Ambidancetrous at the Blues Garden 2014

The enchanted forest.
Where dancers grow.

The dance hall decor by Elin Ruist. You rock Elin!

"Disbelief in magic can force a poor soul into believing in government and business..."
Tom Robbins

"......everyone feels equally welcome; dark or fair, short or tall, lead or follow or ambidancetrous; where everyone feels comfortable dancing with everyone; where we can all enjoy each other’s company in a relaxed atmosphere, share a meal or a drink, chat about things inconsequential or world-changing, then celebrate it all with a dance...."
The gardeners of the blues garden at WCJ, Gothenburg.

This is how spring is made. My kind of spring :-)
Eva

Gone wild. A night of the folly

Rain and more rain. A very warm night for the season.
But no rain will stop the star from going from house to house and knock the door. Stomping the grounds of Hönö Island. May we come in and sing the star-song?

Money was collected for charity. This year for the Swedish Sea Rescue Society and the Cancer Research Foundation.

Judas, wise man and King Herodes just before going out.

One of my fellow carachters, "the star", told me she will keep on doing this as long as she can. -"Because when you go out in the night in masquerade and disguised, it's a feeling we are the only ones that exist in the whole world."

With roots in middel age traditions.
Happening when the nights are the darkest.

Judas and Mörjeland's King.

We formed four bands of the Star. 7-8 people in each band. Seems to be a word-of-mouth organized thing, who is coming and joining. Each band walk in different neighbourhoods on the island.

Dressing up. Preparing in the afternoon.

Being someone else for a nigth. Taking on a compleete other personality. My role was to be a wise man of the East.

At midnight we gathered after performing in 20-25 houses/band and shared a hot meal. Home made Jansons has never tasted better! Also sharing some really funny stories of the nights experiences.

After we took our masks & costumes off and washed away the thick layers of make up, I couldn't recognize the people I've spend the whole afternoon + night with. When I saw the boots I could tell who it was.

The star.

Now it's the day after. I'm writing and thinking back on a fantastic night out on the wild island. Happily I will go out tonight again but now it's the folly of the dance floor.

Eva

Way faring stranger coming home

It was absolutely crowded, almost three people on every two chairs and people standing inside and outside the venue of Gamla Elverket in Falun. Someone said it was the highest number ever in the crowd.
It was a very special manifestation of music, poetry, spoken word that all centered in one person. Tommy Johansson.
Yesterday night was his farewell concert.

I think everyone on stage and in the crowd has a reason to give deepest thanks to Tommy for his determination to stand up for the creative, the misfits, the entrepreneurs, the weak, the abandoned kids in our society. He's been part of giving a room for everyone to work through culture a way out from drugs or loneliness. The open arms at Gamla Elverket, the atmosphere there, is in one way or another part of Tommys work with this place. Of course many other great people are co-creators with Tommy and keep on doing this very special work in Falun.

When culture change the world.

Now it's time for carry his torch further, without him. He's got short time left to live, he's seriously ill.

Nevertheless Tommy was up on stage yesterday, singing his own songs, adding the words "to come home". Courageusly giving us a full speach on his situation, his dreams for Gamla Elverket, his love for life and his dear ones, his fear to die and also his acceptance and peace to let go. He will look forward to play music again with his friends who has gone before him.
The whole room was electrified with emotions in this moment, you could reach out with your hand and touch that strong love that was shared.

You are already young.

On stage there was a great number of musicias who all paid their homage to Tommy. Among others we heard Stina Berge, David Tallroth, Jennifer Fergusson, Pierre Swärd, Pelle Lindström, The Tallest Man on Earth, Idiot Wind.

The Tallest Man on Earth & Idiot Wind

Gamla Elverket take part in an art-project, Before I die. Several notes where placed on the walls.

My thoughts today goes to Tommy and his family. Thank you for this great reminder again and again that we have to live our lives fully and at our best as long as we are here.

Eva

Involving every guest in the room

Advent calendar #15
Tell a friend how much you appreciate him or her.


