Special Events at ASI
Midsommar
Saturday, June 19, 2010- 10 a.m. to 4 p.m
Celebrate the coming of summer with fiddling, dancing and festivity at the American Swedish Institute’s annual Midsommar Celebration on Saturday, June 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This annual festival includes music, folk dancing, colorful Swedish folk costumes, arts and crafts, food, activities for families, and the raising of the Swedish Midsummer pole. The Midsommar Celebration is free and open to all. It includes free admission to the American Swedish Institute museum located within the 100-year-old mansion and former home of Institute founder Swan J. Turnblad.
The ASI Spelmanslag will lead the parade playing traditional Swedish fiddle music, and members of the Twin Cities Swedish Folk Dancers and the Vasa Jr. Folk Dancers perform their favorite dances wearing colorful Swedish folk costumes.
Craft vendors and a wide variety of activities for all ages can be enjoyed outdoors throughout the morning and afternoon. Meatballs, hotdogs, herring, ice cream and more will be available at the Outdoor Swedish Café.
Midsommar is a holiday dear to Swedes everywhere. When daylight returns to the northern reaches of Sweden after the long, dark winter, there is cause to celebrate! And while it is called midsummer, it really marks the beginning of summer. People in Sweden erect maypoles with leafy green birch branches and wild flowers. Music fills the air, lively dancing ensues, and merriment continues well into the night.
Adult Slöjd (Handicraft) Workshop
Saturday, January 23 — 9 a.m.–noon
Are you interested in learning about slöjd (Swedish handicraft)? This winter, ASI will begin offering workshops for adults on topics such as birch bark crafts, straw weaving, jewelry making, and glass.
The first of several workshops will be held on Saturday, January 23 from 9 a.m.–noon. During this time, you will learn about simple painting on glass: its tradition, how it is done using a reverse painting technique, how to use and care for your glass creations, as well as about the properties of glass, and more. You will walk away from this class with a set of four painted glass coasters and a wealth of knowledge!
The cost of this workshop is $45 for ASI members and $55 for nonmembers. Please register in advance by calling 612-871-4907.
Youth Slöjd Series: Paper and Textile Prints
Sundays, January 24, 31, February 7 and 14 — 1–3 p.m.
“Design is art people use.” Join us as we create print art that you can use! We will explore printing using found objects, raised relief cardboard, foam carved blocks and stencils on a variety of paper and textiles.
ASI’s Youth Slöjd (Handicraft) Series is offered periodically throughout the year, covering a variety of Slöjd topics, and is for youth ages 8 and up. The cost for the “Paper and Textile Prints” four-week program is $50 per student. Registration is required; please call 612-871-4907.
Slöjd can be translated as “handicraft” and is an integral component in the education of Swedish youth. We hold true to the basic slöjd principles of using real tools and materials to make intriguing and useful objects.
January ASI Forum
“A Memory Tour of Swedish American Food Traditions”
Wednesday, January 27 — 7 p.m.
Join us for a sensory-laden and interactive evening as we explore the ethnic food traditions that are part of our collective experience as Swedish-Minnesotans. The creamy richness of rice pudding, greasy sugar snapping from each bite of rosette, the heavy odor of lutfisk: we use all of our senses when we experience the flavors of our heritage. How are our memories entwined with the recipes of our past? Be prepared to use your sight, smell, taste, touch, and even hearing as we take a “Memory Tour of Swedish American Food Traditions” on Wednesday, January 27 at 7 p.m. with speaker Patrice Johnson.
Patrice Johnson was raised by a Swedish-American father and a mother who adopted the Swedish food traditions of her husband’s family. Intrigued by her family’s practice of eating baked macaroni and cheese alongside traditional Swedish foods on Christmas Eve, Johnson turned the query into a thesis proposal and is currently writing her master’s thesis, tentatively titled “Swedish Immigrant Foodways,” at the University of Minnesota.
ASI Forum presentations are free for members and included with museum admission for nonmembers. Freewill contributions are welcomed for refreshments after the talk. Reservations are encouraged but not mandatory; please call 612-871-4907.
