“The ancient symbols and stories of Norse culture reveal themselves
through the living tradition of song and dance.” 

Nordic movement is based on holding the body stav, plum with the Earth. Norse runes, isa, nauthiz, and mannaz are made with the body in Nordic dance. Völva stav articulates and teaches this method of body alignment.

Kari played stav rune and chant with Hardanger Fiddler, Karen Solgård in 2003. She encouraged Kari to study Nordic dance. Along with the wide variety of teachers in the Nordic dance community of Minneapolis, Kari studied Swedish pols and other couples dances with David Kaminsky. Gender neutral pedagogy, body runes, rhythm and breath come together in Nordic dance, Nordic skiing, and Nordic walking.

Ancient Circle Dances create community that is gender neutral, creates body runes, and everyone shares rhythm, breath, and history as they all sing for their dancing.

Kari collaborated with Carol Sersland, Telemark tradition bearer to create a program about working rhythms and dances.

“Klippe Sauen” ”Clip the Sheep”
explores the rhythms of wool work shearing to weaving. Participants card, spin, and weave learning each verse in Norwegian as they do the work it describes. Then they choreograph a dance based on body memory of each verses work.

Runes in Dance combine Norse myth, rune postures and Immigrant Era dances, Kari and Carol tested theories and material, developed curriculum, choreographed and performed in 2011 and 2012 (Legacy and Heritage grant in Folk Arts/Minnesota State Arts Board).

Bjønndans Kari produced a suite of children’s bear dance  including the bear hunt ritual dance and song from Trysil, Norway.  It was performed at the Landmark Center in St. Paul by Carol Sersland’s Fjell og Fjord Norwegian children’s dance group in 2012.

Bring Nordic Roots Dance to your town – kari@karitauring.com