Join our club!
Make friends, learn to Swiss folk dance, and dress in beautiful traditional Swiss Tracht. We are a group of friendly, hardworking women, inspired by culture and heritage. Find out more about our club here.
Dance experience or not, you are welcome to join us in celebrating Swiss culture and connecting with like-minded women. Find out more by contacting our president, Daniela Raduner. Or, join us on a Tuesday night from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Calgary Bridge Centre to see what we’re all about!
Book us to perform!
Looking for authentic cultural entertainment at your next event? Book us to perform! We are the only Swiss folk dance group in Canada and have been performing for almost 40 years. We do a mix of dances including polka and waltz, and we wear traditional Swiss folk dresses to perform. View our performances and performance history to learn more.
Why join our club?
People in North America are lonely, depressed, stressed out, overweight, and over-worked. Swiss Folk Dance Club Alpenrösli is doing its part to help change that. We are a traditional Swiss folk dance group and we are always happy to welcome new members. Click below to read about some of the benefits you could experience by joining our group.
What is Swiss Folk Dance?
Folk dance in Switzerland today has its roots in the 18th and 19th centuries. The dances are pieced together from the many dance traditions of Switzerland’s neighbours including France, Germany, Austria, and Italy. The main kinds of dance include the Schottisch, Walzer, Ländler, Marsch, and Polka.
What is a Tracht?
The Swiss Tracht, or Swiss traditional dress, had many purposes in the past, including everyday use, socializing, and special events like weddings and baptisms. Women may have had multiple Trachten or they could interchange certain elements, including the apron and the hat, to accommodate for these different purposes.
Who are we?
It was the early ’80s. Many young Swiss immigrants were flocking to Canada, drawn by the wide-open spaces and opportunity to perfect their English. The Swiss immigrants in Calgary were excited to call Canada their new home, yet they wanted to keep their Swiss culture alive.
We do more than dance!
Our club is about so much more than dancing and celebrating Swiss culture. We are a community of women supporting each other through life’s ups and downs. Every year we enjoy a special Christmas celebration and year-end party in June along with mini celebrations for each group member’s birthday. Keep up to date on our social activities on our News page.