Cajun OnStar - YouTube

If you have ever been around a few Cajun's or tried to get some directions when in Louisiana you will probably appreciate this YouTube video clip of a few kids in a car using OnStar to try and get some directions. Yea... they are messing with the OnStar guy really badly ... but as they say in Louisiana... "It's All Good"...

Great Melody... No Matter How You Play It !!!

New Article on Music and Dancing in Louisiana...

I came across this great little article on music and dance around "Zydeco & Cajun" country..

http://www.dailyyonder.com/36-hours-eunice-louisiana/2011/10/26/3574

Zydeco Line Dance

There is a growing amount of line dances you will see at any given dance or festival and thanks to the local dancers and folks sharing their video's it helps to spread the dances around the Zydeco dance community!  Here is a easy little line dance that you can do to any medium tempo Zydeco tune...

Video Clip:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHeacY7UOvo

New Festvials - Cajun/Zydeco

Many of the hard core Zydeco dancers head to Louisiana, East Coast or West Coast festivals to feed their Zydeco addictions but there are always new festivals that are well worth the trip to check out.  Here are a couple that are on my radar to check out...

Washington, DC - Dancing By The Bayou Fall Dance Festival - October 23rd Weekend
They have a hell of a good line up with Andre Thierry, Curley Taylor and Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Cha's as well as Bruce Daigrepont and Dennis Stroughmatt..
What I also love about this festival is you can spend a day or two in addition to go check out tourist stuff around Washington during a "nice" time of the year...
Here is their web site link for more details and hope to see you on the dance floor!http://mysite.verizon.net/vzev7054/dancingbythebayoufalldancefestival/index.html

Hollywood, FL - Florida Cajun Zydeco Festival - November 12th Weekend
If dancers remember the famous Ft. Lauderdale Crawfish festival that is no more, here is a festival in the next community of Hollywood Florida.  Their lineup is good with Geno as one of their main headliners.  Close by is Miami and Key West if you want to take a day or two more to do a little tourist stuff..
Festival Web Site:http://www.cajun-fest.com/site/

ZydecoOnline.com - Zydeco Resources on the Web

There are many resources on the web for Zydeco music and dance related informtion and I just wanted to share ZydecoOnline.com as it is a great resource for Zydeco related happenings, music and history...  

A big thanks to those who keep it live and interesting to us Zydeco fans...
http://www.zydecoonline.com/dev/index.php

Portland Zydeco & Blues Fesitval

Here is one image from last weekends Portland festival that happens each July 4th weekend. It's always a fun festival and one of the best aspects is the location which is right on the river and right downtown which makes it quite beautiful.

A good group of dancers made it from Seattle, Canada, San Francisco, Los Angeles and a few from San Diego including myself.
Corey Ledit canceled for the 2nd time in two years... amazing.. but Curley Taylor, Rosie Ledet, Steve Riley and Chubby Carrier did a great job... If your thinking of going check out the other post I did farther down on this blog from last year on details on what to do in Portland if you have some free time..
Here is a great little video clip from the festival...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2GBR5NpQdo

Simi Valley Zydeco and Blues Festival

Simi Valley Zydeco & Blues Festival Info... Festival Planner - May 28th-29th

The Simi Valley Festival this year has a good line up for Zydeco so I am planning on going and thougth others could benefit from a festival planner post..

First Step - Hotel:
Dates - Friday May 27th, Saturday 28th, Sunday 29th... (or just Saturday if you want to drive up Saturday and just spend one night)

There is another event in Simi the same weekend so book your room now if you think you maybe going and just cancel it if you change your mind. There are always rooms in the next community over in Chatsworth or San Fernando if Simi does fill up...

