HjerteDans (Mikkel Thompson and Ruth Sylte) performing on the Reykjavik stage at Norsk Høstfest 2002, the largest Scandinavian festival in North America. Photo used by permission of Norsk Høstfest.

HjerteDans. . . HeartDance
HjerteDans. . . dances that follow the beat of the human heart
HjerteDans. . . hearts that follow the beat of the dance
HjerteDans. . . America, the land of their birth
HjerteDans. . . Norway, the land of their hearts
HjerteDans!

HjerteDans is Mikkel Thompson and Ruth Sylte. These two friends are committed to the study, performance, teaching and creation of traditional Norwegian and Norwegian-American dance and music. They have been dancing and performing together since 1995 and represent over 30 years of combined experience in the traditional culture of Norway.

You can see our dancing and hear some of the music at our Minnesota Folk Artists Directory listing.

HjerteDans performances and teaching can include dances from any of the Norwegian fylker (provinces) and all the major Norwegian dance traditions, some of which are among the oldest and most beautiful living dance traditions in Europe, including:

• Langdans / Sangdans: story and song dances descended from Viking times
• Bygdedans: the 400-500 year-old living tradition of regional peasant courting dances
• Turdans: set and contra dances influenced by 18th and 19th century European dances
• Gammeldans: Norwegian versions of the gallop, hamborgar, masurka (mazurka), polka, reinlendar (schottische) and vals (waltz).

HjerteDans has performed and taught in Canada, Norway, Sweden and the USA. They have been selected for the juried state artist-in-residence and/or folk arts rosters of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. They have both earned the highest level as Folk Dance Specialists in the Sons of Norway Cultural Skills Program and are in the midst of completing 80 hours of teacher training coursework through Noregs Ungdomslag (NU), Norway’s national youth organization. Upon completion of the coursework, Mikkel and Ruth will be among the first NU certified teachers of Norwegian dance outside of Norway. As HjerteDans, they have received standing ovations for their programs at festivals such as Norsk Hostfest, the Scandinavian Hjemkomst Festival and the Seven Lag Stevne. They have been recognized by local and state organizations for the quality of their work and presentations.

In addition to dancing, both members of HjerteDans are accomplished musicians.

HjerteDans gratefully acknowledges the generosity of Scandinavian Marketplace in helping us acquire recordings for our research, teaching and performances.