17 Swedish Designers Exhibit Opening
Friday, January 29 — 6 p.m. reception, 7 p.m. presentation
Please join us for a reception in the Grand Hall from 6–7 p.m. on Friday, January 29 to celebrate the opening of 17 Swedish Designers. The exhibit, which showcases the work of influential Swedish designers—all women— in a variety of fields, will be on display at the American Swedish Institute through May 30. At the reception, enjoy treats and beverages in the Grand Hall, and be one of the first to see these cutting edge objects with the turn-of-the-century mansion as a backdrop. Guests age 21 and over will receive one free alcoholic beverage (beer, champagne, white wine), and there will be a cash bar available. At 7 p.m., Barbara Martinson will give a presentation. Admission to both the reception and presentation is free.
Barbara Martinson will give context and shape to the exhibit with a presentation about design today with attention to women’s contributions to contemporary design. What is the relationship between aesthetics and everyday objects in Nordic culture? How does the Swedish craft tradition influence 21st-century objects?
Martinson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Design, Housing, and Apparel at the University of Minnesota. She specializes in design education, human factors in graphic design, and color. She teaches courses in Design and Factors of Human Perception, History of Visual Communication, Design Planning, Analysis and Evaluation, and more.
Reservations for this event are strongly encouraged; please call 612-871-4907 to let us know if you plan to attend.
Youth Slöjd (Handicraft) Series “Slöjd and Music of Psalmodikons”
Sundays, February 28, March 7, 14, and 21 — 1–3 p.m.
Psalmodikons are single-stringed instruments that are fun to build and fun to play. Join local musician and educator Ross Sutter to build and embellish your own psalmodikon and learn to play your instrument.
Slöjd, or handicraft, is an integral component in the education of Swedish youth. ASI’s Youth Slöjd Series is offered periodically throughout the year, covering a variety of Slöjd topics, and is for youth ages 8 and up. The cost for the “Psalmodikons” four-week program (Sundays, February 28, March 7, 14, and 21 from 1–3 p.m.) is $50 per student. Registration is required.
Slöjd can be translated as “handicraft” and is an integral component in the education of Swedish youth. We hold true to the basic slöjd principles of using real tools and materials to make intriguing and useful objects.
ASI Male Chorus Svensk Frukost
Saturday, February 6 — 8–11 a.m.
Enjoy this winter’s Svensk Frukost, sponsored by the ASI Male Chorus and Auxiliary. Bring your friends and family to enjoy a hearty Swedish breakfast and performances by the Chorus.
Tickets are $12 for adults and $4 for children 10 and under. Tickets are nonrefundable and must be purchased in advance. To order tickets, send your check (made payable to ASI Male Chorus) and a stamped, self-addressed envelope to: Frukost, The American Swedish Institute, 2600 Park Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55407.
Monday, February 8 — 9:30–11 a.m.
Sunday, February 14 — 2–3:30 p.m.
Bring your favorite preschool sweetheart to celebrate Alla hjärtans dag, “All Hearts Day” or Valentine’s Day, through creative storytelling, music, art and more!
Explore Swedish (and Swedish-American) traditions with your preschool-aged child or grandchild. Together, we’ll answer the questions of “What do Swedish families do throughout the year?” and “Why do they do it?” This program is specifically designed for children ages 3–5 and their important adults.
Attend the “Alla hjärtans dag” preschool program on either Monday, February 8 from 9:30–11 a.m. or Sunday, February 14 from 2–3:30 p.m. $10 per preschooler. Adults free. Maximum of two children per one adult. Registration is required. To register, please call 612-871-4907.
Valentine’s Day Dinner
Sunday, February 14 — 5 p.m.
Valentine’s Day will be here soon, and what better way to celebrate than with an evening of dinner and music? Bring your sweetheart or a friend to a special Valentine’s dinner at the American Swedish Institute!
The evening’s music will be provided by jazz singer Christine Rosholt, accompanied by a special four-piece band. Rosholt, who has been performing as a jazz vocalist since 2002, has taken the stage for three previous membership nights at ASI, and she came out with a new CD of live songs earlier this year. Her repertoire features jazz standards of the 1930s and 1940s like “Cheek to Cheek” and “Down with Love” that remain classics today. There will also be space for dancing if the mood strikes you!
The meal will begin with a mixed salad and breads. The main course will be jägerstek (beef roast flavored with juniper, rosemary and thyme), accompanied by potatoes and vegetables. Dessert will be raspberry and strawberry sherbet served with meringue.
