by Alison H.

Member since:
March 23, 2007

The Bainbridge Island Nordic Dance--First of the Season! (photo essay, October 2009)

October 07, 2009 02:25 AM EDT (Updated: October 07, 2009 12:23 PM EDT)

views: 123 | rating: 10/10 (14 votes) | comments: 40

From October through June, the Bainbridge Island Nordic Dance comes to life at Island Center Hall. Last Saturday's First Saturday Nordic Dance featured Gammeldans, one of our favorite bands, who came from the Vancouver, B.C. area to play their glorious music for us...

Happy dancers promenading in a Norwegian pols...I experimented with natural light this time, in an attempt to capture the motion of the dancing.

Dancing with the orbs... (I used a flash this time)

Jo and George sit one out...

Phil and Karen executing a polska turn...

Bob came to the dance to enjoy the music with his family. I enjoyed talking with him. Here I caught him in the middle of a laugh.

Bjorn twirls Gunda out...

A blur of motion...that looks like my friend Laurel, but I don't recognize her partner.

Bill dances a pols with Elizabeth, or is that Leslie? Oh dear...

Jane Johnson, accordion player and Bud Johnson, fiddler (not related) chat while sitting out a dance...

And that's all there is till November's first Saturday Nordic Dance!

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Tags: bainbridge island nordic dance, bainbridge island, washington, scandinavian dancing, scandinavian folk music

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Comments: 40

Kathryn E. Oct 7, 2009, 3:26am EDT

You have a lot of fun! And so does everybody else~

Alison H. Oct 7, 2009, 12:24pm EDT

A ton of fun... :-)

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Kathryn E. Oct 7, 2009, 3:28am EDT

Featured in the Triple Name Club.

Alison H. Oct 7, 2009, 12:24pm EDT

Thank you, Kathryn!

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Kushal Poddar Oct 7, 2009, 6:03am EDT

Ah! I can't dance and it is a pity for I shall join the fest someday and probably sketch aon a paper sitting on achair beside Jane and Bud.

Alison H. Oct 7, 2009, 12:26pm EDT

If you can walk, you can dance. Dancing is walking to music...yes, I hope to see you here one day, Ku!

Karen E. Oct 7, 2009, 1:03pm EDT

I am not sure that walking is dancing. I am with Kushal, I have no natural rhythm and would be absolutely befuddled but would enjoy watching.

Alison, you and those orbs...do they follow you? I love that very much. I particularly like the motion photos. They bring a sense of the kinetic energy of the event and the magic of dance. Very wonderful photo visit.

Alison H. Oct 7, 2009, 1:14pm EDT

Thank you, Karen! When I attended the Fest. of American Fiddle Tunes in 2008, T-Dawg and I attended a dance workshop, led by David Kaynor, a dance caller from the East Coast. He had us start out by walking around the floor to music. A lot of the Scandinavian dancing IS literally walking--a Swedish snoa is half walking and half twirling. If you want to learn to dance, they have lessons every Monday night in Poulsbo that only cost $2.00! (well, they did last year, at least, but probably haven't gone up in cost.) They start over again every September, back to the beginning basics. You wouldn't be too late to start now...if that was of interest.

Alison H. Oct 7, 2009, 1:15pm EDT

The orbs are always following us...we just don't see them. I usually capture them when using a flash and there is a dark background.

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Marge H. Oct 7, 2009, 10:52am EDT

Looks like everyone had a great time. Love the 'action' shots. Made me feel like I was there dancing too.

Alison H. Oct 7, 2009, 12:28pm EDT

Thanks, Marge. Glad you could whirl around with us! I had to take a lot of pictures to get these few.

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j - Frugal Mom - r. Oct 7, 2009, 12:33pm EDT

What a great photo essay Allison. I always find it interesting how people living outside of their original countries seem to keep their traditions more intact than the people still living in the country. I have a cousin Bjorn back in Denmark:)

Alison H. Oct 7, 2009, 12:50pm EDT

That's an interesting point, JR. Do the young people of Denmark grow up learning about their traditional culture, then kind of reject it until they have children of their own? There are always some people that love the traditions enough to transmit them to the next generation. I wish we had more young people at our dance...however, there is a strong dance group of young people with the Sons of Norway in Poulsbo. The Sons (and Daughters) have had to expand their membership rules to include people of other Scandinavian countries, in order to continue. In big cities there are more groups. If I lived in Seattle I would join the Swedish Cultural Center.

