The children of Norway dance!
Heidi Håvan Grosch
Sparbu, Norway
For three years NRK (the Norwegian Broadcasting Company) and their BarneTV (Children’s TV) has hosted an all Norway dance. Their children’s channel is called NRKSuper. One day in the fall any school in Norway that wants to dances the same dance at the same time. This year’s BlimE-dansen (Dance with me dance) was held at 12:00 noon on October 24.
BlimE started on September 4, 2010 at the Oslo Spectrum (a big auditorium) as part of the live filming of Melodi Gran Prix Junior (a national music competition for kids). Students are a part of things from the very beginning, even voting on the name of the dance song! This year the three choices were “Ekte venner” (Genuine friends—this title got 635 of the votes), “Ekte likes” (Genuine likes), and “Jeg hjerter deg” (I heart you). The song is sung by Markus Bailey and 13-year-old MGPJr winner, Mathea-Mari.
Say Hi! Be a friend.
This year’s BlimE theme had 180,000 students from 850 different schools in Norway dancing. That is about 1/3 of all the schools in the country! (Last year 125,000 students danced). The goal was to build up children’s feelings of self-worth, and friendship and teamwork, especially on the Internet where bullying is a big problem. “It’s really fun,” says BlimE project leader, Hanne Vennemo, on NRK’s website. “We are quite sure that if we all say Hi to each other more often, we will all be a little happier.”
I think that also works with a smile in real life. Have you ever, for example, tried smiling at an older person you meet on the street? They almost always smile back and get a new twinkle in their eye. Have you ever gone up to someone who looks lonely? Maybe they are sitting alone at lunch? I bet if you go and say Hi, they will say Hi back.
If you want to see videos of the schools that danced this year, go to: nrksuper.no/super/blog/tag/blime-2014
Or the live video taken around Norway at 12:00 noon on October 24th: nrksuper.no/serie/blime-dansen/MSUBO4004714/24-10-2014
Do you want to learn the dance?
Go to: nrksuper.no/super/blog/laer-deg-blime-dansen-2014/
They have divided each part of the song into different colors so it is easier to learn!
The words to the song:
from nrksuper.no/super/blog/ny-tekst-pa-blime-sangen/
Jeg liker deg
Du liker meg
Jeg trenger deg
Du trenger meg
For våre venner de tar vi vare på
Så fint at du, vil bli med oss nå
Jeg hjerter deg
Du hjerter meg
Jeg sier hei
Vær venn med meg
Vi ser på bilder
Vi skriver fine ord
Vi er på lag, samme hvor vi bor
Refreng
For vi vil være med våre venner
En ekte kompis er en vi kjenner
Ekte smil fra en vi kjenner
Fine ord fra sanne venner
Gleder mer enn “likes” og “hjerter”
Ingen her i vennegjengen erter
Ekte smil fra en vi kjenner
Fine ord fra sanne venner
Gleder mer enn likes og hjerter
Ingen her i vennegjengen erter
ooh ooh oh oh
Bli med oss her er vi venner (gjenta)
Du kjører stil
Når du deler smil
Og det er chill
Å være snill
Vi har hverandre, vi stiller alltid opp
Vi har det fett
Hashtag tommel opp
Refreng
Vi må være snille med hverandre på nett
Når vi møtes så har vi det riktig så fett
Ros dine venner, vær alltid tilstede
Send dem en smily, bli med å spre glede
Tenk alltid gjennom det som du sier
En tullete vits kan fort bli en svier
Hvis du kommenterer si no fint, rett og slett
Dans til musikken til du blir svett
Refreng
I like you
You like me
I need you
You need me
We take care of our friends
It’s so great that you are here with us now
I heart you
You heart me
I say hello
Be friends with me
We look at pictures
We write nice words
We are a team, no matter where we are
Chorus
We are with our friends
A true friend is one we know
A genuine smile from one we know
Nice words from true friends
Give more joy than “likes” and “hearts”
No one in this group is mean to each other
A genuine smile from someone we know
Nice words from true friends
Give more joy than “likes” and “hearts”
No one in this group is mean to each other
Ooh ooh oh oh
Join us here, here we are friends (repeat)
You are classy
When you share smiles
And it’s great to be kind
We have each other
We are always there for each other
We have it great with
Hashtags thumbs up
Chorus
We must be kind to one another on the web
When we meet we have a really good time
Praise your friends, always be there for them
Send them a smily, help them spread joy
Always think about what you say
A silly joke can quickly become mean
So say nice things, plain and simple
Dance to the music until you sweat.
Chorus
This article is a part of Barneblad, a monthly feature by Heidi Håvan Grosch to share with kids and grandkids.
This article originally appeared in the Dec. 12, 2014, issue of the Norwegian American Weekly.
