Untitled Document

Nordahl Grieg Leikarring og Spelemannslag

PolSnus
VOLUME 3, NUMBER I MARCH, 1999
NEWS FROM OUR BUSINESS MANAGER Crystal Lokken Year to date, the Leikarring has performed six shows: 1 in October, 1 in November, 2 in December, 2 in January, and none in February. Total - 6. (Total performances last year October 1st to March 1st was 9). Spelemannslaget has performed 4 times year to date: 1 in October, 2 in December, and 1 in February.

UPCOMING DANCE PERFORMANCES: April -- one performance: 4/17 Spring Festival, International House, UC Berkeley. May --six performances: 5/1 & 2, Norway Day Festival, Festival Pavilion, Ft. Mason, San Francisco; 5/17 at 7:00 PM. Seaman's Church, Hyde St., San Francisco; 5/21 at 5:00 PM. Multicultural Fair, Springer Elementary School, Mt View; 5/21 at 8:00 PM. Vigeland Lodge, Redwood City; 5/23 at I P.M. Norway Constitution Day Celebration, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco June, three performances: 6/5 at 4:30 P.M. Sylte-Hansen wedding reception, St. Mark Parish Hall, Palo Alto; 6/12 at 3:00 PM. Midsummer Festival, Valhalla Lodge, Santa Cruz; 6/26 at 8:00 P.M. - Midsummer fest, International Club, Rossmoor, Walnut Creek.

PENDING PERFORMANCES: Early July or late August - Sat. evening performance followed by Sunday afternoon workshop in Reno, sponsored by Daughters of Norway Lodge, Sonja Heine #29 in cooperation with the Sons of Norway Lodge. Negotiating date. DECLINED Invitation to dance at the Kingsburg Swedish Festival 15 May.

UPCOMMING SPELEMANNSLAG PERFORMANCES: May 2nd (Sunday only) Norway Day Festival, Festival Pavilion, Ft. Mason, San Francisco; June 4th, 5th, and 6th Sylte-Hansen wedding. A formal concert is planned for the reccption, June 5th at 4:30 P.M. The other dates will present opportunities for "buskspel" (pick up band -- the literal translation from Norwegian is "play in the bush" named after the custom of playing together with friends outdoors after organized events such as a kappleik).



Et Brev fra (a letter from) the Artistic Director Mikkel Thompson Godt nyt ar og god pa ske. Thank you for a fun, full and productive year, to all who danced and played music in class and at performance, whether once or multiple times and to those who continued meeting through the summer for the joy of dancing. It is also so wonderful that the spelemannslag and barneleikarring are so active with classes and performances. I also miss those of you who, for various reasons, are not active such as Shirley Hansen, Bob and Doris Hendrickson and Elmer and Esther Hulberg for health reasons, distance for Demaris and kids for Leslie and Susan.

Last September we elected some new people to the board and lost some longtime board members such as Zena, Egil, who has been treasurer since we incorporated (presently sharing the job with Bryan) and Russ Behel, who developed the position of business manager and streamlined and computerized it. Mange tusen takk!

For those who haven't heard, we did not get accepted for the SF Ethnic Dance Festival. We gave one of the best auditions yet. Maybe we should audition the same suite again next year when we are more rehearsed and comfortabile with the suite.

We auditioned the new Roros Suite (see our new web page http://home.att.net/~williamlikens/ngls/ngls.html that Bill Likens created this past holiday season and has been adding to since the first of the year). Words to many of the songdans and lists of suites, etc. like the Roros Suite: Rorospols, Rorospols med tre, Gillerasen, Raros ringlender, Sju svarte berser, Stakkers Per, Skaningen. We have been working on the new compatable suite from Ost Norge. I would still like to develope more fully the Women's Suite. FYI, The Nordland Suite will be performed at Norway Day this year.