Yesterday evening was one of a kind.
After some bus adventures in rain and darkness we headed out on the ferry to the islands outside Göteborg. We finally got to the atelier/gallery where this evening's party was going to take place. A fire basket welcomed us, and already in the garden I knew here is a place for diverse creativity.
  
The sweet couple Lena and Mats, artist and musician, invited friends for a christmas singing evening. Gunnar Eriksson is among their friends for years and years, so they asked him to bring along some of his singers and musicians who could guide through an improvised free happening of old songs, new experiences. It was not a christmas concert as we know it since before.
Anders Jormin on double base was there too, what pure joy to hear him improvise and add his musical colors to all the voices. He's professeur in jazz in both in Göteborg University and Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. Outstanding musician touring the world.
I was asked to come with and I felt I could not miss out this new approach to making christmas music. High expectations but it turned out even more fun and unpredictable.

This was an evening when we sang for eachother and with eachother, weaving music, having no sheets of music, just singing from the heart. Gunnar inventing new patterns in music instantly, and involving every guest in the room.

Nice food and wine, many a good story and laughter. Storytelling at it's sweet form developed among local jazz musicians, and Gunnar's many anecdotes from his travelling.

After midnight my friend Gabriella and me danced lindy hop to live music. I had brought my dance shoes, you never know when the opportunity comes.

Eva

MUKO Sweden festival and a day of love

Irmelin did a great day yesterday, taking part in the first ever festival of MUKO Sweden. Music Collective (=MUKO) manifested ourselves for the first time.
Irmelin pictures

With a 8 band long festival including  childrens concert and whole night long row of music at Storan, Göteborg. 6 bands from our own power house of MUKO and two international acts. I especially enjoyed listening to Mikael Godee and Eve Beuvens quartet (Sweden and Belgium) and Jaron Freeman Fox and the Opposite of Everything (Canada). Sparkling energy. Deep and sensitive. Fun!

Mikael Godée & Eve Beuvens Quartet

All the other bands are super interesting too, but because Irmelin performed so much ourselves I couldn't hear everything I wanted to.


Irmelin sang in the opening ceremony of the festival, and immediately after we had to run to next gig. My friend Thomas married Cecilia and Irmelin provided with love songs and bridal march. A truly enlighted moment was to call out with our voices only in herding calls over the fields where the bride and groom walked up to their friends and family who had gathered to celebrate with them.

Yes, a long day of love indeed.

Music in all directions. Love for what we believe in.

Irmelin headed back to Göteborg and Storan Theater to get up on stage there a second time in the MUKO festival. We were carried of the support from among others the members of my choirs who came to listen. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. 

I'm happy to say we also made a statement from stage yesterday, in support and solidarity with all who stand up for mother earth and protect her from big company greed, mining companies. In solidarity with Gallok in Jokkmokk, Sweden, as well as anti-fracking movement in Canada and elsewhere. Our thoughts goes to the situation in New Brunswick in Canada where military made a crack down on unarmed peaceful protesters and shoot rubber bullets and teargas. Snipers aiming at singing and praying elders, women, children. Peaceful protesters, you have all the love and support that the corporations envy and fear so much. Your songs, drums, dances and prayers are more powerful than bullets. Put your boots on the ground, stand up for future clean nature to our children and their children.

Today I could think of resting a bit......and dream of all the goodies from yesterday.

Late night dancing in town

Danced after midnight to some absolutely awesome blues music. So fine dances.

Crooked Still: Come on in my kitchen



Nina Simone: Ain't no use



Evening started with crayfish party. I say: sea crayfish is da thing! The group who organized the evening had made perfect choice of sea food, high quality. Better tasting, better for nature too.

You who put this evening together, you are amazing!

Eva

Days getting shorter, nights longer

Got this mugs on a beautiful summer day with my dear friends.

Summer holidays are shifting theese days. Time to transform into the other work phase. Time to remember all the summer days that we call sommarlov. I'm so thankful I have a school child at home so this idea of sommarlov (school holidays) are present in our life.

Days get shorter, nights longer. August in all it's glory.
Soon it's more time for night-haze....natt-sudd.

