ENTERTAINMENT
Revel in the eclectic mix of entertainment, featuring traditional dances and lively music that capture the spirit of Nordic culture across the Pacific Northwest. Friday evening sets the stage for music and dancing near a blazing bonfire, while Saturday showcases the traditional Midsummer pole raising.
FRIDAY SCHEDULE
June 26th
5 - 6 PM
Revontuli
6 - 7 PM
Dan Schlesinger euphonium+
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7 - 8 PM
Alleman’s Katt
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7 - 9 PM
Community Bonfire
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8 - 9 PM
Deborah Kelly Accordion
SATURDAY SCHEDULE
June 27th
10 - 10:45 AM
Michael Rodenkirch duo
10:45 AM
Welcome and Announcements
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11 - 11:45 AM
Vasa Dancers
11 - 11:45 AM (kids area)
Games
12 - 12:45 PM
Brennan Kessenich
1 - 2 PM
Midsummer Pole Ceremony with Vasa Rosebuds and Alleman's Katt
2 - 2:45 PM
Alleman's Katt
2 - 2:45 PM (kids area)
Games
3 - 3:45 PM
Nye Algen
4 - 4:45 PM
Jimmy Grandstrom
Vasa Youth Dancers
The Vasa Rosebuds Youth Dancers are sponsored by Vasa Order of America Harmoni Lodge, and they are under the direction of Christine Smith. The Rosebuds are comprised of children ages 2 to 16+. They have routinely performed at many St. Lucia and Christmas celebrations in Portland, they lead dancing around the midsommarstång every June in both Portland and Astoria, and they have traveled internationally to dance and participate in Midsummer celebrations in Sweden and Canada. Additionally, they have performed many times at the Junction City Scandinavian Festival, participated frequently in the Junior Rose Festival Parade, and danced at many other local multicultural celebrations. They are so excited to perform again this year for the guests at Nordic Northwest's Oregon Midsummer!
Revontuli
Valerie Klemetti Blessley and Jennifer Pratt-Walter have been playing music together for 30 years, as the harp duo Celtic Muse. Two decades ago, Traditional Finnish music caught their imagination with its simple, but profound, place in the long history of Nordic lands, and they created a specific new duo called Revontuli, for gathering and sharing music from Nordic sources. Together as Revontuli (meaning the Northern Lights/Foxfire) they explore rune-songs, dances, ballads, original compositions and sacred music on kantele, the national instrument of Finland, and include woodwinds, hand percussion and harp into their large repertoire. Revontuli has been privileged to perform at the National Nordic Museum in Seattle, ScanFair, Midsummer, Soaring Souls, 100 year Finnish Independence celebrations, the Naselle Finnish-American Folk Festival and many other venues. They have several CD recordings to their credit.
Dan Schlesinger
A contemporary approach to the traditional music, Dan will be performing Scandinavian folk tunes on euphonium with accompaniment. He plays a variety of styles of music, including jazz and classical, on euphonium & trombone. When the onset of the pandemic prevented musicians from performing alongside one another, Dan developed a "one man band" approach where he performs live as a single solo brass musician accompanied by backing tracks that creates a sound like an ensemble of instruments.
Nye Ålgen
​At the core, Nya Älgen is Dave Weisel on accordion and Kim Majors on fiddle. They have been playing Nordic folk dance music for decades and dancing longer. Dave and Kim decided to collaborate musically, they have friends join them frequently - this time it is Michelle Majors adding nyckelharpa, Molly Majors on guitar, and Brennan Kessenich on a second fiddle. You can catch most of them playing regularly for the Nordic social folk dance group, Norske Rundansere, most Monday nights at the Nordic Northwest Nordia House.
Alleman's Katt
Allemans Katt “everyone’s cat”, the name of the band is taken from the medieval cellar (once a pub) in Gamla stan, Stockholm. This trio of musicians are: Kim Majors on fiddle, Michelle Majors on nyckelharpa and Molly Majors on guitar. Their focus is on Swedish traditional folk dance music. They enjoy playing for social folk dances as well as all manner of Swedish traditional events. Och Ett Danspar (and a dancing couple) join Allemans Katt. They are Michelle Brunström-Steg and Robert Gustafson. The two have each been training and dancing Swedish folk dance for several decades culminating in Polskmärkesuppdansningen “dancing for marks”. Thus achieving medals in excellence for specialized Swedish folk dances, perfecting rare village dances. Michelle and Robert have also enjoyed participating in the Hälsinge Hambo contest the last several years.
Brennan Kessenich
Brennan Kessenich got hooked on Scandinavian folk music after hearing Frida Johansson and Henrik Oja’s soundtrack for the game Unravel. After playing classical viola for many years, Brennan started playing Hardanger fiddle in 2023, taking lessons with Rachel Nesvig. He occasionally plays for Norske Runddansere’s Monday night dances on both Hardanger fiddle and flatfiddle, and continues to play classical viola (or, if an E-string is called for, a five-string fiddle) in the Oregon Sinfonietta community orchestra. Brennan will be joined by experienced Scandinavian dancers Michelle Brunström-Steg and Robert Gustafson
Jimmy Granstrom
Jimmy Granstrom is a songwriter who has had his songs played on the radio in more than a dozen countries on five continents. Together with Thomas Karlsson, he forms the songwriting duo Project Earthbridge (www.projectearthbridge.com), which have had their songs “Alicia” and “Made Of Stars” in rotation on the major Swedish regional radio station P4 Sörmland. At this year’s Scanfair celebration, Jimmy will do a recital of Viktor Rydberg’s beloved poem “Tomten”, which he has done at New Sweden’s Lucia celebration since 2015. He will also provide spoken introductions and lyrical excerpts as well as play clips from a variety of traditional and original songs, from “White Christmas” in Swedish to his English translations of Swedish songs by both million-selling songwriters as well as up and coming artists.
Deborah Kelly
Deb Kelly began playing ethnic folk dance music in the 1990’s, following a lifelong love of and interest in ethnic dancing, food, and costumes. She managed the ethnic folk dance band, Lingonberry Jam, for 16 years, and still plays accordion, recorder and reed organ.
Michael Rodenkirch
Michael Rodenkirch is a drummer, arranger, composer, and educator based in Portland, OR. He graduated from the University of North Texas in the winter of 2024 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music with a minor in History. Michael has a plethora of playing experience playing anything from musicals to playing jazz festivals. He has studied with many great musicians including Alan Jones, Quincy Davis, Richard DeRosa, and Chuck Israels. Since graduating, Michael has played as a member of the Chuck Israels trio and the Chuck Israels Orchestra. Through that experience and others, Michael has shared the stage playing with Portland legends such as Randy Porter, Joe Bagg, David Evans, Paul Mazzio, George Colligan, Darrell Grant, Kerry Politzer, Quinn Walker, Kiran Raphael, Wyatt Button, David Barber, and many more. As an educator, Michael has taught private lessons for 8 years. He teaches drum set, piano, guitar, music theory, and composition. He currently teaches at Lakeridge High School and Grant High School as a rhythm section coach.