The cost of this dinner is $26. Reservations must be made by February 11 by calling 612-871-4907.
February Membership Night Dinner
Thursday, February 18 — 6:30 p.m.
Enjoy authentic Dixieland jazz at membership night on Thursday, February 18 at 6:30 p.m.! The evening’s entertainment will be provided by Sanok Dixieland Jazz Band, a six-piece band made up of seasoned jazz musicians dedicated to preserving traditional jazz. The band, which was formed in the early 1980s, is named for Sanok, a Polish city noted for its music festivals. The evening will include songs like “Basin Street” and “Rampart Street” that will have your toes tapping!
The meal will begin with mixed salad and breads, followed by baked salmon served with dill cream sauce, potatoes and vegetables. Dessert will be semlor (cardamom buns filled with almond paste and whipped cream). The cost of the membership dinner is $21 per person. Reservations must be made by Tuesday, February 16; please call 612-871-4907.
Glass Workshop: Make a Paper Weight
Saturday, February 20 — 10 a.m.
Location: Foci Glass (2010 E. Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis)
Join a small group from ASI at Foci Glass (MN Center for Glass Arts) on Saturday, February 20 at 10 a.m. for a hands-on glass experience! Foci Glass is the Twin Cities’ only public access glassblowing facility. Foci staff will give short glassblowing demonstrations, followed by an opportunity for guests to roll up their sleeves, pick up a tool, and make their own colorful paperweight. ASI will provide refreshments during the workshop. Afterwards, stop by the American Swedish Institute to visit the 17 Swedish Designers exhibit, which includes works in glass by Swedish designers.
The cost for this workshop is $70 ASI members, $75 nonmembers. Participants must be at least age 14 and should call the American Swedish Institute at 612-871-4907 to register by Friday, February 12. On the day of, attendees should plan on meeting at Foci Glass (2010 E. Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis). When you register, ASI will send you directions, and parking information for the location. Note: this event is not handicapped accessible; there is no elevator access within the building.
February Smörgåsbord
Sunday, February 21 — 1 p.m.
Join us for an ASI smörgåsbord at 1 p.m. on Sunday, February 21. Leroy Larson and Mel Brendan play old-time Scandinavian music for your enjoyment throughout the feast. Smörgåsbord reservations (including sales tax) are $23 members, $28 nonmembers, $9 ages 6–11, and free for children under six. First-come, first-served reservations are required by Friday, February 19 and are non-refundable. Please let us know if you have special seating requests in advance. Call 612-871-4907 for Visa, MasterCard, or Discover reservations, or mail payment to ASI.
The main dish on the menu will be kalops (Swedish beef stew), served with pickled beets. Other tasty dishes include herring in wine sauce, herring in sour cream and chives, eggs topped with mayonnaise and shrimp, gravlax (marinated salmon) served with sweet dill mustard sauce, three kinds of Swedish cheese, smoked ham, creamy fruit salad, smoked sausages, fresh fruit platter, pickled cucumbers, Jansson’s Temptation, meatballs, red cabbage, boiled potatoes, and Swedish sausages.
Dessert will be semlor (Lenten buns), which are cardamom buns filled with almond paste and whipped cream.
Adult Slöjd (Handicraft) Workshop: Birch Bark
Sunday, February 21 — 1–4 p.m.
Are you interested in learning about slöjd (Swedish handicraft)? ASI has begun to offer workshops for adults on topics such as birch bark crafts, straw weaving, jewelry making, and glass.
The second workshop in the slöjd series for adults will be Sunday, February 21 from 1–4 p.m. The focus of this class is basic birch bark weaving. Learn about the properties of birch bark and how to harvest it. Then use your knowledge to create a birch bark ring, folded bookmark, and a German star.
The cost of this workshop is $45 for ASI members, $55 for nonmembers. Please register in advance by calling 612-871-4907.
ASI Forum: “Sweden during the Cold War: Neutral or Latent NATO Ally?”
Wednesday, February 24 — 7 p.m.
Dr. Carl-Gustaf Scott and Dr. Byron Nordstrom take a look at the question “Sweden during the Cold War: Neutral or Latent NATO Ally?” at the ASI Forum on Wednesday, February 24 at 7 p.m.
