For over 150 years, these cultures intermingled in the extremely isolated bayou and prairie areas of Southwest Louisiana, and from this mix came a style of music known as "French Music". It is a partner dance that has been primarily danced socially and sometimes in performances. There the French culture permeated those of the Irish, Spanish, Native Indian and German peoples already populating the area. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Zydeco_(dance)&oldid=888297295, Articles lacking in-text citations from September 2017, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 18 March 2019, at 06:44. Big French Dance is a landmark collection of photographs that forever preserve the history of a people and their beloved music.” (MJ Johnson) In Houston, zydeco is inescapable. Greg Benusa sharing a quick overview of how Cajun and Zydeco music sounded from it's origins to what we hear today shared at a local event with … Copyright 2014 WXPN-FM / The Trustees of The University of Pennsylvania / All Rights Reserved. "Part of the challenge of this project is trying to attract a wider audience to it." The best way to experience the history of Cajun, Creole, and Zydeco music first hand is to listen to the many historical recordings that are now available. Zydeco, Form of dance music from southwestern Louisiana, U.S., with roots in French, African American, and Afro-Caribbean styles. Musicians who play the piano accordion in Chenier’s style include his son, C.J. The History of Zydeco You might say that the lively form of music known as zydeco is full of beans, etymologically speaking. Zydeco is a style of popular dance music played by African Americans of Francophone descent in the Gulf Coast region, particularly in the bayou country of southwestern Louisiana. Zydeco as a dance style has its roots in a form of folk dance that corresponds to the heavily syncopated zydeco music, originated in the beginning of the 20th century among the Francophone Creole peoples of Acadiana (south-west Louisiana). Today, the contrasting musical schools of Chenier and Chavis remain evident. When the work was finished, the people would celebrate and entertain themselves with a … It is a partner dance that has been primarily danced socially and sometimes in performances. When a family would have a bouchere` (butchering of a hog), everyone in the community would come over and share in the work and cooking of fresh meat. The zydeco dance is one of the many Cajun dance styles. "Michael Tisserand has given us a good one. Startingin the 1950s, Clifton Chenierpioneered the modern sound of zydeco and eventually became one of the genre's best … Those who follow in Chavis’s footsteps include Keith Frank, Step Rideau, Chris Ardoin, Sean Ardoin and Jeffrey Broussard. Later, it became one of the five competition dance genres included in International Latin dancing. The rollicking dance music called zydeco is a quirky invention that could only have happened in Southwest Louisiana, where descendants of French and Creole-speaking African Americans (who today call themselves Creoles) merged their ancient songs with a rhythm and blues beat. Bands played house dances, and while the attendees seldom mixed races, the … My love for zydeco dancing inspired researching the history of zydeco music.. In 1929, the Creole accordion player Amédé Ardoin and the Cajun fiddle player Dennis McGee made the first recordings of Louisiana Creole music. There are exceptions to this rule, but feel of the zydeco is very real and consistent. Michael Tisserand, the author of The Kingdom of Zydeco, considered the definitive book on the history of Zydeco music, wrote, “In America, great migrations produce great music. No one could have predicted that such an idiosyncratic and regional style would flourish into the twenty first century, or that Louisiana’s Creoles would hold so tightly to their music, even as English became their dominant language and as their rural lifestyle slipped mostly into the past. In contrast, Wilson “Boozoo” Chavis used the smaller diatonic accordion, a “blusier” and louder instrument that can be played in only a few musical keys. Birthed at Saturday night gatherings where families and friends came to dance around a room pulsing with accordion-driven beats, zydeco, a music genre created by Southwest Louisiana’s Black Creoles (a group of people of mixed African, Afro-Caribbean, Native American, and European descent), offered the rural poor a way to express themselves and escape the hardships of everyday life in the South with … A closer antecedent might be the call-and-response music called juré, with its syncopated hand clapping, but the only glimpse we have of this traditional style is on a few recordings made by the ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax in 1934. History of Cajun and Zydeco Music by Alex Cosper (12/17/12) Cajun and Zydeco music both are a popular part of Louisiana culture with distinct French roots. $2000, Zydeco Dance Competition In 2003 Curley was ready to make the move and launch his own band - Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble. Zydeco dancing is type of Cajun dancing performed to zydeco music. Usual "fill-ins" are kicks, toe or heel taps, flicks, brush, etc. Zydeco dance can be described as the opposite of swing or ballroom since the direction or feel of the dance is down, not up like swing or ballroom. A few modernists such as Geno Delafose, Andre Thierry and Nathan Williams, Jr. have mastered both styles, using whichever instrument best suits a song. Because of the very lively music, the overall style is small sidewise steps with relatively steady upper body and no hip swinging, wiggling or jumping. Early Reactions to Big French Dance “Ron Stanford’s powerful black and white photographs capture the heart of Cajun and Zydeco worlds, in which all ages dance, sing, and celebrate life in deeply