Welcome to the Norwegian Centre for Traditional Music and Dance

About

The Norwegian Centre for Traditional Music and Dance (Sff) is a private, independent foundation financed by the Norwegian state. The foundation started as a council for folk music and folk dance in 1972 and was established as a foundation in 1992. The foundation’s main goal is to promote, safeguard and transmit Norwegian traditional music and dance as an expression of cultural identity with unique qualities. Sff functions as a coordinator for all disciplines concerning Norwegian folk music and dance. The foundation ensures representativeness and expertise in public administration, as well as rigorous scientific work in the documentation, examination and dissemination of knowledge to provide quality and width in folk music and folk dance.

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Photo: Thor Hauknes

Our story

Egil Bakka’s 8mm film collection forms the foundation of the Norwegian Centre for Traditional Music and Dance as we know it today. Bakka spent the years 1967-1972 documenting Norwegian cultural heritage expressed through dance and music. The documentation has continued throughout the years and is still ongoing. Today, Sff holds one of Northern Europe’s largest archives of traditional music and dance with audio and video recordings from early 1900s until today.

The archive is used for research, education, transmission, and revitalisation, and can be accessed under supervision of experts. The active use of the archive has resulted in various dance descriptions, publications, and revitalisation of local dances with the collaboration of local communities. The archive consists not only of Norwegian folk music and dance, but also dances from other cultures, nations and immigrant communities in Norway.

Students, researchers, and others can request access to the archive by contacting us. Please state what type of material you are looking for, and for what purpose you need access, in the e-mail.

Egil Bakka [ansikt profil] Setesdal 1970_foto Gunvor.jpeg

Teaching

The expertise of the staff and researchers at the Norwegian Centre for Traditional Music and Dance has facilitated collaboration with prestigious academic institutions and programs at a national and international level. Sff has offered classes and courses in coordination with NTNU and the University of South-Eastern Norway and signed a letter of intent for a teaching and researching collaboration with the Department of Traditional Arts and Traditional Music, Campus Rauland - University of South-Eastern Norway.

The Norwegian Centre for Traditional Music and Dance also functions as an associate partner to the international Erasmus+ master programme of the European Union, Choreomundus, at NTNU. Since the creation of Choreomundus in 2012, the centre has contributed scientifically through lectures, research guidance, and mentoring.

Library

We have a rich library with more than 9000 titles in dance and music from around the world. Our library contains books, journals, phonograms, films and more. You can browse the titles registered in our library at http://sff.bibkat.no. Contact us at postmottak@folkemusikkogfolkedans.no to arrange access to the titles in the library. We do not allow loans outside the building. If you are a Choreomundus student, contact Johanna if you would like to make a loan.