Recent research has revealed that Sweden’s ties to NATO during the Cold War were a lot closer than the government ever let on. After the fact, this revelation ignited a heated political debate in Sweden, since the country’s covert ties to the Western alliance appeared to be at odds with the government’s publicly stated policy of neutrality. This talk examines this debate, while also providing a historical overview of Swedish neutrality in the Modern era.
Dr. Carl-Gustaf Scott is a Visiting Assistant Professor of History at Hamline University. Dr. Scott has a B.A from Reed College, and an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin. He enjoys teaching about modern comparative politics, international relations, and social and military history.
Dr. Byron Nordstrom is professor emeritus of history at Gustavus Adolphus College, having joined their faculty in 1974. He has a B.A. from Lawrence University, and M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. He is the author and editor of many books and articles on Swedish-America and Scandinavia.
ASI Forum presentations are free for ASI members and included with museum admission for nonmembers. Freewill contributions are welcomed for refreshments after the talk. Reservations are encouraged but not mandatory. For reservations call 612-871-4907.
ASI Spelmanslag Midwinter Folkmusik Fest
Friday, February 26 – Sunday, February 28
The American Swedish Institute and the ASI Spelmanslag present the Midwinter Folkmusik Fest, the annual weekend of Swedish folk music and dance, on February 26, 27, and 28. Special guests this year include Göran Olsson, Swedish fiddle; Kerstin Hendrickson, Swedish song, and Dick Hensold, Swedish säckpipa. All events on February 26 and 27 take place at the American Swedish Institute. See below for the detailed schedule.
Göran Olsson is from Jämtland, Sweden. He began fiddling at the age of eight and specializes in dance fiddling. Olsson is also a master dancer and dance teacher. He now lives outside Washington, D.C., where he organized and leads the Washington Spelmanslag and its 40 members.
Kerstin Hendrickson grew up near Uppsala, Sweden, and has lived in Washington, D.C., since 1975. She plays fiddle and nyckelharpa, and is a dancer. In 1993 she started Svenska Sånggruppen (the Swedish Songgroup), which sponsors the Swedish Visafton, a Swedish performance, sing-a-long, and dance evening.
Dick Hensold is a local full-time musician specializing in a wide variety of pipes. Hensold will be featured playing the Swedish säckpipa, which has been known at least since the 14th century and was common in western Dalarna in the 19th century.
Come prepared to have fun, bring your families and friends, and get ready to tap and twirl those feet all weekend.
The schedule of events for the weekend is as follows:
Friday, February 26 — 7:30 p.m.
Concert featuring Göran Olsson, Kerstin Hendrickson, Dick Hensold and Paul Dahlin. Refreshments will be served. Cost: $10 ASI members, $12 nonmembers.
Saturday, February 27 — 10 a.m.–noon
Youth fiddle workshop with Göran Olsson, followed by lunch. Participants must have two years of school orchestra or the equivalent of Suzuki Book 2. Free. Register with Jennifer Olsen, jaolsen777@yahoo.com.
Saturday, February 27 — 10 a.m.–noon
Morning song workshop with Kerstin Hendrickson, with a focus on Swedish chorale singing. Cost: $20 (or $30 for both if you sign up for the morning and afternoon song workshops). Register with Ross Sutter, 612-331-1968, rosssutter@mac.com.
Saturday, February 27 — 1–3 p.m.
Adult fiddling workshop. Cost: $20 (Spelmanslag members free). Register with Mary Hegge, 651-645-1901, ohegge@mailhost.org.
Saturday, February 27 — 1–3 p.m.
Afternoon song workshop with Kerstin Hendrickson, with a focus on singing for dance. Cost: $20 (or $30 for both if you sign up for the morning and afternoon song workshops). Register with Ross Sutter, rosssutter@mac.com or 612-331-1968.
Saturday, February 27 — 3:30–5 p.m.
Dance workshop with Göran Olsson for dancers who are already familiar with polska and want to have an introduction to or quick refresher in dances from Jämtland. Bring smooth-soled shoes. Cost: $15. Information: Mary Hegge, 651-645-1901, ohegge@mailhost.org. No registration necessary.
