The Devil’s Instrument: Hardanger Fiddles and Norwegian-American Folk Music
The Hardanger fiddle is a staple of traditional Norwegian folk music, which connects people visually, bodily, and aurally, with their Norwegian heritage.
Folk music, folk art and folk dance
Girls’ Carnival Morris Dancing: a Contemporary Folk Dance?
Often overlooked in accounts of English Morris dancing, girls’ (carnival) Morris is a highly competitive, team formation dance popular in England and Wales.
Buddhist Mandala Illustration: How Art Therapy Captured Spirituality
In Buddhism and Hinduism, the mandala is a symbol of devotion representing the transformation of the Universe from a state of suffering to one of enlightenment.
Songs of the Sea: The Origins of Shanties
The life of the shanty is a fascinating example of how elements of a music genre can evolve to match its environment.
All Hael! All Hael! Singing with the Kibbo Kift
What sort of music did a 1920s utopian youth movement fiercely opposed to mainstream society actually like? The Kindred of the Kibbo Kift (‘KK’) were creatures of their time.