News and Upcoming Events

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We are delighted to announce that our guest teachers from Norway for our 2010 Hardanger Fiddle Music & Dance Workshop featuring the music and dance of Hallingdal will be Olav Luksengård Mjelva (Hardanger fiddle/hardingfele) and Ulf-Arne Johannessen and Ingunn Stræte Lie (dance). You will find complete workshop information and a registration form here:
2010 Hardanger Fiddle Music and Dance Workshop

To get a taste of the Hallingspringar, watch Ingunn and Ulf-Arne at the Norwegian national folk music and dance competition last summer; with this performance they won the pair-dance competition and the King's Cup:

http://www.youtube.com/user/ingunnlie#p/a/u/1/z4QlSWnKzKE

Olav Luksengård Mjelva won the Norwegian national competition for Hardanger fiddle in 2008, and he has just won Norway's Grammys (Spellemannprisen) for his CD, Fele/Hardingfele Røros/Hallingdal. To hear Olav playing tunes from Hallingdal, choose any "springar" cuts on the CD, which is available online at iTunes or at: 

http://www.myspace.com/olavmjelva

Our workshop will take place from July 22 - 25, 2010 at Folklore Village near Dodgeville, Wisconsin. We look forward to welcoming you in July!

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Committed to Nurturing Beginners

The HFAA is committed to making it easy for folks of all levels of ability to learn about this magical music and dance. Never played a bowed stringed instrument before? Have played a little but want extra help? At our 2010 Workshop, the HFAA is offering “pre-beginner” mentoring. This program is tailor-made for those who: have a family heirloom hardingfele and are fascinated by the history of their family fiddle; have an ancestor who played the hardingfele and want to learn about their family history; are fascinated by this beautiful and hypnotic music and want to know more about it! We also now have more detailed descriptions of our fiddle classes on our 2010 Workshop Program page. You’ll be able to find out exactly what levels of teaching we offer, what the prerequisites are for each level, and which class level is perfect for you. You can also find out more about borrowing a Hardanger fiddle to use during the workshop. Note that folks wishing to sign up for pre-beginner mentoring or to borrow a hardingfele at HFAA 2010 must register by June 25 and check the appropriate boxes on the registration form. 

Never danced before? Learning with us is easy and fun! Even if you have very little dance experience, or none at all, we are ready to welcome and encourage you! This year’s featured dance tradition, from the valley of Hallingdal, is accessible to dancers at all levels. The Hallingspringar dance, which has elegant slow turns and fast turns for the women, couple turns and polka steps, can be fancied up with energetic acrobatics for the men, but it is delightful even in its most basic form. The lilting 3-beat springar rhythm is more even in Hallingdal than in other hardingfele traditions and not at all difficult to get hold of. Our guest dance teachers from Hallingdal have years of experience teaching children and adults—beginners, intermediate and advanced dancers. Come and give Hallingspringar a try!

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HFAA T-shirts

All T-shirt sizes and colors are back in stock! More information here.

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Upcoming Hardanger Fiddle and Dance Events

To see the latest listing of upcoming Hardanger fiddle and dance events, see our Events page. If you would like to publicize an event here, contact us with full information.

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HFAA is on YouTube!

HFAA archivist and videomaker Byron Wiley has produced a retrospective of some of our recent Hardanger fiddle music and dance workshops. This video is a great overview of the many fun activities that are featured at our annual gatherings. Watch it here.

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Our Membership Brochure Available Online This colorful pamphlet describes the history and lore surrounding the Hardanger fiddle and the HFAA's role in promoting its music and dance in America. It also includes an application form.
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Visit our Membership page to see more or to download a copy.

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AmeriKappleik Live! A Hardanger Fiddle Celebration Do you have a copy of AmeriKappleik Live!? Produced by the HFAA, this two-CD set highlights the best of our five-day music and dance festival held in the summer of 2003, called AmeriKappleik. The CD includes performances by Hauk Buen, Leif Rygg, Vidar Lande, Torgeir Straand, as well as new compositions for the Hardanger fiddle and two dance videos. Click here for more information.

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