Northern California Spelmanslag Annual Report 1996-1997
The Northern California
Spelmanslag
The Northern California Spelmanslag is a non-profit public benefit corporation
which aims to promote Scandinavian music, dance and culture through special
workshops, regular meetings, concerts and performances. The organization
consists of a central organization and four member groups: Nordahl Grieg
Leikarring, Nordic Footnotes, the Mid-Peninsula Scandinavian Dance Group,
and Scandiadans Scandinavian dance class. The Spelmanslag also contains many
individual members who are active in playing Scandinavian music, loosely
organized in playing groups by locality.
The Spelmanslag publishes the Northern California Spelmanslag News quarterly.
The first volume began in September of 1990 and the current issue completes
our eigth volume. The newsletter keeps musicians, dancers, and members of
the Scandinavian community informed regarding our activities. The newsletter
includes a calendar of Scandinavian folk music and dance activities as well
as related cultural events in Northern California and elsewhere, news about
the Spelmanslag organization, and articles of general interest.
The Spelmanslag has worked with other Scandinavian organizations in promoting
Scandinavian culture. We have maintained contacts with numerous Scandinavian
organizations and agencies, promoting communication and informing them of
our activities. We have also sought to promote communication and cooperation
between various groups across the country which promote Scandinavian culture.
We have mailed copies of our newsletter to individuals and groups across
the United States who are involved in organizing events which promote
Scandinavian folk music and dance. The newsletter keeps them informed regarding
Scandinavian folk dance and music activities in Northern California, and
provides an outlet for them to inform others of their local special events.
We have cooperated with several groups around the country in organizing tours
of Scandinavian guest instructors.
In future years, we intend to continue striving towards our goals of promoting
Scandinavian folk culture and cultural exchange. We will remain active in
bringing over instructors from Scandinavia to teach folk dance and music,
and we will continue to hold regular meetings for musicians and dancers.
We hope to further develop the sense of community among local musicians and
dancers, and will continue to work together with the larger Scandinavian
community both locally and across the country.
The Board
The Northern California Spelmanslag has a board of 15 members. Current directors
are:
Jeanne Sawyer, President, (408) 929-5602
Betsy McKone, Vice-President, (415) 368-8006
Patrick Golden, Treasurer, (510) 222-2023
Frank Tripi, Secretary, (510) 654-3636
Fred Bialy, (510) 215-5974
Sarah Kirton, (650) 968-3126
Egil Larsen, (650) 967-2310
Jim Little, (650) 323-2256
Susan Overhauser, (510) 222-2023
Linda Persson, (650) 323-2256
Stewart Pugh, (510) 527-7272
Henry Sawyer, (408) 929-5602
Mikkel Thompson, (408) 998-2076
Virginia Thompson, (510) 527-7272
Jane Tripi, (510) 654-3636
If you would like to offer some input regarding Spelmanslag activities or
would like to become actively involved, please call one of the directors
with your ideas and suggestions. You are welcome to attend board meetings.
If you are interested in being a board member, please let one of our current
directors know. Normally, elections for the board take place on the first
Saturday of October. Call Jeanne Sawyer for the time and place of board
meetings.
Organizational
Affiliations
Folk Dance Federation of California. The Northern California Spelmanslag
is a club under the Folk Dance Federation of California. The Spelmanslag
obtains its liability insurance through the Folk Dance Federation.
Hardanger Fiddle Association of America. The Northern California Spelmanslag
is a group member of the HFAA, which promotes the traditional music and dance
associated with the Norwegian hardingfele.
The Northern California Spelmanslag cooperates with other Scandinavian
organizations such as the Swedish and Norwegian consulates, The Norway Day
Festival, the local Sons of Norway and VASA lodges, and the American Scandinavian
Foundation.
The Year in Review:
1996-1997
During the 1996/97 fiscal year, NCS has held regular meetings for musicians
in two location where Scandinavian folk music has been taught and shared.
The Spelmanslag also sponsors regular Scandinavian dance classes via the
Mid-Peninsula Dancers, Scandiadans, and the Nordahl Grieg Leikarring, and
has provided these and other groups with non-profit status and insurance
coverage. Through these regular activities, we have been successful in
introducing newcomers to Scandinavian music and dance.
