Norse Afternoon of Fun is on the Way

The dancers have been hard at it training and perfecting their dances for the past few months. The 2013 edition of the Norse Afternoon of Fun is the 48th annual and takes place on February 10th. It is once again at the Stoughton High School gym from 1:30-4:30 PM or until the Troll kicks everyone out. Lots of fun dances happen at the Norse Afternoon. Parents come out on the dance floor, alumni dancers come out and relive their glory days, even some fourth graders get in on the act. It's a great way to lessen the cabin fever and chase away the winter blues.

The Halling Dance is the finale and probably the centerpiece. It is based on traditional Norwegian wedding parties. These parties back in the old country on the family farm, often lasted for six days and drew everybody in from miles around. These multi-day events evolved to have all sorts of things to occupy people's time. The young men of that era worked on what we would call gymnastics today. In fact, one of the moves in this hallingkast dance is a headspin, very much in the same form as what is seen many years later in a sidewalk breakdance.

So come on down to Stoughton, eat some varme pølse, maybe even some lefse, watch a few hats get kicked, and enjoy the dancing that a group of modern day teenagers energetically perform based on old Norwegian traditions.

by the way, there's a great article on wikipedia that talks at length about the wedding dances in the Norway.