On monday it's definitely time to prepare for the creative work this autumn. I have booked some meetings to prepare for up coming concerts. Now when the song book is processed at the printer in Finland it's time for me to prepare the launch of the book.
Irmelin is in creative phase with new cd to be recorded in October. I will work with music for that theese coming days.

And tomorrow i will sing in Trollhättan with my dear fellow musicians Mikael Godée and Mats Eriksson. It will be great to get together again after the summer.

I'm so full of new ideas now after a long summer.
Can't wait to start work with my dreams and visions.

Eva

A house for the Mjällby King

Along the travels I happen to come to some interesting places to stay over night, and yesterday I discovered "Bensagården" - Mjällbyhus.
We had a super nice nightly get together with the people working behind the festival Fritt spelrum, Sölvesborg. Good talking, some singing, great "nattamat" with home made food. This Inn is now run by Bosse, what a gentleman!

 Lucky me, I got the Elvis-room.

This house has roots in the 17-hundreds. Track backs goes to Bengt Persson, brother to "Mjällby-king" Knut Persson. Bengt had a son, Bens-Per, who took over the Inn. Bens-Per came in a quarrel with a cousin "Knusslingen", who said: "This house will be turned into a house for the poor." In local dialect: "Du skau fau sei att din Bensagaua skall bli ein fattiggaua!" By the end of the 18-hundreds the house was bought by the local commune and turned into a house for elderly people. At that time, that meant a house for the poor. It remained a house for elderly up till 1967 when it became private property.

 Mjällbyhus Gästgiveri och Pensionat. 0456-503 37
0708-150337

Good night dear friends! Eva

Lindy hop für alle: in Winterthur

Live Swing aus Buenos Aires: Quinteto Fabuloso.

It's been partytime in Winterthur, Switzerland. Swing dance with live music, perfect for my dance starving feet. Liebe...

Can you see that red heart behind her?

Days now are somewhat in the now mans land, I just had deadline to fulfill my part of gathering songs for the song book, and now I've been given some more time because of other circumstances. I feel so happy I can go through everything once again and do it without a rush, but at the same time I feel like I'm hanging in the air. Much more difficult to get things done. Every day feels like an endless row of must-do things on a list, wich none of them is concerning the book. Oh, but some book related things has been achieved today. Good talks with Jobs-Lasse, great fiddler in Leksand, who has lot of knowledge about one of the songs. Great to get help directly from the source.

Time to switch over to recharging mood and have some sleep. Tomorrow is a brand new day.

Eva

Irmelin in New York

Intense and much fun in New York, I just love to travel and work with my Irmelin-sisters: Karin Ericsson Back and Maria Misgeld.


Hotel Pennsylvania, in the middle of Midtown. There's so much magic in the air in a city like New York, knowing that this is a great city for culture and arts, a place for performance and late nights.


Right under my hotel window there was so much noise every night. When I finally and exhausted after the long days and nights at APAP conference tried to fall asleep there was sounds like of 1000 taxi cabs hooting and taxi rank people blowing whistles and yelling. Right outside the main entrance of our hotel some taxi gentlemen where busy matching taxi cabs with guests going in and out in the night life.



Hotel Pennsylvania where we stayed is a great history in itself. Up til 1927 the biggest hotel in the world. And many jazz musicians has stayed here: Dorsey Brothers, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and Glenn Miller who immortalized the hotel in a song called Pennsylvania 6-5000, the telephonenumber still in use!
Vintage indeed, and it seems like they have a taste for keeping it vintage and not take away the history. Door knob to the bathroom:

Now Irmelin is busy busy with follow up all new contacts and also work with Swedish up coming tours. See you somewhere!
Eva

August in my heart

Couldn't have a better start of August than what I had this year :-)
Morning.
Mist and light.
The suburb is wakening up.
New day is here, a new time.

Yesterday we had the winds coming from Africa, creating a beautiful summers day in Göteborg. I'm going to wear something from South Africa today, to celebrate with my friend Jen who has a marvellous August-party today in Dala-Floda. Love to you Jen!

And today thunders and lightenings, short after this pic below was taken. Amazing sun this morning!