NCS and its member groups have also organized and sponsored a variety of
special dance and music workshops. In October, a weekend workshop featured
Magnus and Susanne Gustafsson from Sweden teaching slängpolska from
Småland. The were accompanied by Toste Länne and Marie Persson
who taught fiddle and song, respectively. During the workshop, Magnus gave
an informative talk on the history of dancing in Småland. Magnus, Toste
and Marie, all members of the Swedish folk music group Sågskära,
also performed in a memorable concert.
The Nordahl Grieg Leikarring and Spelemannslag hosted two weekend workshops
at the Sons of Norway Camp near Alta, California. The November event featured
Norwegian Tore Pederson who taught turdans and sångdans. The second
weekend in April featured Norwegians Einar Eimhellen, leader of the Nausdal
Spelemannslag, teaching a variety of instruments, and Magnus Hope, who taught
Suldalspringar, Jølstraspringar and Parhalling.
Norwegians Hilde Rudi Bråten, Mads Bøhle, and Åsmund Svenkerud
were featured at a series of dance and music workshops and concerts during
the last weekend in April, 1997. Their main focus was the music and dance
from Røros, halling, and dances typically done by leikarrings. These
events were a result of a collaboration between NCS and the Norway Day Festival
of San Francisco.
Swedish fiddler Anders Bjernulf, originally from Rättvik, but living
temporarily in San Francisco during the year, taught two all-day fiddle workshops
sponsored by NCS, one in November 1996, the other in May, 1997.
Swedish singer Eva Rune and pianist Rickard Åström included San
Francisco in their two week Fall tour of the United States performing in
Palo Alto at a concert organized by NCS.
We have also provided performances of Scandinavian folk music and dance for
other Scandinavian organizations and for the general public (see the table
of activities and performances included in this report). The Nordahl Grieg
Leikarring continues to be a busy performing group with over 45 appearances,
including participation in the prestigious San Francisco Ethnic Dance
Festival.
Financial Policies
All activities of the Northern California Spelmanslag are organized and provided
by volunteer services. Board members receive no compensation for their services.
Volunteers do not typically receive free admission to events.
The Spelmanslag does pay guest instructors to cover their expenses; typically
we are able to cover airfare and a stipend which should cover their ground
travel and per diem expenses while in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Admission costs to special event workshops are based at cost divided by expected
attendance. Admission to concerts and dances is based at or slightly above
cost. Any profit above expenses is deposited in Spelmanslag accounts for
use in future special events. There is no admission charge for regular
musiciansí gatherings.
Financial policies may vary somewhat for member groups.
Financial Goals
Our financial goal as an organization is to develop a reserve fund equivalent
to the total budget for a special event festival (typically $8,000 to $12,000),
plus the annual budget for the newsletter (approximately $2,500). This brings
our goal to about $15,000 for the central NCS account. Having this amount
in our account would allow us more leverage in organizing special festivals,
and would allow us to take risks such as sponsoring a festival of music and
dance from less-known regions of Scandinavia. Our financial reserve allows
us to pay for up-front expenses (airfair, hall-deposits, publicity) as they
occur.
The central NCS account has continued to obtain contributions from members
and individuals who wish to promote Scandinavian folk music and dance. However,
these contributions do not yet cover the annual cost of producing the NCS
news. We hope in future years to increase contributions in order to fully
support the newsletter and to increase our reserve fund.
Financial Report
The Northern California Spelmanslag operates on a fiscal year which runs
from October 1 through September 30.
The treasurer, Patrick Golden, has prepared the financial statement for the
Northern California Spelmanslag. This report is a consolidated report reflecting
the activities of the central NCS organization, Nordic Footnotes, Mid-Peninsula
Dancers, Scandiadans, and the Nordahl Grieg Leikarring. Please note that
only the income and expenses which fall in the fiscal year of 10/1/95 - 9/30/96
are reported.
Since arrangements for several special events occurred between fiscal years,
a direct comparison of the income and expense numbers for these events will
not provide an accurate picture of the profit or loss of these events. Since
a cash statement was provided instead of a balance sheet, fiscal year-end
liabilities were not reported. Thus, the ending cash balances reported included
some as yet ìunpaid bills. Thus, the amount of retained earnings is
somewhat smaller than the ending cash balances shown in the cash statement.