Saturday, February 27 — 7:30 p.m.
Dance party featuring festival guests and friends, the ASI Spelmanslag, and the Twin Cities Nyckelharpalag. No entrance fee, but the hat will be passed.
Sunday, February 28 — 3 p.m. — Bethlehem Covenant Church
Concert with ASI Spelmanslag, Göran Olsson, and Kerstin Hendrickson at the Bethlehem Covenant Church, located at 3141 43rd Ave. S. in Minneapolis. Freewill donations accepted.
Swedish Exercise: Free Trial Class!
Tuesday, March 2 — 9:15 a.m.
Try it for free! On Tuesday, March 2, we are offering a free trial Swedish Exercise class. Check it out for a one-time chance to meet your future instructor and friends! The class runs from 9:15–10:15 a.m.
After a thorough warm-up, participants go through a slight cardiovascular workout, followed by strength training for both the upper and lower body, and end with a relaxing cool-down and stretch.
The Swedish Exercise class is a regular class offering at the American Swedish Institute. The class is taught in three nine-week terms per year. The next term begins on Tuesday, March 23.
All ages and both men and women are encouraged to try this class. Enjoy moving to fun music while working out at your own comfort level! Please bring a mat and comfortable shoes to class. Call 612-871-4907 for more information.
March Membership Night Dinner
Thursday, March 18 — 6:30 p.m.
Enjoy a night of traditional Swedish folk music at membership night on Thursday, March 18, with dinner beginning at 6:30 p.m.! The ASI Spelmanslag will provide the evening’s entertainment with a variety of waltzes, schottisches and polskas.
The evening’s meal will begin with mixed salad and breads, followed by Örtagårdskyckling (chicken breast served with a creamy sauce flavored with yellow, red and green peppers, mushrooms and thyme) and vegetables. Dessert will be flourless chocolate torte with whipped cream.
The cost of the membership dinner is $21 per person. Reservations must be made by Tuesday, March 16. Please call 612-871-4907 to reserve your seat.
March Smörgåsbord
Sunday, March 21 — 1 p.m.
The next Sunday smörgåsbord is set for March 21 at 1 p.m. During the meal, LeRoy Larson and Mel Brendan will perform old-time Scandinavian music. Reservations are $23 ASI members, $28 nonmembers, $9 ages 6–11, and free for children under six. First-come, first-served reservations are required by Friday, March 19 and are non-refundable. Please let us know if you have special seating requests in advance. Call 612-871-4907 for Visa or MasterCard reservations, or mail payment to ASI.
The main dish on this month’s menu is apricot-stuffed pork loin served with mushroom sauce. Other dishes include lemon and rosemary herring, herring in sweet dill mustard sauce, eggs topped with creamed caviar, cold baked salmon served with herb mayonnaise, three kinds of Swedish cheese, smoked turkey breast, Waldorf salad, smoked sausages, a fresh fruit platter, pickled cucumbers, Jansson’s temptation, meatballs, red cabbage, boiled potatoes, and Swedish sausages.
And you can’t forget a dessert of ostkaka (Swedish cheesecake), served with whipped cream and strawberry jam.
“Easter Feathers & Fun” Preschool Program
Monday, March 22 — 9:30–11 a.m.
Wednesday, March 24 — 6–7:30 p.m.
Join our favorite preschool troll, Trulle, and learn about celebrating Easter in Sweden! Dress up as an Easter witch, hunt for Easter eggs, deliver Easter cards, and decorate an Easter tree with feathers.
Explore Swedish (and Swedish-American) traditions with your preschool-aged child or grandchild. Each preschool topic will be explored through creative storytelling, music, art and more. Together, we’ll answer the questions of “What do Swedish families do throughout the year?” and “Why do they do it?” This program is specifically designed for children ages 3–5 and their important adults.
Attend “Easter Feathers & Fun” on either Monday, March 22 from 9:30–11 a.m. or Wednesday, March 24 from 6–7:30 p.m. $10 per preschooler. Adults free. Maximum of two children per one adult. Registration is required; please call 612-871-4907.
ASI Forum: “Artist and Wife”
Wednesday, March 24 — 7 p.m.