Saturday at home. Ordinary things to do. I love it!
When I organize clothes in the wardrobes it makes me feel so happy to see the hangers I found on flee markets and second hand. Favourite clothes is so much better when they hang on a nice hanger. Who is Arvid, the one who got this hanger long time ago?



August is for parties. Today is easygoing, and a cosy afternoon-party with the best friends in the neighbourhood. I don't know a better month for seeing friends, either daytime or in late night parties, to go dancing the whole night long. I had to recover my Windjam-flu but now I'm soon ready to have some good swinging and rocking again.

Monday dance, yes!

Eva

Going home from Windjammers Ball

Thank you Sofia Enros and Daniel Johansson and all in your crew. Fantastic!
Imagine how much happiness that is spread around now when we all go back home to our home towns, filled with all these happy memories from dancing on ship Pommern, great dance classes, awesome dance parties. Yesterday dance jam was like a fire work exploding.
So today is the day of transition, getting from holiday mood into first day of work after vacation. And I love it. I've been longing to get started again, in all my projects I have up and running. Isn't that a priviledge? Dancing might cause tired legs, but ideas flood. Dancing is a good stress relief, and a good mindfulness keeper. (You can't actually focus of something else but dancing when you dance, and it's very much a bodywisdom-thing, not only brain as in many other activities) So this week will for sure contain lots of inspiration. Irmelin rehersal plus concert next weekend with Pers Nils Johansson. Here we go!

Eva

Fasten seatbelts, last day of Windjammers Ball

Good morning to the new bright day, amazing I woke up before the alarmclock...it happens sometimes after a real late dance night.

Entrance to dance party area:

Today there will be classes and after that the final Tea-dance. I hope I will still have strong legs, because yesterday everything speeded up, and most probably I'm not the only one with sore legs today. And now it's the last days and it's just to give it all, so fasten seatbelts!

Sofia and Daniel are the main organizers of the whole Windjammer event, and they are the most caring and passionate people, who has started the lindy hop on Åland only one year ago. Yesterday at the dance night there was a big Thank you and they were called up on stage. We were all very moved and they also, tears on cheeks, and the whole big dance crowd clapped hands like mad. Because Windjammers Ball is such an amazing event, so throughly worked in every piece. Perfectly done to be the first year up and running. Thank you Sofia and Daniel and all people who is/has been in the crew. Now, Sofia and Daniel lived in Göteborg up til recently, so we göteborgers are of course a bit extra proud.
Sofia and Daniel under cover.....Friday ceremony on ship Pommern, we were welcomed by the king and queen of the sea.

So next year, we keep our fingers crossed that there will be a new Windjammers Ball.... so everybody, come on board!
More dance-greetings from Eva

Upstart after summers peak, and swingout to Åland

Dear all readers here on the blogg. It's time to start create new blog-entries after this maxi-galactic summer that is still all around. For a change I'll write in english. During summer I've spend less time at the computer, wich is good to do sometimes. And my holidays has been so good, so much holydays. I have refilled my batteries and have lots of new ideas to explore and put into motion and reality.

My summer was full of music and tours, and still more concerts to do. Maybe I didn't have so much time in advertising, and that I would like to do better next time. Musicaly everything has been flowing and so rich, in meetings with the most generous and welcoming crowds/audience, and the improvisational dialogue between us musicians on stage. An ongoing dialogue in many directions that reaches deep as the ocean sometimes.

Now, August is my favourite month of the year :-) I've celebrated I'm one year older, and for sure, this time so much has happened along the road that makes my heart sing. Can't believe how much has happened in only one year. Happenings, happiness...new roads to walk.

Windjammers Ball, here we come!
This upcoming weekend it's time to have a crazy lindy hop party weekend. Windjammers Ball will take place in Mariehamn, Åland. For the first time this year, and hopefully for many years to come. We will dance on boats, so we're told to not bring our best leathersole danceshoes, there might be sticky pitch on the deck of the boat. I'll be packing tonight, some older danceshoes, and flowers for my hair will do.

More dance earlier this summer.
Jitterbuggar, both known as crazy dancers like me, and cookies, wich I had the pleasure to enjoy at Nyfiken ecological café in Rättvik. Yes, the people in the kitchen are also into lindy hop and we danced a few swing outs in the bakery. I like!