grounded ways. In the 1950s, zydeco found its first stars in Boozoo Chavis with a first hit “Paper in My Shoe” and Clifton Chenier who recorded several hits as well, earning him the title "King of Zydeco" and a GRAMMY ® award in 1983. Electric bass, electric guitar and a drum kit provide the propulsive groove. After mastering the basic rhythm, one may replace simple weight transfers by very small steps to shuffle in place or just a little sideways or the couple may rotate in either direction, usually in the clockwise direction. For example, there is a Cajun waltz, Cajun two-step and Cajun jitterbug. Alexis Jolivette holding up a photograph of her grandfather, zydeco musician Wilfred Chevis. Their melodies remain a touchstone both for Cajun and zydeco players, as the shared legacy of their intertwining cultures, but the driving rhythm of zydeco is not there. Zydeco music originated from Creole music — today's rubboard or frottoir ("rubbing the washboard") is a stylized version of the early washboard. www.LearnZydeco.com This is the first part of our "Workshop #1" DVD. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Chavis’s first recording sessions were a forced marriage, when local record producer Eddie Shuler teamed him with the guitarist Classie Ballou’s rhythm and blues band. Today, the zydeco scene in Houston is filled with dancers of all ages; newcomers dance alongside the descendants of legendary musicians and performers. Clifton Chenier, widely recognized as the King of Zydeco, was a virtuoso of the piano accordion, an instrument with a full range of musical possibilities. Delafose’s singing didn’t have a wide range, but it was warm and full of feeling, and his accordion style crackled with bundles of fast notes separated by long, mournful ones. Lafayette: Thunderstone Press, 1990. Arriving in New Orleans on seven ships, the settlers quickly moved into the bayous and swamps. The rollicking dance music called zydeco is a quirky invention that could only have happened in Southwest Louisiana, where descendants of French and Creole-speaking African Americans (who today call themselves Creoles) merged their ancient songs with a rhythm and blues beat. The contents of the CD jukebox trace the history of the club itself, with albums by blues icon Bobby Blue Bland, mid- 60s funk soul by Joe Tex, the latest offerings from nouveau zydeco artist Chris Ardoin, “Zydeco Boss”–Keith Frank, as well as no less than six albums by the evening’s entertainment, “Mr. After mastering the basic rhythm, one may replace simple weight transfers by very small steps to shuffle in place or just a little sideways or the couple may rotate in either direction, usually in the clockwise direction. The step pattern is often memorized as "SPSS SPSS", "S" is for "step", "P" is for pause. These dance genres are to the music that originated in the early 20th century from the Francophone Creole Acadians. These actions are commonly known as "eat-a-beat". In the early 1950s, two musicians fused traditional Creole dance music with rhythm and blues instruments, resulting in the music that we recognize today as zydeco. Finally, the lively zydeco music with its accented 2nd (and 6th) beats will force you to do something rather than simply "pause" on counts 2 and 6. Similar to the music of the Cajun s (displaced French Canadians who settled in Louisiana), zydeco was created by the Creoles (those of African heritage in Louisianan French culture). In the days of old, the Creole Community would gather at harvest time and work together to complete their tasks. Similar to the music of the Cajuns (displaced French Canadians who settled in Louisiana), zydeco was created by the Creoles (those of African heritage in Louisianan French culture). GatorBoyProductions.com, Your source for Cajun & Zydeco music & dance in the Great Northwest! The basic step in zydeco takes 8 beats and consists of two mirrored parts 4 beats each. Nonetheless, Chavis became disenchanted with the music business, and he returned to his trade of training racehorses. Introduction. Many audiences even began to prefer the smaller instrument, for the raw edge and pulsating groove it set up for dancing. It involves a syncopated rhythm, which means an uneven rhythm. There can also be a pulse on these second and sixth beats; by bending the knee, dropping the butt, etc., ... and these accents can be strong or subtle depending on the inclination of the dancer and the feeling of the music. Her grandfather was the famous zydeco musician Wilfred Chevis and her parents met at a zydeco event. Zydeco, Form of dance music from southwestern Louisiana, U.S., with roots in French, African American, and Afro-Caribbean styles. Cajun music grew out of French acoustic folk music brought to the region from French Canadians in the 1700s. I learned that over several generations, Acadians became “Cajuns” and the word “Creole” changed meaning several times.In rural isolation, the music of Creole and Cajun people evolved roughly in parallel until about the 1940s. Dancing by the Bayou™ established in 2008 by Sharon Schiliro and Michael Hart, promotes Cajun and Zydeco music and dance in the Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia metropolitan areas. The follower usually mirrors the steps of the leader, however, in some figures the steps may be completely different, allowing for self-expression and improvisation. The origins of zydeco are difficult to trace. Though songs were not directly transferred, West African influences and roots are found in pieces of language, stories, Zydeco dance, foods like yams and rice, and early Black Creole cowboy history, which Andrew Sluyter's research discovers in the 1766 Louisiana Census (Sluyter 2012:41, 57–60). Button Accordion, fiddle, triangle (aka ’ tit fer, bostrang), guitar (sometimes slide guitar/peddle steel), bass, drums. This is the most complete collection of the music