Henning kids take hold of special music, dance

Published 12:00 p.m., September 23, 2009

“Put your hands on your hips,” said Mary Abendroth who, with her husband Paul Wilson, interacted with the third graders taught by Eric Koep and Gail Guse.

“Now put your right foot forward,” she said, “and then it’s your left foot forward. Clap your hands. Now, change places with your partner.”

The couple from the Nisswa-Brainerd area presented songs, tunes and dances from Norway, Sweden, Denmark Finland and Scandinavian-America to Henning student in grades 1 through 4 on Tuesday. This program was sponsored by Leif Erikson, Sons of Norway, of Vining, part of the Sons of Norway Adopt-A-School Program.

The kids in Henning enjoyed hearing about the history, music and dance. Some classes will study their family histories during the school year, while others will learn about immigration of their ancestors. Students had an introductory experience of all this on Tuesday.

“We’ve worked in schools for over 20 years while teaching Scandinavian music and dance,” said Wilson. “We especially enjoy working with younger elementary grades, such as the ones here, today, in Henning.”

The kids were attentive as Paul played the button accordion and fiddle while Mary played pump organ and guitar.

He told the kids that, with folk music, practice makes perfect.

“I learned to play from another fiddler,” said Wilson. “I practiced a lot and was able to pass this (fiddle playing) on to others.”

In their school programs they work with several classes in a day. The program begins with information about Scandinavian folk music and dance. In the process they talk about their instruments, play some tunes and answer some questions.

The second half of the program is the active part where the young students are invited to participate in learning dances. At the end, the couple does some demonstration folk dances for the kids.

“We like to have the kids take part,” said Abendroth. “That’s the best way to have them experience folk music and folk dance.”

Wilson said that he and his wife want to keep folk music going, by passing along their love for Scandinavian music and folk dance to younger generations.

He told the kids that rhythm and melody is like building a house. The basement is the rhythm and the melody is the house.

“The trick,” he told the kids in Henning, “is to get the melody sitting on top of the basement.”

The couple has performed all over the United States and toured in Scandinavia. They were featured in a PBS documentary “River of Song.” They also performed on “A Prairie Home Companion” radio show and are the founders and host an annual Scandinavian festival, the Nisswa-Stämma.

“We enjoy performing as a duo in several ensembles,” said Mary, “and we’ve been involved in nine audio recordings over the years.”

They participate in the Swedish Institute programs in Minneapolis, Høstfest in Minot, N.D., and Moorhead's Hjemkomst Festival.

The program on Tuesday in Henning was the second sponsored by the Vining Leif Erikson, Sons of Norway. Last May several Henning classes learned about Norwegian immigration when "Ole Oleson with his Immigrant Trunk" gave a presentation.

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