At Turlock Scandi-Fest and at the AGM, people expressed strong interest in a light weight (cooler) performance costume. I have been thinkine on this for the last year also, and propose we all have cotton Gudbrandsdalen drakt, men with loose black cotton pants (no wool socks), white bunad shirt and plaid vest, like Bob Hendrickson's and Dave Bogdanoff's, similar to Wally and Ken Petersons and to Stan Williams; women with cotton rondastakk like Gerd's and Doris Hendrickson's with white blouse and black socks (kneehighs or tights based on stage height and performance.) We could buy the fabric in bulk and make our own or hire someone, like the woman in Wisconsin, to sew. You could own (purchase) one and the Nordahl Grieg Leikarring og Spelemannslag would own several in different sizes to loan until new members acquire their own. This costume looks like a traditional bunad and would work as a back up. We could provide a new option for performance with everyone matching (for ~st Norge Suite at Turlock). There are several sewing parties planned -- the next at Greg and Anne's on March 27th.

We are planning NGL's 15th Anniversary with a tour of Norway -- Nodlek 2000 with the first week of July at Nordlek in Stavanger, second week in aliti'- i~ ulI1~tsai. t"--~ ISO the last week in June is Landskappleik in Bergen. Contact Bill Likens, Egil Larsen, Crystal Lokken, or Mikkel Thompson. We need your feedback for decision making. Do you want to raise money with a booth at Norway Day, perhaps sell a product like pickled salmon? We need someone to organise the set-up and running of the booth.

We need a class manager. I would like someone to make sure the classes run smoothly and we have a room to meet in. They would not need to do the work, just make sure it gets done. Make sure: someone opens and closes the building, sets up the information table, gets attendence and sign-ups; organise refreshments such as a sign-up sheet for a volunteer to insure water and other liquids are out on a table with cups and cake for birthday night; collect money if needed (like donation can or fees for Summer sessions and special events); insure we have a teacher, leader, director for class/event. We can all share the work. someone needs to make sure it happens.

You need to pay your dues. [Several people missed the Sept. '-98 payement. Dues are required of all members (full, provisional. leave-of-absence and affiliate). If you don't pay, we don't know your status. They are due yearly on September 31st and if not payed, you cannot attend class, perform or vote.
Leave-of-absence and Full members will loose their status and will need to audition again as provisional members. Affiliates, since we don't see you as often, your dues payment serves as confirmation of your interest in supporting NGL&S.

NGBarneleikarring has been performing, making costumes and getting paid. They need insurance coverage and a non-profit tax status and would like to affiliate with NGL&S much like the Spelemannslag joined NGL a few years ago. They would need a special non-voting category. A barne' member @$5 year.

For over ten years, Northern California Traveling Dance Class (NCTDC) has been running Camp Norge Folkdans Stevne at Alta and many of the people attending and running the weekends are also members of NGL&S. NCTDC would like NGL&S to take over management of the event (we already sponsor the event for insurance purposes). We would have an on-going committee to run the event and a seperate book keeping column/account. Since the beginning every year's total has been in the black and would not be a financial burden. I highly recommend this action.
Helsing, Mikkel



Finskog Fela Found! Submitted by Ciystal Lokken A couple issues ago you printed an article I translated from the Spelemannsbladet from Norway about Asta Holth, a woman from Finnskogen (east Norway), who has done much about putting forth the unique culture of the Finnskogers, who originally came from Finland to Norway to work in the woods. She told a story about Haltegutten, a fiddler. who learned to play in just 3 Tuesday nights at a mill by a waterfall, and became a wild fiddler~'. His fiddle vanished the day he died, in 1840, but was found under a piece of slate in 1902 when a man was building a house. It fell apart (of course), was sent to Sweden to be repaired. and was never returned. Asta vowed that before she died, the fiddle would be returned to Finnskog.

NOW FOR THE END OF THE STORY: On Sunday, 21 June, 1998, the fiddle, called Porkkalafela' was returned to Finnskog! This was thanks to the efforts of Asta Holth, and many other people. It will be displayed at Rogdafors (Roegdaafors), where they are planning to build a large 'culture' house!



Dues and Don'ts By Don Larson Do pay dues. Don't be late. Several of our usual members missed their September 1998 dues payment of $5. I have directed the computer to print '~Late Dues" on the bottom of the address page of those who missed the 1998 payment. Please send the payment to one of our two acting treasurers: Brian Umeke, 529 Lawton St., San Francisco CA 94122 or Egil Larsen, 1424 Brookdale Avenue, Mountain View, CA 94040.