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Adrian Eve Revenaugh Oct 7, 2009, 1:48pm EDT

Thank you for this wealth of motion and joy. Your images are beautiful Alison.

I missed the second large dance event I'd planned towards this season but your journal gave me a motion-boost. All of the happy faces, pumped from moving and a fun time shared are like a deeply gulped breath.

Alison H. Oct 8, 2009, 2:08am EDT

Thank you, Adrian. I hope you get out there soon and kick up your heels or shake your booty!

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Madame Butterfly ~~ mary ann d ~~ Oct 7, 2009, 2:02pm EDT

Through your photos I can feel the rhythms and hear the melodies. Those who are sitting are probably tapping their feet. Folk dancing is so much fun and it really lifts one's spirits. I'm sure the musicians enjoy themselves as much as the dancers. What a delightful photo essay, Alison.

Alison H. Oct 8, 2009, 2:09am EDT

You're so right about the sitters and the musicians, Mary Ann! And thank you!

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Granny Janny H. Oct 7, 2009, 3:19pm EDT

Love this one, Alison. It really moves. I'd like to hear the music live.

Alison H. Oct 8, 2009, 2:10am EDT

Thanks, Janny! I am not tech-savvy, but maybe my hubby will help me record something...

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Nana to Seven Cutiepies Oct 7, 2009, 4:25pm EDT

I bet this was a lot of fun and something everyone looked forward to.

Alison H. Oct 8, 2009, 2:10am EDT

You're right, Nana, and thanks for commenting!

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Verie Sandborg Oct 7, 2009, 6:42pm EDT

I like the blurry photos the best because they give me a feel of what the dancers are experiencing.

Alison H. Oct 8, 2009, 2:12am EDT

Thank you, Verie. I really like the blurry ones, too. In most of them there is a "still point" which is kind of interesting.

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Human, Katherine, seeker of intergalactic life, inhabitant of Earth Oct 7, 2009, 6:57pm EDT

Looks like a night of high enjoyment..

Alison H. Oct 8, 2009, 2:12am EDT

Yes, high enjoyment! Thanks for commenting, Katherine.

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David W. Oct 7, 2009, 10:22pm EDT

A wonderfuly fun "take me along" photo essay.

Alison H. Oct 8, 2009, 2:12am EDT

Thanks, David.

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Marilyn is looking for whatever there is. N. Oct 11, 2009, 1:57am EDT

Hi,

Thank you for taking me along for this - I love the pictures of the dancers, but the first thing that struck me, was,

"Wow, real instruments! The kinds you really have to know how to play!"

Marilyn

Alison H. Oct 11, 2009, 2:08am EDT

Oh, anyone can learn an instrument...one woman who played in the allspel (when everyone plays in the middle of the floor, giving the band a break) got a fiddle for her 60th birthday, and we played tunes she recently learned!

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Kerry Dexter Oct 13, 2009, 7:14am EDT

Thanks for taking us to the dance, Alison!
and I like hearing [in your comment above] about everyone playing along with the woman who is learning fiddle after 60. that's the way it should be...

Alison H. Oct 13, 2009, 2:18pm EDT

Thanks for stopping by, Kerry, and I agree, you're never too old to learn something new!

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Curt L. Oct 13, 2009, 12:46pm EDT

Looks like such a wonderful time!
I'd love to hear all that great music!

Alison H. Oct 13, 2009, 2:19pm EDT

Thanks for commenting, Curt. Maybe sometime you'll get to hear some Scandinavian folk fiddling! I could recommend Andrea Hoag (& company's) CD, Hambo in the Snow. I saw it on Amazon.

Curt L. Oct 14, 2009, 11:35pm EDT

Most excellent!
Perhaps my humble hands could compose something
in this style in your honour!

Alison H. Oct 15, 2009, 11:19am EDT

I'd like that!

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Kay M. Oct 17, 2009, 7:14pm EDT

Fun shots

Alison H. Oct 17, 2009, 7:34pm EDT

Thank you, Kay.

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Digital Diva S. Oct 22, 2009, 10:59am EDT

Your photos show that everyone there was having a good time!

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Selene N. Oct 25, 2009, 10:17pm EDT

Oh, how fun! :) I love the lively pictures.

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Sunaura *. Oct 30, 2009, 12:33am EDT

"Dancing with the orbs" I love it! Great pics!

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