The Skandia Music Foundation is pleased to present this compilation of dance instructions, designed to accompany the two-record album and the compact disc, Skandia - A Definitive Collection of Traditional Nordic Rhythms.

The double album was Gordon Tracie's last recording production.  Begun in the mid-1980s, it was nearly finished at the time of his death in December 1988.  Members of the Foundation completed the work and released the album in 1989.  In 1997, with the encouragement and assistance of Patrick McMonagle and Phil Williams, Skandia Music Foundation released the compact disc of Gordon's Skandia double ablum, along with this updated edition of the accompanying dance descriptions.

One of the purposes Gordon had in mind for the Skandia album was for use as an instructional aid when teaching traditional Scandinavian folk dance. These dance descriptions are intended to further that objective.

In producing this booklet, the Skandia Music Foundation is especially grateful to Pearl Clark Ohlsson, Gordon's long-time dance instruction assistant.  Pearl wrote the initial draft, based on Gordon's notes and her own expertise.  We also appreciate the efforts of Janet Carlsson, Nola Irish and Art Hare, who each reviewed the manuscript and made helpful additions and suggestions.  Formatting, data entry, final editing and publishing for the original 1995 edition was done by Ern Anderson, who will deny the existence of any factual or typographical errors, even if confronted with them.  This 1997 edition was updated and edited by Mary Mohler, with invaluable assistance from David Lamb, Ern Anderson, Tommy Sjöberg, and Nola Irish.  Dennis Barnes designed the web-ready edition.

An example of these abbreviations:  using the usual way a turning Waltz is danced:
The Cpl spins CW, M starting L, W starting R.  LOD CCW.

All spelled out:
The couple spins moving clockwise in relation to each other, man starting with a step on his left foot, woman with a step on her right.  While each couple is spinning clockwise, the whole crowd of dancers moves around the room in a generally counter clockwise direction.