Dance my darling, dance!
Dance my darling, dance! is a project where young people in rural areas and multiculturalism meet in four workshops and in three performances.
The project runs during 2026 and concludes with an intensive and creative week of activities from September 19-24.
Brief about the project
Dance my darling, dance! is a multicultural project for children and youth in the countryside of the leader area's four municipalities Bräcke, Ånge, Timrå, and Sundsvall.
In the project, four workshops are conducted where children and youth can try out, among other things, dance, music, and art from four continents.
The project also includes three performances that are open to everyone.
The project is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and Leader Mittland Plus local partnerships.
We want to extend a warm and heartfelt thank you to our partners within Timrå municipality, Bräcke municipality, Ånge municipality, and Sundsvall municipality who believed in the project's idea and in various ways made it possible to create new meetings between people through culture.
Thanks also to Bräcke folkets hus, Söråkers folkets hus, and the Swedish Church Borgsjö-Haverö congregation for the implementation of our three performances.
Together we show that culture can build bridges, strengthen the countryside, and create a community where more feel at home.
The project is financed by the Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the local leader partnership.
The project runs until December 31, 2027.
Workshops
From September 19 to September 24, participating artists will conduct workshops in four locations. The target group for our workshops is primarily children and youth. The setup varies from municipality to municipality. In Timrå and Ånge, they are open events, while workshops in Bräcke and Bredsand are a collaboration with the school and the cultural school.
Workshops in Bredsand on September 21, 2026 – workshops in collaboration with Sundsvall cultural school
Bräcke creative school on September 24, 2026 – workshops together with Bräcke municipality
Create cultural festival Ånge, Medbrogarhuset on September 26, 2026, from 10 AM to 2 PM. Collaboration between Dance and Theater Workshop, ABF, and Ånge cultural school.
Performances
As part of the project, performances will be held in three locations in the leader area. Through collaboration with individuals, organizations, and professional actors, a sparkling experience of dance, music, and art from large parts of the world is created.
Dancers and dance groups
- Swedish folk dance
Latin American dance
Afro dance
Oriental dance
Musicians & singers
- Kulning & Swedish folk music
- Oriental singing
- Folk flutes
- Percussion
- Guitar Choir music
- Pan flute & charango
- Double bass
- Keyed fiddle
- Choir singing
- Live art
These performances are free of charge, but you need to book to ensure a spot. You book with the respective co-organizer.
People's house Söråker Saturday, September 19 at 6:30 PM. More information and ticket booking via the headline link.
Bräcke people's house Thursday, September 24 at 6:30 PM. No ticket booking. More information in the headline link.
Ånge church Saturday, September 26 at 7:00 PM. Pre-book tickets with Borgsjö-Haverö association at 0690-124 55. More information in the headline link.
The performances are part of the EU project and are funded by support from Leader Mittland Plus and the European Union.
Dancers and dance groups
Åsa Martinsson and Torbjörn Farm
Åsa Martinsson and Torbjörn Farm are active within the Swedish folk dance tradition and they draw inspiration primarily from traditional dances from Medelpad, but also from folk dance traditions in other parts of Sweden. In the performance, they will present dances with roots in Medelpad and in this way highlight the local dance and cultural tradition. Åsa and Torbjörn are both dance leaders for Skönborgs folk dance group.
Serigne Alpha Dial
Serigne Alpha Dial comes from Dakar in Senegal and is a prominent dancer, choreographer, and drummer, now residing in Stockholm. He grew up in a griot family, where music, dance, and oral storytelling have been passed down through generations.
With his solid experience and strong connection to the Senegalese cultural tradition, Serigne conveys the energy, expressiveness, and community of dance and drums.
Ibrahima Gaye
Ibrahima Gaye comes from Senegal and has lived in Sweden for over 20 years. He is a drum teacher and dance educator with extensive experience in West African traditions. As a member of the group Beugge Bamba, he has spread Senegalese music and dance culture through concerts, performances, and workshops.
With great warmth and pedagogical skill, Ibrahima conveys the joy, energy, and community of West African culture.
Masha Poorramezan
Mahsa Poorramazan is a dancer and dance educator with roots in the Persian dance tradition. Educated in Tehran, she has deepened her knowledge of Iranian folk dances, ballet, and the spiritual Sufi dance (Sama), which today is the core of her artistic expression.
Through her work, she unites tradition and modernity in an expression characterized by presence, rhythm, and sincerity. She has performed as a solo dancer and together with the world music orchestra Golbang on several established stages in Sweden.
Force of the Andes
Force of the Andes is a dance group from Sweden that conveys the rich and colorful dance culture of South America. The group has its roots in the Bolivian tradition and is particularly known for the energetic dance Caporales, but the repertoire also includes other traditional folk dances from various parts of South America.
With expressive choreography, rhythmic music, and magnificent costumes, the group creates strong stage experiences filled with joy, power, and community. Through their performances and workshops, Fuerza de los Andes aims to preserve cultural heritage while building bridges between people, generations, and cultures.
Live Art Performance
Wejdan Derky
Wejdan Derky is a Kurdish artist with roots in Syria and one of Sweden's most prominent artists in contemporary art and art activism. She has a bachelor's and master's degree in fine arts from Damascus University and has taught at the university level. Since coming to Sweden, she has conducted a large number of exhibitions and art projects, both nationally and internationally.
Her art is characterized by a deep humanitarian commitment where themes such as freedom, identity, peace, and human dignity are central.
