To Friends old and not yet known,
At the end of February 2017, you can join a group of Hardingfele enthusiasts in Norway for a week of dancing and skiing way high up in the mountains in the Hardangarvidda National Park on the border of Telemark and Numedal at the Skrivdalen Fjellstue, a ski lodge owned by our hosts, Tom and Anita Løvli. Some has been to Ski-Dance week in Fairlee, VT numerous tim
es, at Scadia Camp Mendocino, and at HFAA (Hardanger Fiddle Association of America). Fabulous dance fiddlers, and hopefully Kenneth is coming, he has won "Best Dance Fiddler" at Lanskappleiken (the national dance and music competition)several times. He's also a really nice guy. Between fiddlers among campers there will be fabulous dancing for all. New to the dance? Workshops will be held during the day on a relaxed schedule depending on who wants them and what is needed. This is a fabulous opportunity to develop and deepen your skill as a dancer - it's an intensive immersion. But only if that's what you want. Some people come largely for the cross-country skiing. They pack up a lunch at breakfast and go out for the day. The Hardandgarvidda is the largest mountain plateau in Northern Europe, mostly above the tree line. The scenery is fabulous. The National Park has an extensive system of trails with warming huts in various places where food and drink can be bought. Anita Løvli is an accomplished skier and is prepared to offer lessons in skiing for those that want them. And some come to enjoy the scenery from a fire-warmed room as they pursue their vacation activities of reading, handwork and napping. We begin on Sunday February 26th. We'll be collected at the airport and taken all the way up to Skrivdalen Fjellstue on the border of Telemark and Numedal. We'll stop at the Kongsberg SkiCenter to rent skis for those who choose to rent skis rather than bringing them from home. Our housing is in a separate building designed for housing church retreat groups. Each room is equipped with three bunk beds. Depending on how many people come you may share a room with one, two or more people. The building also has it's own kitchen and sitting area with fireplace. There are three bathrooms in the building. Meals and dancing will occur in the ski lodge. Meals will be traditional Norwegian fare, As much as possible we are to have local and Norwegian foods. On Friday, we leave Skrivedalen to go to Kongsberg for two nights. The annual Kongsberg kappleik takes place on Saturday as part of a week-long Market celebration. The kappliek is a full day of competition in traditional music and dance from hardingfele, to mouth harp to langeliek. People come and go, and many campers also enjoy exploring Kongsberg, including the crafts fair at the Mining Museum or the open-air stalls in the old part of town. Friday night there is a concert followed by dancing, and Saturday night there is more dancing. We are housed at the Best Western Gyldenlove Hotel for the two nights, a nice hotel close to everything in town. Sunday 5th of March, we go home, train on your cost, from Kongsberg to airport, or you can stop in Oslo. Does this sound like fun? Don't you want to come? The cost is 7900 Kroner for seven days of housing, meals, entertainment, and transportation. Deadline for indicating your interest in coming is January 20th. Email Tom at: [email protected]
Tom Løvli