Income Statement
October 1, 1996 - September 30, 1997
| Income | Expenses | |||||
| NCS Events | NCS Events | |||||
| Røros Mini-Workshop | $2,516.00 | Printing and Postage | $ 2,343.10 | |||
| Slängpolska Workshop | $1,459.00 | Airfares | $ 3,937.21 | |||
| Cassettes | $ 635.00 | Hall Rental | $ 300.00 | |||
| Insurance Reimbursement | $ 201.00 | Insurance | $ 386.00 | |||
| Miscellaneous | $ 198.50 | Teachers & Fiddlers | $ 1,940.00 | |||
| Eva Rune Concert & Dance | $ 416.00 | $ 5,425.50 | Refreshments | $ 304.98 | ||
| Nordahl Grieg Leikarring | Refunds | $ 35.00 | ||||
| Dues | $ 285.00 | Miscellaneous | $ 84.51 | $ 9,330.80 | ||
| Spelemannslag Tapes & CDís | $ 451.08 | Nordahl Grieg Leikarring | ||||
| Workshop Fees | $ 245.00 | Rent | $ 490.00 | |||
| Performances | $4,530.00 | Travel | $ 1,588.90 | |||
| Tee Shirts & Bunad Sales | $1,273.00 | Postage, Copies, Fees | $ 584.44 | |||
| Miscellaneous | $ 200.00 | $ 6,984.08 | Insurance | $ 138.00 | ||
| Mid-Peninsula Scandinavian Dancers | Newsletter and Flyers | $ 35.13 | ||||
| Regular Weekly Events | $ 666.08 | Musicians Fees | $ 200.00 | |||
| Special Events | $ 187.00 | $ 853.08 | Miscellaneous | $ 387.40 | $ 3,423.87 | |
| Nordic Footnotes | Mid-Peninsula Scandinavian Dancers | |||||
| Monthly Dances | $ 992.11 | $ 992.11 | Rent for Weekly Dances | $ 750.0 | ||
| Scandiadans | Special Events | $ 188.00 | $ 938.00 | |||
| Weekly Dances | $3,160.96 | $3,160.96 | Nordic Footnotes | |||
| Contributions and Grants | Rent | $ 900.00 | ||||
| NCS | $1,694.78 | $1,694.78 | Supplies | $ 71.65 | $ 1,294.87 | |
| Interest Income | Scandiadans | |||||
| NCS | $ 459.39 | Rent | $ 1,740.00 | |||
| Mid-Peninsula | $ 0.24 | Insurance & Federation Dues | $ 88.00 | |||
| Scandiadans | $ 8.60 | $ 468.23 | Records & Dance Publications | $ 35.00 | ||
| Total Income | $19,767.36 | Musicians & Workshop Teacher | $ 105.00 | |||
| Flyers & Refreshments | $ 46.23 | |||||
| AIWA Receiver | $ 188.39 | $ 2,212.62 | ||||
| Total Expenses | $17,200.16 | |||||
| Net Income | $ 2,567.20 | |||||
| Cash Statement | ||||||
| Ending Cash | ||||||
| NCS Main Account | $13,464,54 | |||||
| Nordahl Grieg Leikarring | $ 8,391.70 | |||||
| Mid-Peninsula Dancers | $ 1,518.23 | |||||
| Nordic Footnotes | $ 2,158.69 | |||||
| Scandiadans | $ 948.34 | $26,481.50 |
Donors
Sponsors ($100 and up)
Fred Bialy
Carolyn Hunt
Ralph Morewitz
Mark Wegner & Mary Korn
Patrons ($25 to $99)
Carolyn Anderson
Patsy Bolt
Bill & Regina Boyd
Zena Corcoran
Tom Fischer
Michael Goode
Nordahl Grieg Leikarring
Susan McLafferty
Don Meyers & Kathi Ploeger
Hazel Olsen
Carol Olson
Craig Olson
Donna Tripp
Supporters ($10 to $24)
Anne Bachar
Robert Hiller
Bernard Rosell
Heather Steele
Virginia Thompson
Activities and
Performances
Weekly Open Sessions for Fiddlers, Monday evenings in El Cerrito, organized
by Fred Bialy.
Weekly Nordahl Grieg Leikarring. Beginning Norwegian dance class and performing
group meeting Wednesdays and fourth Sunday, organized by Mikkel Thompson.
Weekly Scandiadans, Scandinavian Dance Class at the Nature Friendsí
Lodge, 3115 Butters Drive, Oakland, organized by Jane and Frank Tripi.
Weekly Scandinavian Fiddle Class, Friday evenings in the Peninsula, organized
by Jeanne Sawyer.
