While in Lindsborg, Kansas, we watched a group of local high school students perform traditional Swedish dances in the local park.
Talk about a unique high school sport! Each year, the students travel to a new state and perform in a culminating show to raise money for a final trip they will take as seniors to Sweden.
The dances were really awesome and ranged from a sword dance (performed by the young men) to a sort of musical chairs, where an uneven number of dancers had to grab a partner, leaving one out. There was also a humorous “odd couple” dance (as seen below) and a dance imitating the act of weaving.
The best was when a male dancer picks up two women, one on each side, and swings them around until their feet come off the ground. How they do this without getting dizzy, I’m still trying to figure out!
Their costumes each hold lots of cultural significance and oftentimes included imported materials and were styled after a location in Sweden. They were passed down from family members or a previous dancer. There is also an adult dancing group that is active in the area.
I was just dying over the aprons on the front of each!
And, of course, all of the ladies attending the Farmgirls on the Loose event came to watch.
I am in 100% agreement: LOVE those aprons on each outfit!!! Especially the last one that is blue and yellow and has the Dala horses in the bottom print along with the adorable purse(?). The colors are so festive. I cannot wait to see what the traditional outfits are in Norway this summer. My guess is that there will be similarities? Maybe I can find an apron in a gift shop to purchase? Visiting Lindsborg is going to have to be a must later this year. I understand they do a great weekend closest to St. Lucia Day in December with lots of Swedish traditions. The first time I ever learned about Mary Jane’s Farm was the December that you had the front cover with the St. Lucia girl on it and an article about the tradition. Because we always celebrated the day when my children were young and living at home, I snagged a magazine in Tractor Supply and it was instant love! I learned for the first time that indeed I could be a Farmgirl just because it was in my heart and had nothing to do with actually living on a farm! So this Farmgirl connection is a blend of Swedish obsession finding her way to Idaho to be a farm girl with thousands of other!! You never know how the dots are going to connect in your life!
Winnie,
On our recent trip, I was able to say Hi to the photographer in Lindsborg who took that front cover shot. Definitely Lindsborg should be on your list. Also, the photographer who took the photos of us in National Geographic in 1995 lives in Lindsborg and contiues to travel the world. He and his wife have a shop on Main Street called Small World Gallery and she makes jewelry on the spot as you wait after picking out your beads, etc. Look them up online. Amazing couple. Kathy and Jim Richardson. I’ll have a post about her later in the week. Amazing people in Lindsborg!!!!!
This just makes me more determined to visit Lindsborg as soon as possible! After this summer, I have a feeling that I will be totally obsessed with all things Scandinavian. I sent Brian some links to some postings I did with my friend on her Scandinavian blog site about my husband’s family and a book I read on Norwegian Christmas traditions this past year. Check it out if you have time. Too bad my family heritage is a Heinze 57 mix! LOL! I have gotten into it partially because my children are interested since they are half Norwegian, and partially because the culture is so interesting to me. Thanks for the lead on the Richardsons.