05/07/2026
UW-Madison Nordic Folklife Center for the Study of Upper Midwestern Cultures is hosting three *FREE* online workshops on Tuesday evenings starting at the end of May.
This series will also lead to an in-person workshop that will be offered on Saturday morning from 8:45-10:15 at Duluth-stämman before the opening Allspel.
This is a fantastic opportunity for musicians and non-musicians who are interested in developing their ethnomusicology and folklorist chops with post-doctoral fellow Chrissy Widmayerc. I'm attaching more information to this e-mail. These are "drop-in" so you don't need to attend each workshop, but please register in advance so we know who to expect. This is a unique opportunity to try on the "folklorist" hat.
Folklore Tools You Can Use - Tuesday, May 26 from 7:00-8:15pm:
https://uwmadison.zoom.us/meeting/register/yK2VaFHvQbmh_oRqmXm8Ig
Field Recording - Tuesday, June 2 from 7:00 8:15pm:
https://uwmadison.zoom.us/meeting/register/Bnf6R1BxT_iRh2B0XED6JA
Recording to Document and Share - Tuesday, June 9 from 7:00-8:15pm:
https://uwmadison.zoom.us/meeting/register/r5b13CzQStq-URRlzI1tTQ
Online Workshop Descriptions:
Folklore Tools You Can Use*
Folklorists have formalized the study and documentation of folk arts and music and you may benefit from thinking about some of the ways they approach folklore studies. In this workshop, we will talk about folklore as a lens for viewing your traditions and consider what methods you may borrow from them to dig deeper into your folklore and communities.
Audio and Field Recording
Want to record a folk music, storytelling, or other traditional performance? In this workshop, we will discuss how to use tools you have on hand to record music or other audio when you are at live performances or events. We’ll discuss the basics of getting good audio, the ethics of recording live, and how to keep track of performers, performances, and other contextual information for proper attribution.
Video Recording to Document and Share:
In this workshop, we will consider how to record, process, and share videos of live folk performances or performers. We will discuss how you can frame good video shots, how to balance the dynamic and changing nature of live events with your goals, and how to briefly edit materials for sharing on social media, YouTube, and elsewhere.
In-Person Workshop at the Stamma Description:
Pocket Ethnography: Documenting Traditions in the Field:
In this workshop, folklorist Chrissy Widmayer will teach a crash-course in doing ethnographic documentation of traditions during live events and performances. She will discuss the basics of using tools you have on hand (like your phone) to record audio or video or take photos of live performances, and how to contextualize the larger tradition through short-form interviewing or discussion. We will consider together the ethics of documenting live events and how to properly attribute materials when sharing them publicly after the event. (90 minutes)
Instructor Bio:
Chrissy Widmayer is a scholar of community connections. She has a PhD in Folklore Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and an MFA in Creative Writing from George Mason University. Her dissertation research explored how communities create connections and relationships using foodways and storytelling. Her postdoctoral research builds on the work she’s done as the director of Wisconsin Humanities’ award-winning Community Powered initiative, which puts the tools of history, culture, and storytelling in the hands of communities through training and educational programming. Chrissy hopes to help Nordic American communities in the Upper Midwest build capacity to collect their own folklore and produce dynamic public programming around those traditions. Chrissy is also a co-founder of WiseFolk Productions and content creator for Folkwise.
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