My family doesn't drink, but we would love to see hear and see some great yodeling and knee-dancing (lederhosen and all), while in Germany. We're expecting to spend some time in the Bavarian Alps and/or Swiss Alps. What are some recommendations for dinner shows? (i.e. I really like Franzl Lang)
Posted by
Danville, VT
12040 posts
Gasthof Fraundorfer (http://www.gasthof-fraundorfer.de/index.html) in Garmisch-Partenkircken has music and knee-dancing most nights. I would call it more entertainment while you eat, rather than a dinner show. Depending on what song the accordion player is singing, there may be some incidental jodeling, but it's not the main focus of the music.
Posted by
Shoreline, WA
216 posts
"Knee dancing"? Whew! That's a new term for me . . .
You'll get plenty of exposure to Alpine culture if you can settle down on some small town on a weekend and look for a "Heimatabend" or (Sunday mornings) a "Frühschoppen". Otherwise, you'll get stuck in one of those tourist-oriented stage shows.
Upper Bavaria (that's the little part of Germany with a bit of the Alps) most likely will be able to provide what you seek. Otherwise, go to Austria (Innsbruck is reliable, but also the ski towns aurrounding this capital). Garmisch,
Reit im Winkl, Mittenwald, and other cities along the Bavarian side of the Alps probably have such shows regularly).
The Swiss are a lot more sedentary, so the likelihood of finding "Schuhplattler" (that's what the dance is called) is not great - however, they are good yodelers.
Your best bet is to research online for folk festivals and local attractions in the area you plan to visit. You can zero in on websites such as www.austria.info and select a region for starters. The big yodeling festival is in summer in Lucerne, Switzerland, and there was a large Lederhosen festival in Windischgarsten, Upper Austria about the same time. Yet you may find other competitions if you search online.
Posted by
Shoreline, WA
216 posts
Forgot to mention - probably the one area with the most folk bands, the greatest variety of traditional dance venues in the Alps has to be the Zillertal, about 40 mi. east of Innsbruck. Nearly half of performing bands claim to be from this long valley, so music and dance soaks the green valley floor (along with beer) :>)
Posted by
Taylor, TX, USA
416 posts
I don't know when you plan to go, but during the tourist season in Lucerne, the Stadtkeller restaurant has a show at lunch and dinner that includes jodling, slap-dancing, alphorns (and they even bring up members of the audience to try their hands (mouths and lungs?) at playing the alphorn. If you do a websearch for Stadtkeller, you can find out exactly when the season begins and ends. I know from experience that in March they have live music, usually Jazz,but no folk show. Yes, this is a huge tourist trap kind of deal, but one place to experience it all at one time and done well.