At home again.
On the savannah of Storås:

What beauties, the horses and cows, and sometimes wild deer we see here. August in it's lovely light, a little darker than the other summer month, but so much like a tale by Tove Jansson. Have you heard the news, there's some good rocking tonight!
Warmest august-greetings.
Eva

Naturljud i Enviken

Ljud är kul.
Vårfåglar vid vattnet. Ljus vårkväll vid Askakaren.
I viken var det grodor som lekte. Jag har aldrig tidigare fått höra när grodorna sjunger i kör, nu fick jag det. Precis när isen lossade så kom grodorna för att socialisera och göra nya små grodor. Ljudet påminner om fågelläten, men det var alltså grodor i vassen.


Vi har eldat i stugan. Ljudet när det sjunger i kakelugnen är en av flera favoriter. Vedspisen kom inte till användning, det var en sån sommarvärme ändå i huset.

Påskrocken på Tängergårn. Tre band för kvällen: Little Andrews, hurley and the blue dots, och så avslutande by-hjältarna för kvällen, Ulf-Runes. Rock n roll får man väl nästan säga också är ett naturljud i Enviken. Stort tack till Lasse Jonsson som arrangör för kvällen, i samarbete med många andra givetvis, ovärderliga funktionärer.






Ett vårtecken lika säkert som något, de fina bilarna kommer fram ur sin vinterförvaring. Ibland undrar jag om klenoderna får bo i folks vardagsrum över vintern? När kvällen var slut på Tängergårn med Påskrocken fick jag uppleva ett annat mäktigt naturljud som finns vid fina tillfällen i Enviken. Hur gammel-bilarna på parkeringen varmkörde och skapade ett mega-dovt muller i allra lägsta frekvensregister.


Väldigt bra vecka detta! Jag har kommit igång med en utmärkt veckoplanering där jag prioriterar min tid på ett nytt bra sätt. och dessutom hinner jag med fem kvällar av dans mellan söndag (Påskrocken) till lördag, Valborgsfirande. Skönt att vila i dansen!

Varma ljusa vårhälsningar, Eva

Efter nattsudd och dans

Nu är det en slapp söndag. Det har varit några intensiva arbetsdagar som toppades med en after work som slog det mesta, så idag gäller det att ta det lugnt. Jag har dansat hela natten, först på Dukes Place och sen på efterfest. Missade sista bussen hem men vad gör väl det? Lindy, Balboa, levande musik, massa vänner. kan inte bli så mycket bättre.

Onsdag-torsdag förra veckan var jag i Arvika och undervisade på Ingesund. Jag fick en fantastisk vinterpromenad och delar med mig av några bilder.

Åsen, lärar-gästhemmet på Ingesund.



Önskar er alla en skön söndag!

Galapremiär av TILL DET SOM ÄR VACKERT

Måndag kväll kl 18 på Konserthuset i Göteborg.
Min vän Cecilia och jag är inbjudna att närvara vid visning av filmen Till det som är vackert. Med mingel och fest med filmens skapare och skådespelare. Jättespännande! Det är min goda vän Helen Ahlsson som är filmens producent, och min dotters halvsyster Anna är med som skådis. Jätteroligt att få vara med och fira detta, både Helen och Annas insatser med filmen! Anna är i början av en alldeles lysande skådis-karriär. I denna film i en biroll, men heja heja, det kommer att bli mer med Anna.

Helen Ahlsson, den skarpaste, driftigaste, bästa producent jag vet, hon kan prata till 1000 pers i konserthussalongen lika avslappnat och närvarande som den fina vän hon är:


Regissör Lisa Langseth tackar producent Helen Ahlsson:



Kören Pro Musica underhöll gästerna:


Disco i klädfoajen, det kan bara vara Helen Ahlsson som kläckte en sån brilljant idé!


Det var en toppen kväll. Roligt att gå ut på stor fest med en tjejkompis. Nu är det nattsudd och måndag, precis som det ska vara på en måndagsdans. Kraft och mod inför morgondagens uppgifter, det kan verkligen behövas.
God natt gott folk!
Eva