Cheap - Motel 6... this is right off the freeway and about 5 mintues from the festival. Very inexpensive rooms and many dancers often stay there. $70 rooms are a great price so grab them while they last !!
http://www.motel6.com/reservations/motel_detail.aspx?num=170

Extended Stay America Los Angeles-Simi Valley - $90 rooms
http://www.extendedstayamerica.com/hotels/los-angeles-simi-valley.html

Holiday Inn Express - Simi Valley - $110 rooms
http://www.hiexpress.com/hotels/us/en/simi-valley/laxsv/hoteldetail

Full list of Simi Valley Hotels
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g33093-Simi_Valley_California-Hotels.html

Friday Night Get Together
For those who want to connect up with other dancers and if they are coming up we can get together Friday night. The place and time will be worked out and shared but just wanted to throw out the option for those interested...

Saturday night Zydeco dance in Simi Valley
A Zydeco DJ party hosted by AJ and Greg Benusa. The party will be at the Grand Vista Hotel in Simi starting 9pm. Dinner and bar food available at the bar/club as well before 9pm. Here is a link to more information to share... the hotel asked if we could estimate the number so if you know your going it would be nice to click on the I'm going button at the web site..


Saturday night Event Web page:
http://www.meetup.com/zydecosandiego/events/17230274/

Saturday night free dance details: Lesson 9pm, Dance 9:30pm-12:30am, no cover. Dinner available before and during dance. Saturday May 28th, 2011
Location: Grand Vista Hotel / Arena Bar, 999 Enchanted Way, Simi Valley, 93065
Questions? email Greg at gbenusa@pacbell.net or call 619-857-8409

Monday - Memorial Day Fun...
There maybe a group of dancers heading to a local tourist attraction so I will post updates to the plans in case you want to attend.  Possibly Channel Island National Park which is close or other adventures...
http://www.islandpackers.com/

There will be dance lessons as well this year at Simi...
Myself, AJ, Karen Redding and others will be making it happen :)

Zydeco Band Lineup.....
Saturday, May 28
Swamp Critters
Andre Thierry
Parade
Buckwheat Zydeco
Lil Pookie

Sunday, May 29
Bayou Brothers
Lil Pookie
Parade
Buckwheat Zydeco
Andre Thierry

Blues...
The 44's
Los Fabulocos Feat Kid Ramos
Mikey Jr. & Stone Cold Blues
Arthur Adams
Ana Popovic
Mannish Boys Revue with various special guests
John Nemeth

Sunday - May 29, 2011
Cadillac Zack with Special Guests
Mitch Kashmar Band
Kirk Fletcher Band
Big Pete tribute to Lester Butler
Shawn Pittman
Elvin Bishop "Hell Raisin Review"
Maria Muldaur

Web Site Artists:
http://simicajun.org/2010/?page_id=6Festival Web Site:

Simi Festival Web Site:
http://www.cajun-blues.com/

Grammy Awards Kill the Cajun/Zydeco Category :(

It was fun while it lasted... which was four years but the Grammy's narrowed down the field from 109 categories to 78 currently.  I guess if there is a good spin on it they didn't just let only the Cajun/Zydeco go.  In the future they will be included in the Grammy's best regional roots.  See the following link for the whole scoop...
http://www.katc.com/news/grammys-drop-more-than-30-categories-including-cajun-and-zydeco/

Gator By The Bay Festival Planner 2011

Gator By The Bay Festival Planner...

It's coming up on festival season and Gator By The Bay is the biggie and here are a few thoughts / tips for the coming festival.... www.GatorByTheBay.com

Hotel:
If you or someone you know needs a hotel book NOW :)...
1. Sheraton - Next to festival ... they have two $109 rate rooms left... !!! 619-291-2900
2. West 500 Hotel - $40/night Downtown San Diego. 1 mile from festival..http://www.500westhotelsd.com
Best deal in San Diego... right downtown close to bay.. several dancers have stayed here...
3. Motel 6 - $70/night... it's a 1/2 mile from the festival... 619-232-8931

Friday Night Party !!
Don't forget that there was a Friday night entertainment added to the festival... Here is a link to Friday's lineup so far... Along with all the bands playing Friday it looks like a tribute DJ dance and showing films according to the web site..
http://www.gatorbythebay.com/friday.html

