Norwegian dance and wild salmon dinner next week

On Tuesday, Aug. 13, the Leif Erikson Hall will host a wild salmon dinner and dance performance to benefit the educational programs of Norsk Folkedans Stemne. The dinner starts at 6 p.m., and will include performances by dancers Poulsbo Leikarringen and Barneleikarringen with musicians Toby Weinberg, Jane Johnson and Jeff Anderson.

About the performers, from the organizers:

Poulsbo Leikarringen is the premier young adult dance group in the greater Seattle area. They were the featured program at the centennial of Sons of Norway District 2 and wowed the delegates with their fast paced dances. It included the amazing athletic halling which culminated with the high kick off of the hat held on a long pole 10 feet in the air!

Barneleikarringen features performances of the children’s dances of Norway and Scandinavia. The enthusiasm and smiles of youngsters ages 3-10 is heartwarming as they show off their skills in singing and dancing!

Toby Weinberg is widely recognized as one of the leading Hardanger fiddle players in North America. He has been learning, teaching and performing slåttar from Telemark and Numedal for more than 27 years. He is also an accomplished performer and teacher of other Norwegian instruments including ordinary fiddle, seljefløyte and munnharpe.

Jane Johnson has been playing at dances in the Puget Sound area for many years with her husband Jeff Anderson. She is a self taught musician, introduced to Nordic music through family links. Jane’s father played fiddle and accordion. Jane was a late-bloomer who began playing the button accordion at around age 40.

Jeff Anderson is from Waterville, Washington, and has been playing fiddle since the age of 15. For over thirty years he has played for shows and dances. Both of his grandfathers were Norwegian-style fiddlers from North Dakota, and he is carrying on the musical traditions of his family. Both he and Jane play with Nordic Spirit, formed in 1999.

Our favorite Norwegian fiddler, Bill Boyd, leads the musicians for the dancing following the performance! Bill Boyd is a multi-talented fiddler and learned to play hardingfele in 1983 from Leikarringen’s original fiddler, Ingulv Eldegard. Ever since he has been playing for Leikarringen of Leif Erikson Lodge 2-001, Sons of Norway, and continues developing his skill by both instruction in Norway and here through the many fiddlers who have been at Norsk Folkedans Stemne.

Tickets cost $20 for adults and $10 for children ages 6-12 until the end of the day tomorrow (Aug. 10). Tickets at the door and after Aug. 10 are $25 and $15. Buy tickets online here.