The History of Norwegian Folk Dance
The history of Norwegian folk dance is a rich heritage. The people of Norway valued their music and dance traditions so much that they never needed to revisit the past to reclaim them. It is a fixed gem in Scandinavian culture now and will continue far into the future.
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Early Norwegian Dance
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Early dance in Norway consisted of song dances. The songs that accompanied traditional dances told the stories of heroes. With the arrival of musical instruments in the 18th century, the song dance began to decline. Influences from Europe brought new ideas in music and dancing. Couples danced the polka and waltz. The accordion, flute and zither ingrained themselves in the culture along with the movements meant to be companion to them.
Hulda Garborg and Klara Semb
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In the 1880s, Hulda Garborg, fell in love with the folk music of her country. She recognized that the songs were meant to be dances. Hulda did not know the dances so she created steps to go with the songs. In 1902, she was able to compare her dances to those of the Faroe Islands, where they still performed the original song dances. She melded some of her steps with the old and spread the dances throughout Norway holding workshops to teach them to the public. She formed a dance troupe that performed regularly as well. One of Hulda’s dancers, Klara Semb, traveled the country making record of the music, the steps, and naming the dances. She continued the workshops, nurturing the people’s love of their music and dance tradition.
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Music
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It is largely due to the survival and continuing popularity of the folk music in Norway that the dances have survived and become a cultural gem today. No fad ever replaced or dimmed the importance of the traditional songs. The music defines the dance. Dances are categorized by the rhythm of the music; 3/4, 2/4, or 6/8. Vals (waltz), and musurka (mazurka) are 3/4 time dances. Polka and Reinlender are 2/4 time dances. Runddans are turning dances for couples. Bygdedans in 2/4 or 6/8 are the oldest of dances. Gammeldans dances date from the late 1800s and traveled with immigrants to the U.S.
Regional Influence
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Folk dances in Norway are influenced regionally. Like a tartan, every area has signature dances as well as its own costume, called bunad. Each village might have its own version of dance to any given song. Formerly, only locals knew their own dances. Thanks to the oral and written record of the dances, most village dances are known across the country.
Norwegian Folk Dance Today
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All of these traditions are nurtured in present day Norway. There are two national competitions held yearly in celebration of this cultural heritage. The National Folk Dance Music Festival concentrates on gammeldans traditions, while the National Contest for Traditional Music focuses on bygdedans. The Norwegian Traditional Music and Dance Association, founded in 1987, advances the cause of folk dance and music ensuring that the traditions of old will continue into the future intact and adored.
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