Bi-wkly Mid-Peninsula Scandinavian Dance, on 2nd & 4th Friday evenings
in Atherton, organized by Jim Little and Linda Persson.
Monthly Third Saturday Party with live music by Nordic Footnotes and other
Bay Area musicians. Organized by Jeanne Sawyer.
10/4/96 Heritage Night, Bjornson Lodge Sons of Norway, Oakland, Performance
by Nordahl Grieg Leikarring (NGL).
10/12+/96 Festival of Folk Music and Dance from Southern Sweden, at the Community
United Church of Christ, San Carlos, featuring Magnus and Susanne Gustafsson,
Toste Länne, and Marie Persson, dance and music teachers from Sweden,
Organized by the Northern California Spelmanslag (NCS).
10/14/96 Swedish Fiddle Workshop with Magnus Gustafsson, at the home of Fred
Bialy, El Cerrito, Organized by NCS.
10/19/96 Ethnic Celebration in Historyville, Monterey County Historical Society,
Sherwood Hall, 940 N. Main St., Salinas, Performance by NGL.
10/20/96 Mendocino Woodlands Benefit Ball, Presidio Officersí Club,
San Francisco, Performance by NCS.
10/26/96 Smorgasbord Luncheon, Daughters of Norway, Lafayette, Performance
by NGL.
10/26/96 Convention, California Rosemalers Association, Mt Alverno Conference
Center, Redwood City, Performance by NGL.
10/29/96 Lodge Social, Henrik Ibsen Lodge Henrik Ibsen, Lodge 60 Onandaga
Ave., San Francisco, Performance by NGL.
11/1+/96 Camp Norge Folkedans Stevne near Alta, CA. Featuring Tore Pederson
from Norway. Organized by the NGL and Nordahl Grieg Spelemannslag (NGS).
11/9/96 Swedish Fiddle Workshop with Anders Bjernulf, at the home of Fred
Bialy, El Cerrito, Organized by NCS.
11/9/96 Viking Fest, Sacramento, Performance by NGL.
11/20/96 Ethnic Awareness Day, Hartnell College, Salinas, Performance by
NGL.
12/7/96 Lutefisk Dinner, Sons of Norway Lodge #52 (Nordahl Grieg), 580 Parr
Ave., Los Gatos, Performance by NGL.
12/15/96 Christmas Party, Roald Amundsen Sons of Norway Lodge, Sacramento,
Performance by NGL.
1/11/97 Audition, Ethnic Dance Festival, San Francisco State University,
San Francisco, Performance by NGL.
2/26/97 Cultural Program, K. I. Jones Elementary School, Winston Dr.,Fairfield,
Performance by NGL.
2/26/97 Senior Center Entertainment, McBride Senior Center, 411 Kendal St.,
Vacaville, Performance by NGL.
3/8/97 Redwood Heights Cultural Festival, Redwood Heights Recreation Center,
Los Altos, Performance by NGL.
3/13/97 Ethnic Awareness Days, Piedmont Hills High School, San Jose, Performance
by NGL.
3/14/97 Ethnic Awareness Days, Piedmont Hills High School, San Jose, Performance
by NGL.
4/4+/97 Camp Norge Folkedans Stevne near Alta, CA. Featuring Einar Eimhellen
and Magnus Hope from Norway. Organized by NGL and NGS.
4/11/97 Ethnic Awareness Program, Menlo College, 1000 El Camino Real, Atherton,
Performance by NGL.
4/12/97 Scandifest, Sacramento, Performance by NGL.
4/18/97 Valborg, Vasa Order of America Svea Lodge # 348, San Jose, Performance
by NGL.
4/19/97 International Spring Festival 1997, International House at UC Berkeley,
Performance by NGL.
4/26/97 Norwegian Dance and Music Workshops, Concert and Dance Party featuring
Hilde Rudi Bråten, Mads Bøhle, and Åsmund Svenkerud, First
United Methodist Church, Redwood City. Organized by NCS.
4/27/97 Norwegian Music Workshop with Åsmund Svenkerud at the home
of Anita Siegel, Los Altos. Organized by NCS and NGS.
4/27/97 Norwegian Dance and Music Workshops with Hilde Rudi Bråten,
Mads Bøhle, and Åsmund Svenkerud at Sons of Norway Nordahl Hall,
Los Gatos. Organized by NGL and NGS.