Millesgården Director Onita Wass will present “Artist and Wife,” an illustrated talk on Swedish female artists at the March ASI Forum on Wednesday, March 24 at 7 p.m. Woman artists in Sweden have had varied careers, often balancing home life with their professional work. Karin Larsson was an outstanding painter in her own right, though her husband Carl Larsson grabbed the lion’s share of fame. At the same time, she found expression through her home. Wass will discuss Larsson, as well as other artists such as Marianne Lindberg De Geer.
Onita Wass is an art historian specializing in 20th-century Swedish art. She is former Deputy Director of The Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities (Östasiatiska Museet) in Stockholm.
Located in Lidingö, Sweden, Millesgården was the home of sculptor Carl Milles and his wife Olga Milles. In 1936 it was donated to the Swedish people and opened to the public as a museum in the late 1930s.
ASI Forum presentations are free for ASI members and included with museum admission for nonmembers. Freewill contributions are welcomed for refreshments after the talk. Reservations are encouraged but not mandatory. For reservations call 612-871-4907.
Våffeldagen (Waffle Day)
Saturday, March 27 — Noon – 3:30 p.m.
Celebrate Våffeldagen (Waffle Day) at ASI on Saturday, March 27. Traditional Swedish waffles with whipped cream and jam will be served from noon to 3:30 p.m. in the ASI auditorium for just $3 per waffle. In Sweden, Waffle Day is celebrated on March 25, called Vårfrudagen (Our Lady’s Day). It is associated with the day Mary received the message that she would give birth to Jesus.
So, what does this have to do with waffles? Vårfrudagen was in some dialects pronounced Vafferdagen, and later it became Våffeldagen (Waffle Day). And so, every March 25, people in Sweden bake light, crispy waffles, most often enjoyed with jam and whipped cream.
ASI Spelmanslag Dinner
Saturday, January 30 — 6:30 p.m.
The American Swedish Institute Spelmanslag is hosting a Gala Dinner at ASI on Saturday, January 30 at 6:30 p.m. to celebrate recent past Artistic Director Paul Dahlin. All who have enjoyed the music of Dahlin, his family and “the lag” through the years are invited to come express their appreciation. Dinner prepared by Anna-Lena Sköld will be followed by a program and music for dance by the ASI Spelmanslag.
Paul Dahlin grew up surrounded by the Swedish folk music his grandfather Ivares Edwin Johnson brought with him to Minnesota from Röjeråsen, Sweden. He began playing fiddle at age nine and by age 17, he was performing regularly at Swedish-American events. In the 1980s Dahlin began teaching a class at the American Swedish Institute, and in 1985, he founded the ASI Spelmanslag. The Spelmanslag is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year and has approximately 35 members. The group has taken three trips to Sweden, brought numerous fiddlers and groups from Sweden to Minnesota, and made four recordings.
Cost to attend the dinner in honor of Paul Dahlin is $28 adults; $12 children 6–11; free for children under 6. Paid reservations are required by Monday, JanuaryJanuary 25. Payment must be by check made out to “ASI Spelmanslag.” Please specify the number of tickets you are ordering, including how many children will attend, and include your name(s) and a phone number. Mail payment and information to “ASI Spelmanslag,” ASI, 2600 Park Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55407.
Swedish Radio Choir Performance at Ted Mann Concert Hall
Friday, February 26 — 8 p.m.
The Swedish Radio Choir will be in Minneapolis for a concert on Friday, February 26 at 8 p.m. at Ted Mann Concert Hall. Because of ASI’s support of this event, ASI members are eligible to receive a 20% discount on tickets with a special promo code. ASI members should look in the Winter issue of ASI Posten (ASI’s member newsletter) to find the promo code. For information about how to be come an ASI member, click here.
Works in the program include: “Aftonen,” by Hugo Alfvén, Mahler’s “Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen,” “Lobet den Herrn,” by Sven David Sandström, and Frank Martin’s “Mass for double choir.”
Tickets are $45–$55, and ASI members receive a 20% discount. Order tickets online or by calling the Northrup ticket office at 612-624-2345, Monday-Friday 10 a.m.–5 p.m. (just mention the promo code to receive the 20% discount).
To order tickets online go to www.northrop.umn.edu/event/swedish-radio-choir, click on “Buy Tickets,” and enter the promotional code in the box next to “submit code.”