Cajun/Zydeco Entertainers:
Of corse Brian Jack will be headlining and there are many new bands of which I will just comment on a few out of town Cajun/Zydeco bands listed below. Here is a link to all the bands...
http://www.gatorbythebay.com/line_up.html

Ryan Brunet & the Malfecteurs .. Cajun high energy band that I have never seen before and looking forward to seeing them as their video clip on the Gator web site shows some great energy..
http://www.gatorbythebay.com/index.html

L'Angelus - Great fun Cajun youing Cajun band from Lafayette who recently moved to Nashville to try and make it in the big leagues..
http://www.gatorbythebay.com/index.html

Horace Trahan - I don't think Horace has played at Gator before that I remember .. danced to him up in LA and he will keep your feet-a-moving... the inside scoop... Horace was a very talented Zydeco artist who became famous for a song called "That Butt Thing"... he got so much attention for this song from what I have heard it really bugged him so he pulled out of Zydeco, found religion and didn't really play that much for a while. Then..thank goodness... he started playing again with more a crossover Cajun/Zydeco high energy style that we hear today..
http://www.gatorbythebay.com/index.html

Parking:
Just check the web site before you go for latest info..
http://www.gatorbythebay.com/map.html

Volunteer:
The festival would never happen if it wasn't for all the great volunteer's... click here for details..
http://www.gatorbythebay.com/volunteer.html

Dance Lessons:
Many of the great instructors will be back and a few new instructors as well.. I will be teaching a Intermediate/Advanced Zydeco class on Saturday as well.

Free Online Zydeco Lesson:
If you or anyone you know is new to Zydeco... here is a free online lesson www.ZydecoLesson.com

Zydeco DVD's:
If you want to learn a few moves at home check out the DVD's... DVD#4 was just released as well..
http://www.learnzydeco.com/. See the new moves covered at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axpzh5wCX_g

Food...
Of course there are a ton of places at the festival to eat at but for a little break or before the festival I have always loved walking around the marina in between the two Sheraton Hotel Towers to the little deli place on the water overlooking the boats called Papananis. Here is their web site and it's open early and late for a great little place to rest those dancing legs and enjoy the beauty of the marina.. It's a great place for a little breakfast as well...
http://www.papananis.com/

Web Site:
Gator's main web site is at www.gatorybythebay.com for reference...

Tickets:
You can get your tickets now at the link below... you can save $10 if you purchase a weekend pass. Considering how many hours of entertainment it's still a very good deal when you think of what other entertainment costs for a days activities :)
https://secure.bluehost.com/~sandiem2/tickets.html

Looking forward to another great year thanks to all those hard working Gator By The Bay folks, the Bon Temp's Social club and and volenteer's who make it happen!!!

New Zydeco Dance Instruction DVD released!

Greg Benusa has just released Zydeco Dance Instruction DVD #4 which covers mostly intermediate moves and a couple advanced.  It also does a Cajun Waltz line dance and basic review Zydeco for 10 minutes at the beginning of the DVD.  Click on the image below and the video clip shows some of the moves covered in the DVD as well as some video clip footage from festivals.  The DVD covers only dance instruction and there is not any footage of the festivals in the DVD but it's a good peek at some of the festival action...

This Intermeidate and Beginning DVD covers new moves not covered in any of the past DVD's in the series from http://www.learnzydeco.com/

Overview Video Clip


60 Minute Intermediate and Beginning DVD Includes:

Outside Turn, The Bump, She-He Turns, Gator Stomp, Lunges, Basic Zydeco Review, Lunges, Lifts, Side By Side, Hip Hold, Hip to Hip, Hip Push, Zydeco Whip, Lafayette Tap Slide By Side, Floating Slides with Lifts
Line Dance of Cajun Waltz

Features:● 60 MINUTES of dance instruction
● Practice music at slow & normal tempos
● 13 Intermediate Moves and Cajun Waltz Line Dance
● DVD Menu to go direct to any move
● Music by Nooney & the Zydeco Floaters

More Info:  http://www.zydecoach.com/ or call 619.857. 8409