Footwork and Fiddles to Finland
Donation protected
The Kivajat Children's Finnish American Folk Dance Group from Michigan's Upper Peninsula has been invited to perform at the Tanssiva Turku Children's International Folk Dance Festival in Turku, Finland in June of 2019. The group is fundraising $20,000 to travel to Finland for the six-day festival.
Fundraising Efforts - Footwork and Fiddles to Finland
Foreign travel is expensive: passports, airfare, and food (lodging is provided). The Kivajat Dancers have a fundraising goal of $20,00 to cover the travel expenses for thirty dancers and two dance instructors. All money raised will go toward these expenses.
Tanssiva Turku is the international folkdance festival where youth interact and learn from one another as they participate in folk dances. All participants attend dance workshops, performances, concerts, and tour the historic city center of Turku - thus increasing their knowledge and understanding of cultural heritage through traditional folk dance and international travel.
Kivajat Dancers Seek Community Support (news story) through a variety of fundraising efforts including bake sales, silent auctions, craft sales, donations, and online fundraising. Local businesses are also donating proceeds from special events like pasty sales and dinners. It has been a busy four months but we still have a long way to go in our fundraising efforts. Please consider donating toward this international travel experience.
$5,000 Matching Donation
In January, the Kivajat Dance Group received a generous anonymous donation of $5,000. The donation is a matching gift to aid in the fundraising efforts. Please help us reach and exceed this match as you consider donating today.
Background
Organized in 2004, the Kivajat dancers are a group of children ages 7-17 who perform traditional Finnish Folk dances throughout Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The children meet weekly during the school year at the Finnish American Heritage Center in downtown Hancock, Michigan. They learn and practice dances from Mrs. Kay Seppala who was once a member of the Kisarit Finnish American Dancers in St. Paul, MN. The children spend countless hours fine-tuning their dances while developing new friendships and relying on one another to work as a team and create beautiful dances that inspire others. The Kivajat dancers are helping to share and carry on the tradition of Finnish folk dancing.
Performances
The Kivajat dancers perform at community festivals and events, in nursing homes, and during Finnish celebrations like Heikinpaiva and Finnish Independence Day. The Kivajat dancers also perform each year at the annual Portage County Cultural Festival in Stevens Point, Wisconsin and during the Parade of Nations each September. Every time the Kivajat dancers perform, they bring energy and joy to the performance while sharing cultural heritage and dance with all audience members. Seven of the dancers also play fiddle music during some of the performances.
Performing at the 2017 Hanka Homestead Heritage Day in Askel, Michigan
Performing at the Portage County Cultural Festival in Stevens Point, Wisconsin
Two fiddlers performing the Old Jeppo Waltz
Performing at the Portage Lake District Library in downtown Houghton, Michigan
Audience members participating with the dancers
Please follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/dreamingfinland/. Throughout our trip, we will post regular updates as we dance and fiddle in Finland. You can also learn more about the group at Finnish American Heritage Center Kivajat.
Thank you for supporting the Footwork and Fiddles to Finland fundraising effort! We greatly appreciate any amount and are grateful to everyone who has donated so far.
Thank you!
Fundraising Efforts - Footwork and Fiddles to Finland
Foreign travel is expensive: passports, airfare, and food (lodging is provided). The Kivajat Dancers have a fundraising goal of $20,00 to cover the travel expenses for thirty dancers and two dance instructors. All money raised will go toward these expenses.
Tanssiva Turku is the international folkdance festival where youth interact and learn from one another as they participate in folk dances. All participants attend dance workshops, performances, concerts, and tour the historic city center of Turku - thus increasing their knowledge and understanding of cultural heritage through traditional folk dance and international travel.
Kivajat Dancers Seek Community Support (news story) through a variety of fundraising efforts including bake sales, silent auctions, craft sales, donations, and online fundraising. Local businesses are also donating proceeds from special events like pasty sales and dinners. It has been a busy four months but we still have a long way to go in our fundraising efforts. Please consider donating toward this international travel experience.
$5,000 Matching Donation
In January, the Kivajat Dance Group received a generous anonymous donation of $5,000. The donation is a matching gift to aid in the fundraising efforts. Please help us reach and exceed this match as you consider donating today.
Background
Organized in 2004, the Kivajat dancers are a group of children ages 7-17 who perform traditional Finnish Folk dances throughout Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The children meet weekly during the school year at the Finnish American Heritage Center in downtown Hancock, Michigan. They learn and practice dances from Mrs. Kay Seppala who was once a member of the Kisarit Finnish American Dancers in St. Paul, MN. The children spend countless hours fine-tuning their dances while developing new friendships and relying on one another to work as a team and create beautiful dances that inspire others. The Kivajat dancers are helping to share and carry on the tradition of Finnish folk dancing.
Performances
The Kivajat dancers perform at community festivals and events, in nursing homes, and during Finnish celebrations like Heikinpaiva and Finnish Independence Day. The Kivajat dancers also perform each year at the annual Portage County Cultural Festival in Stevens Point, Wisconsin and during the Parade of Nations each September. Every time the Kivajat dancers perform, they bring energy and joy to the performance while sharing cultural heritage and dance with all audience members. Seven of the dancers also play fiddle music during some of the performances.
Performing at the 2017 Hanka Homestead Heritage Day in Askel, MichiganPerforming at the Portage County Cultural Festival in Stevens Point, WisconsinTwo fiddlers performing the Old Jeppo Waltz
Performing at the Portage Lake District Library in downtown Houghton, MichiganAudience members participating with the dancersPlease follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/dreamingfinland/. Throughout our trip, we will post regular updates as we dance and fiddle in Finland. You can also learn more about the group at Finnish American Heritage Center Kivajat.
Thank you for supporting the Footwork and Fiddles to Finland fundraising effort! We greatly appreciate any amount and are grateful to everyone who has donated so far.
Thank you!
Fundraising team: Kivajat Finnish American Folk Dance (3)
Kathleen Harter
Organizer
Hancock, MI
Renata Sommerville
Beneficiary
Jean McParlan
Team member