4/27/97 Norwegian Folk Music and Dance Concert featuring Hilde Rudi Bråten,
Mads Bøhle, and Åsmund Svenkerud, at Viking hall (Scandinavian
Cultural Center), Santa Cruz. Organized by NCS.
5/3/97 Norway Day Festival, Herbst Pavilion, Fort Mason, San Francisco,
Performance by NGL
5/3/97 Norway Day Festival, Herbst Pavilion, Fort Mason, San Francisco, Two
Performances by NGS.
5/4/97 Norway Day Festival, Herbst Pavilion, Fort Mason, San Francisco,
Performance by NGL and NGS.
5/4/97 Norway Day Festival, Herbst Pavilion, Fort Mason, San Francisco,
Performance by NCS and Mid-Peninsula Scandinavian Dancers.
5/14/97 Cultural Program, Santa Rosa Sons of Norway, Santa Rosa, Performance
by NGL.
5/16/97 Sytende Mai Celebration, Viegland Lodge, 1665 Fernside, Redwood City,
Performance by NGL.
5/16/97 International Day , Rainbow Bridge School, 1500 Yosemite Dr., Milpitas,
Performance by NGL.
5/17/97 Swedish Fiddle Workshop with Anders Bjernulf, at the home of Anita
Siegel, Los Altos, Organized by NCS.
5/17/97 Sytende Mai Celebration, Norwegian Seamans Church, 2454 Hyde St.
San Francisco, Performance by NGL.
5/17/97 Sytende Mai Celebration/Flag Raising, City Hall of San Jose, Performance
by NGL.
5/18/97 Barnas Dag, Norwegian National League, Parade Grounds at Fort Mason,
San Francisco, Performance by NGL.
5/25/97 Sytende Mai Civic Observance, Norwegian National League, Golden Gate
Park, San Francisco, Performance by NGL.
5/31/97 Henrik Ibsen Park Opening, Henrik Ibsen Lodge, Henrik Ibsen Park,
13800 Skyline Blvd., Woodside, Performance by NGL.
6/14/97 Midsummer Celebration, Valhalla Lodge, Viking Hall/Scandinavian Cultural
Center, Santa Cruz, Performance by NGL.
6/14/97 Centennial Lodge Institutional Banquet, Vacaville Cultural Center,
1000 Ulatis Dr., Vacaville, Performance by NGL.
6/20/97 1997 San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival, Palace of Fine Arts, San
Francisco, Performance by NGL.
6/21/97 1997 San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival, Palace of Fine Arts, San
Francisco, Performance by NGL.
6/22/97 1997 San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival, Palace of Fine Arts, San
Francisco, Performance by NGL.
6/27/97 Convention, Vasa Order of America Lindbergh # 494, San Jose, Performance
by NGL.
7/12/97 Bergstedt Wedding, 14053 Taos Dr., Saratoga, Performance by NGL.
7/27/97 Day-at-the-Park, Anna Kolbjornsdatter Lodge #36, Henrik Ibsen Park,
Woodside, Performance by NGL.
8/23/97 Cultural Fair, Agnew Development Center, 3500 Zanker Rd., San Jose,
Performance by NGL.
8/23/97 Henrik Ibsen Lodge Annual Picnic, Henrik Ibsen Park, Woodside,
Performance by NGL.
9/19/97 Swedish Folk Music Concert and Dance featuring singer Eva Rune and
pianist Rickard Åström, at St. Markís Episcopal Church,
Palo Alto. Organized by NCS.
9/19/97 Bjornson Lodge Heritage Night, Sons of Norway Bjornson Lodge, Oakland,
Performance by NGL.
9/20/97 Henrik Ibsen Lodge Closing Dinner, Henrik Ibsen Park, Woodside,
Performance by NGL.
9/21/97 Tamar Davis & Grant Larsen Wedding, Temple Emanuel, 2 Lake St.,
San Francisco, Performance by NGL.
9/26/97 Skandi Fest, Stanislaus County Fair Grounds, Turlock, CA, Two
Performances by NGL, Two Performances by NGS.
9/27/97 Skandi Fest, Stanislaus County Fair Grounds, Turlock, CA, Two
Performances by NGL, One Performance by NGS.
9/28/97 Skandi Fest, Stanislaus County Fair Grounds, Turlock, CA, Two
Performances by NGL.