year. another coming up in March. Usually arrangers invite other dancers from other clubs. Seems they just love to dance and will travel any distance.

The dances are

Gånglåt or Promenade
Snoa
Hambo
Engelska
Schotis
Polka
Polska (OooH how they love the polska)
Sleng polska
Waltz
Mazurka
Kvadrill

No ballroom stuff, but some like to boogie.

Chas

Subject: RE: the show goes on
From: treewind
Date: 13 Jan 10 - 08:05 AM

Thanks.
So the group meets regularly to learn dances, rather like a morris team would. What I was wondering was if Sweden has anything like the typical English wedding/birthday party/fundraiser ceilidh where the participants are not members of a specialist dance group.

I guess that as they have folk dance on the school curriculum, everyone can cope with at least the basic repertoire, unlike the English who are mostly clueless unless they are folkies of some sort.

Re Straw Bear - it's threatening to be more wet than cold, which I'm not looking forward to...

Anahata

Subject: RE: the show goes on
From: Fidjit
Date: 13 Jan 10 - 06:03 AM

Hi all

Anahata As it says on the video. this was an after Christmas gathering of our/my dance group (club).

spelmän och dansare på dal

I've been with them for about 5 years. And over that time I've taught them about 8 English Country Dances. Which I am proud to say they have incorporated into their program. We do the Circle Waltz and Rosa Waltz as a combined set.

It was a real pleasure last midsummer seeing them dance these at the Midsummer gathering.

Now they are after even more. They liked the, Ceilidh in the Ford at Sidmouth, video clip that I showed them.

We do a walk through before to jog everyone's memory. Therefore no caller required. Two of the group are registered teachers.

Gånglåt Från Äppelbo. Is a promenade which gets everyone on the floor. Usually followed by a type of Circle Waltz with progression so the dancers mix. Then something fast to get them sweaty.

I remember. (Oooh years ago) When I was about 4 yrs old going with my Mum to the then, as it was called, "Tottenham Royal" for her to go to a tea dance.

They have folk dance in the School curriculum in junior School.

We have the same problem as English Folk Clubs in that we are all getting older and enticing new members is the problem. That said. There are hundreds or even thousands of dance groups all over Sweden.
Musicians, well fiddlers, are like Morris Men uncountable.

I play with another group, "Halmstråket" (Straw Bow) for two other groups of dancers. revieled here

Enjoy your Straw Bear. Bet it's going to be a cold one.

Chas

Subject: RE: the show goes on
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 13 Jan 10 - 05:46 AM

Nyckelharpa

Subject: RE: the show goes on
From: Mr Happy
Date: 13 Jan 10 - 05:36 AM

BTW, great vid, everyone knew what to do without a caller! & superb music.

What was the bowed instrument like a hurdy gurdy?

Subject: RE: the show goes on
From: Mr Happy
Date: 13 Jan 10 - 05:34 AM

............the bogs froze??

But I saw a cooling fan going on the ceiling!!

Subject: RE: the show goes on
From: treewind
Date: 13 Jan 10 - 05:17 AM

Chas - one thing that intrigues me - what sort of gathering was this? A purely social event like a village hall ceilidh/party in the UK, or a group like a dance club? I noticed there was no caller, but they knew the dances, and you say in the commentary that you had taught them Rozsa recently, so how and when did that happen?

Are some dances like Gånglåt Från Äppelbo something all Swedish people learn from childhood, and you can just assume everyone knows them? Do they all go to dance classes at some point in their lives, in order not to be social cripples (as used to be the case many years ago with ballrom dancing in England, and until quite recently in Scotland) ?

Subject: RE: the show goes on
From: Will Fly
Date: 13 Jan 10 - 04:57 AM

Men did what men do.

What - like bears in the woods? :-)

Subject: RE: the show goes on
From: Fidjit
Date: 13 Jan 10 - 04:18 AM

refresh

Subject: RE: the show goes on
From: Fidjit
Date: 12 Jan 10 - 03:46 AM

Also the toilets, seen on entering the premises were frozen so the ladies had to go to a house across the road. Men did what men do.

Chas

Subject: RE: the show goes on
From: katlaughing
Date: 11 Jan 10 - 06:15 PM

How lovely! The snow and driving remind me of certain places in Wyoming and a lot of places in Colorado. The deer can be quite a hazard here, too. I loved the waltz especially. The whole video reminded me of the square dances my mom and dad played for and we learned at school; a lot of partnering, going round, under, and back again type of thing.

Thanks!

kat

Subject: RE: the show goes on
From: Fidjit
Date: 11 Jan 10 - 05:13 PM

Glad you enjoyed my little effort.

We can have days here when it's all slushy snow that comes down. Then, like you lot, we just stay at home.

The problem driving isn't the icy roads or the snow drifts. We can manage that. It's the deer that jump out in front of you. The first one's fine it's the second one 5 to 10 yards behind the first that's the real hazard.

Also at night the hares like to run before you in your headlights. They can see the road better. One just has to slow right down and switch off the lights for a short spell.

Met two deer on the way home this evening. They were just standing in the road. Very still. Difficult to see them then. Better when they are moving.

Keep well and warm.

Chas

Subject: RE: the show goes on
From: Leadfingers
Date: 11 Jan 10 - 06:21 AM

Anahata has it right ! Especially in London area , its not financially viable to have a spare set of winter tyres for just a couple of days a year

Subject: RE: the show goes on
From: treewind
Date: 11 Jan 10 - 06:13 AM

Lovely - nice music, and dancers enjoying themselves. Makes me wish I'd been there.

Les - I saw an earlier longer video of that journey, and there was another vehicle on the road somewhere!

The real problem in the UK is we don't have enough snow - if we always had it for at least two months we'd all put on our snow tyres and just carry on, but usually snow and ice, when it comes, lasts for two or three days at a time and goes away again.

Anahata

Subject: RE: the show goes on
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 11 Jan 10 - 06:09 AM

lots of snow!

I liked the way the dancers proceeded from supper to the dance floor & how the dancers forming arches passed over seated dancers.

sandra

Subject: RE: the show goes on
From: Rasener
Date: 11 Jan 10 - 04:46 AM

Nice video there Chas.

Lovely driving conditions if nobody else is on the road :-)

Subject: the show goes on
From: Fidjit
Date: 11 Jan 10 - 03:49 AM

With all the cancellations in England, I thought I'd let you see how it happens when you know how to get around in snow as we do here in Sweden this time of year.

Swedish style

he journey to and a couple of dances.

Enjoy

Chas