In addition, a dues increase for full, active members to the $15 or $20 range has been suggested. This will be discussed and voted upon at a future general meeting.


General Meeting!

A General Meeting of the Leikarring and Spelemannslag shall be held at 5:00 P.M. on April 25th at Nordahl Hall at 580 W. Parr in Los Gatos~ The agenda is brief, yet very important so please try to attend. For convenience, we've scheduled it immediately following the practice of NGL&S from 2:00 to 5:00 PM. at the same location. The Agenda is as follows: Votes will be taken on advancing Warren Knuckleberg from Provisional to Full membership, Greg Goodhue from Affiliate to Provisional. Dale Kyle from Affiliate to Provisional. David Newitt from Provisional to Full, Garrett Hansen from Affiliate to Full member (to correct an error in our membership records. Garrett's status should be Full member on LOA.) Todd Hansen from Affiliate to Provisional.

Votes will be taken on adding the following chldren to the membership records so Barneleikarring is covered by the same insurance priviledges as NGL&S membership. Note: Changes to the Bylaws to handle rules specific to Barneleikarring will likely be presented at the 1999 Annual General Meeting Kalia, Coy, Stephanie and Jessica Bratton; Theresa and Jenelle Baldwin; Michele and Maija Granfors; Ruth Likens; Morgan Frost; Cris, Michael, and Steve Ofstad; Astrid and Even Aronsen; Ingrid and Leif Tisell; Alisha; [Mikkel supplied me these names and was not positive the list is complete. The complete list will be read at the meeting.
Ruth Sylte, Todd Hansen Nuptials By Don Larson
This one should be fun, folks! Ruth and Todd have asked us to play music and to dance at their wedding! It's scheduled for June 4,5, and 6th 1999 and there will be music and dance on all three days.

On June 4th, 7:30 p.m.: GATHERING and PRENUPTIAL SETUP is an evening of preparation, friendship, music and munchies -- St. Mark's Episcopal Church Parish Hall --600 Colorado Street, Palo Alto, CA 94306-2510. Decorating and Dancing are on the agenda. Bring your instruments for buskpel.

June 5th at 12:30P.M. (starting at St. Marks, continuing on to Grace Lutheran Church 3149 Waverley Street, Palo Alto CA 94306 for the service, and returning to St. Marks for the reception at 3:30 P.M.) features two musical wedding processions, the wedding service, and the wedding reception. Please let Ruth know if you are interested in playing music in the Norwegian procession (12:30P.M.). The Spelemannslag will be playing at the wedding reception. Ruth can be contacted by e-mail at rsylte@ix.netcom.com or by phone at (650)-327-9191 if you wish to have more details on the processions.

Finally on June 6th, Ruth and Todd have reserved the social hall at beautiful HENRIK IBSEN PARK, 13800 Skyline Drive Woodside, CA 94062 so we can enjoy an afternoon of music, dance, swimming, etc.



Bunad Making Sewing Party
Don Larson

Greg Goodhue and Anne Huberman-Warren are hosting an all day sewing bonanza! Several sewing machines are provided, but bring your portables along if you have them. Greg and Anne will provide light snacks to lunch on, and their guests are encouraged to bring Pot Luck dishes for supper.

The date: This Saturday, March 27th at 11:00 A.M. The directions: From 101 South, turn left, (East) onto Brokaw Rd.. after passing 880 and Old Oakland Rd, Brokaw's name changes to Murphy - keep going straight. Turn R~ght onto Ringwood. Turn Left onto Sajak. Turn Right onto Townsend. In 2 blocks, you will find Fairway Entrance Drive which is the entrance to their condo complex. Park near the front. They are in the 2nd condo back on the 2nd floor. 1345 Fairway Entrance Drive. RSVP to Anne and Greg at (408) 437-8793.
Ford Motors buys Pivco Electric Car Company Don Larson Our dancing for the King and Queen's visit in 1995 to ntroduce the PIVCO Citybee Electric BART Station car program is part of an long and enigmatic saga for the little Norwegian car firm. In late 1998 Pivco reorganized due to financial concerns and found a buyer with $$ to support their efforts on Th ! nK -- the successor to Citybee -- U.S. automaker Ford Motors. You can read more about it on the web at ~'www.think.no"