Musician and singer
Ulrika Bodén
Ulrika Bodén is considered one of the country's foremost folk singers with her expressive voice. The songs from her home region in Ångermanland run like a red thread through her music, along with the strong calls of herding music and beautifully adorned melodies. For many years, Ranarim was Ulrika's main band; she is now engaged as a soloist and, among others, together with Ahlberg, Ek & Roswall, in the duo Sångsystrar with Sofia Sandén, as well as in several different contexts with Rostam Mirlashari. Ulrika also plays flutes, autoharp, and dulcimer.
Göran Månsson
Göran Månsson is one of Sweden's foremost folk musicians on flutes, bagpipes, and recorder. With roots in Haverö in Medelpad and a strong anchoring in the Swedish folk music tradition, he has developed a personal and innovative musical expression where tradition meets improvisation and contemporary sounds.
He is educated at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, where he is also active as a teacher. As a soloist and member of groups such as Gjallarhorn, Frispel, and Sarek, he has toured worldwide and participated in a large number of recordings.
Celso Paco
Celso Paco is a percussionist and drummer with roots in Mozambique. With a deep connection to African rhythm traditions, he has been active as a musician, educator, and inspirer in Sweden for many years. Through his music creation, he highlights the power of rhythm as a universal language that unites people across cultural boundaries.
Celso has participated in concerts, festivals, and cultural projects throughout Sweden and internationally. He is particularly appreciated for his ability to convey joy in playing and create participation through drums and rhythm, both on stage and in workshops for children, youth, and adults.
Rostam Mirlashari
Rostam Mirlashari is a singer, composer, and bearer of tradition with roots in Baluchistan in Iran. With his expressive voice, he has united various musical traditions for over three decades and built bridges between cultures.
Rostam is educated at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm and gained international recognition as a front figure in the world music group Golbang.
Julian Vigil
Julian Vigil is a guitarist, composer, and music producer, educated at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm. He works as a freelance musician with concerts and tours in Sweden, Europe, and South America. Julian's music combines classical guitar with Latin American folk music traditions and a personal, contemporary musical language. Alongside his artistic work, he also works as an educator.
Liliana Zavala
Liliana Zavala is a multidisciplinary artist, singer, percussionist, composer, and producer from Argentina, residing in Stockholm.
Her artistic practice moves between music, ritual performing arts, and contemporary folk music traditions. Through voice, rhythm, and poetic soundscapes, she creates immersive musical experiences where memory, identity, and transformation are central.
With percussion, singing, and composition, she explores questions of belonging, collective memory, and cultural transmission.
Alejandro Vega
Alejandro ”Jano” Vega is a musician with roots in the Andes, a music teacher, composer, and instrument maker. He came to Sweden at a young age and has since built a unique musical practice where tradition meets innovation. Jano masters a variety of instruments from South America and other parts of the world and conveys the cultural richness of music with great knowledge and passion. Through his music-making, teaching, and instrument building, he creates encounters between people and musical traditions from different cultures.
Patrik Grundström
Patrik Grundström is a double bassist and freelance musician with nearly 20 years of experience. Throughout his career, he has toured worldwide and collaborated with some of Sweden's foremost artists.
In recent years, he has also been a valued musician in several large musical theater productions, including Höga Kusten community play, Kristina from Duvemåla, and Next to Normal. Alongside this, he is active in several musical collaborations, including Erki Pärnoja, Ådalsbandet, Hilleviensemblen, and Sångsystrar.
Niklas Roswall
Already the first time Niklas Roswall he tried a nyckelharpa, he was fascinated by the rich sound and the instrument's many possibilities. Today, he is one of the absolute foremost practitioners. He performs both as a soloist and with his groups, of which Nyckelharporkestern and the recently concluded Ranarim are among the most well-known. Niklas's main group nowadays is Ahlberg, Ek & Roswall, which has released five albums, the latest (2025) being a collaboration with Ulrika Bodén.
Yamandú Pontvik
Yamandú is a baritone singer, composer, choir leader in the Swedish Church in Sundsvall, and cultural entrepreneur. Raised in Uruguay with Swedish roots, he has lived in Sweden since 1987.
Throughout his artistic career, he has worked to unite people and cultures through music.
Yamandú is the artistic director of the Sundsvall Chamber Music Festival, founder of Ensemble Yamandú, and initiator of the Sundsvall Guitar Festival. As a composer, he draws inspiration from musical traditions from various parts of the world and creates works where the human voice is central.
Choir singing
Vocal ensemble under the direction of Pernilla Backlund
In Söråker, an ensemble consisting of Maria Eriksson, Erika Stadling Holm, Jessica Bäcklund, Maria Almroth, Christell Kapo, Pernilla Backlund, Pål Christensson, Jens Lindahl, Jon Björkebäck, Fredrik Eriksson, Jacob Lindahl, and David Saulesco participates.Pernilla Backlund.
is a choir leader and church musician in Sundsvall parish where she leads two choirs, among other things. Pernilla has a special love for the vocal, for classical music and folk music, and dance. Borgsjö vocal ensemble under the direction of Eva Andersson.
Borgsjö vocal ensemble under the direction of Eva Andersson
In Bräcke and Ånge, Borgsjö Vocal Ensemble participates. They are a choir with a varied musical expression and a repertoire that includes both church music and other choral traditions. Under Ewa Andersson's leadership, the ensemble works with musical quality, responsiveness, and joy of singing. Together, they create vibrant musical meetings where the choir's collective sound and expression are at the center.
Ewa Andersson is a church musician, organist, and experienced choir leader with a strong commitment to choral singing and the ability of music to create community. She leads several choir activities within the Borgsjö-Haverö parish.