I have had the great good fortune to be able to play for dancers in my community in the Washington, DC area every month. My friends have encouraged me since my early days of playing nyckelharpa, and this has helped my playing grow and improve. Each month I add new tunes and practice with this gig in mind.

The Mid-Atlantic Norwegian Dancers (MAND)  has monthly house parties with potluck and dancing at houses around the Maryland and DC area. We are fortunate to have multiple members with dance floors in their homes, including my home. Our local Hardanger fiddler, Loretta Kelley, is an amazing resource and initiated this series together with Jenny Foster. Loretta’s first set is usually Telespringar and Telegangar from Telemark. When Loretta takes her first break I play a set of Swedish dances and Norwegian Rørospols. Loretta returns with Valdres springar, Hallingspringar, Setesdal gangar, Vossarull, and other Norwegian dances. When Loretta cannot be there, we call on other Hardanger fiddlers from New York and New Jersey to come and play for our party.

I was nervous when I started to play alone for dancers, and lucky in the early days to have Melissa Running, a nyckelharpa-playing friend, to play with at the monthly dances. By the time she met her husband and stopped coming, I had been to the Eric Sahlström Institute and was more comfortable playing alone. I used to welcome anybody to join and play with me, preferring the coverage of another musician. But now I enjoy playing solo as much as I enjoy playing with other musicians.

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Once a year we sponsor our Spring Springar Spree, inviting a Norwegian couple or single to teach dancing. Friends come from out of town to play Hardanger fiddle and join us for dancing. The Spree is usually around early May and has been going for over 13 years.

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