Linda & Ross practice a lift in Hogdal-Lommeland
at Furudals Bruk in Dalarna (August 2001)

Swedish Bygdedans Medal Testing

Beginning in 1999, Linda and Ross began a quest to earn their BIG SILVER (Stort Silver) medals in Swedish traditional village dances (BYGDEDANSER). During the first weekend in August, there is a Polskmärkes - uppdansning where you can "dance up" (in front of judges and the public). It takes a minimum of five years to earn the Big Silver medal. You choose a set of dances which you will dance for the judges and spend a year practicing and refining your dances. There are 103 dances to choose from, each dance having a point value ranging from 5 points up to 10 points. You cannot choose a dance that you have used in a previous year. During our five years of participation in the Polskmärkes - uppdansning, the dance judges were Bo Peterzon (from Uppsala), Lena Lindkvist (from Bjorsås), and Ewa Englund (from Sandviken). However, 2003 was the last year for Bo Peterzon as an Uppdansning judge. Sven Olsson has now taken his place. When you "dance up", you are not competing against the other dance couples, but instead each dancer is judged on a pass-fail basis against a standard of excellence. The judges must pass you on all the dances you attempt in order to proceed to the next stage. Although you dance as a couple, each dancer is judged separately. Thus it can happen that the woman passes while the man doesn't, or vice versa.

The first year you go for your BRONZE (Brons) medal. Here the dancers must dance three dances whose combined point value is at least 21 points but no more than 24 points. In 1999, Ross and Linda danced for and received their Bronze medals. Their bronze dances were

Once you have received your Bronze medal, you can go for your SILVER medal. Again you must choose three dances, but this time they must have a combined point value of at least 27 points. Linda and Ross won their Silver medals in 2000 by dancing

After obtaining your Silver medal, you are now able to work on the BIG SILVER (Stort Silver) medal. To earn this medal, you must practice for and dance six dances each year for three more years. For each of these years (Stort Silver I, Stort Silver II, and Stort Silver III), you choose three dances whose combined point values are at least 27 points and in addition three "low-point" dances each of whose point values is eight or less. You must dance all three of the "high-point" dances and then the judges will choose one of the three low-point dances which you must also dance. If you dance well enough, you receive a DIPLOMA (Diplom), and when you receive a passing diploma for Stort Silver III, you also receive your BIG SILVER medal.

Ross and Linda danced for and received their diplomas in Stort Silver I in August, 2001. Their dances were:

In 2002, they completed their second stage (Stort Silver II). This time their dances were:

Finally, on Friday, August 1, 2003 they danced for Stort Silver III and their BIG SILVER medals. Their dances were:

Each year the Uppdansning is held at a different place in Sweden. In 1999 it was held in the town of Säffle (in Värmland), in 2000 it was held in Oviken (in Jämtland), in 2001 in Orsa (in Dalarna), in 2002 in Trångsviken (in Jämtland) and in 2003 in Orsa (in Dalarna). This year (2004), the Uppdansning was again held in Trångsviken (in Jämtland), and next year (2005) it will once again be held in Orsa (in Dalarna). Each year (1999-2003), prior to the Uppdansning, Ross and Linda attended a week-long camp run by Leif and Margareta Virtanen. This camp is designed for couples who intend to "dance-up" at the Uppdansning. The photograph above was taken in 2001 during the Virtanen's camp, which was held in Furudals Bruk in Dalarna. The photograph was taken while Linda and Ross were practicing Polskdans - Springdans från Hogdal - Lommeland and shows an optional kick where the man lifts the woman who in turn kicks a plank with her feet.