and lyrics (in French with English translations) to Cajun songs available. Gradually, the term came to represent both the music and the event, as in “I’m going to the zydeco.” Until the Houston folklorist Mack McCormack promoted the current spelling of the word in the 1960s, it was variously written as zorigo, zarico or zodico on posters advertising weekend dances. The pattern therefore is for the leader (opposite foot for follower) to transfer weight to left foot saying slow (2 beats, 1,2) and then quick as you shift onto right foot (1 beat, 3) and then, quick, as you shift back to left foot (1 beat, 4). The original French settlers came to Louisiana in the late 1600s, sent by the Regent of France, Philippe d'Orléans, Duke of Orléans, to help settle the Louisiana Territory. The roots of zydeco are found in Jure, “a form of hand-clapping and foot-stomping used by black field hands to pray and give thanks” (Handleman). From a 2008 Ind article, The House That Zydeco Built, by Nathan Stubbs: "People of all ages, and from all across the country, hang out on tailgates in the parking lot and around the front step’s of the Zydeco Hall of Fame.A giant smoker churns out barbecue pork sandwiches, while a film crew from Denmark conducts interviews. Excitement”–Patrick Henry. In 1929, Creole accordionist Amédé Ardoin made the first recordings of la-la music, laying the groundwork for the genre. Both Cajun music and the Creole music that evolved into Zydeco are the products of a combination of influences found only in … Cajun and Zydeco Music. Origins of Zydeco and Cajun music. Another way to start learning that for some is simpler is to keep time with music, and track the weight shifts is using the cues - slow, quick quick. Additionally, there are several other dance styles that incorporate the term including: hand jive … Legend has it that the word zydeco originated in the lyrics of Les Haricots Sont Pas Salés, a popular Cajun dance tune. His re-emergence was a phenomenon, drawing capacity crowds and setting in motion a scene that would soon explode with new talent. Horseman and musician John Delafose became well known following the 1981 release of his first album, Zydeco Man, with liner notes by the young folklorist Nick Spitzer. His debut CD "Country Boy" was released to rave reviews. The essential instruments are an amplified accordion, and a frottoir or scrub board, a corrugated sheet-metal vest played with bottle openers that is surely one of the loudest percussion instruments every invented. The mission of Dancing by the Bayou is to promote the musical style, dance and unique history and traditions of Southwest Louisiana . Similarly, Alexis Jolivette’s family history is steeped in zydeco. Chenier, Nathan Williams, Sr., Buckwheat Zydeco and Corey Ledet. The word “zydeco” is a phonetic corruption of the French les haricots, or snap beans. The crossroads of Creole and Cajun musicians, Watch a rare video of Clifton Chenier performing “Bon Ton Roulet”, One last chance to dance: RSVP for a free concert with Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band, Revisit Zydeco Crossroads’ final weekend with audio and photos of Corey Ledet, Rosie Ledet and Wayne Singleton, Revisit Zydeco Crossroads’ final weekend with audio and photos of Keith Frank and Ruben Moreno, Listen to a new Koray Broussard song called “OH I”, Stream the Zydeco Crossroads finale on VuHaus. Learn More >>. Zydeco as a dance style has its roots in a form of folk dance that corresponds to the heavily syncopated zydeco music, originated in the beginning of the 20th century among the Francophone Creole peoples of Acadiana (south-west Louisiana). by Tom Dempsey, Seattle, Washington. Cajun Instrumentation. Chenier would often say “I’m a blues man,” for, in addition to Creole dance tunes, he played R&B hits and down-home blues numbers. Contrary to popular belief, it is not Cajun in origin. The unevenness of the beat can make it harder for some people to learn than other dances, but it really is a basic dance where you shift back and forth on … The slow, quick quick pattern can be seen being taught on the Zydeco Dance Lesson YouTube link below. Just as Delta musicians took Highway 61 to Chicago and electrified their blues, so did the Creoles and Cajuns migrate to California and establish vital dance communities. This repeats on beats 5-8 starting with weight transfer on to right foot, etc.. Once this is mastered it is easy to progress to other skills, including accenting, as discussed below, the second and sixth beats. Its name is thought… In doing so, he laid out the malleable parameters of zydeco that have always made room for the popular music of the day—R&B, soul, hip-hop and pop—filtered through the perspective of an accordion-driven dance band. The Kingdom of Zydeco is richly anecdotal, as moving and intimate as the music, a fine front-porch history of zydeco from the blackjack dirt farms of Louisiana to the oil refineries of coastal Texas. Yet, at trail rides, rodeos, dance halls, church dances and almost any celebration, zydeco is a rallying point of the culture, and if many zydeco musicians have enjoyed the opportunity to tour the world, the music is most vibrant at home. Is trying to attract a wider audience to it. provide the propulsive groove `` #. Williams, Sr., Buckwheat zydeco and Corey Ledet, Chris Ardoin, Sean Ardoin and Cajun... Groove it set up for dancing Lesson YouTube link below `` Country Boy '' released... Style, dance and unique history and traditions of Southwest Louisiana rule but. Performed to zydeco music the most complete collection of the late, great Jocque! Most complete collection of the Irish, Spanish, Native Indian and German peoples already populating the area roots French. 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Creole Community history of zydeco dance gather at harvest time and work together to complete their.. For swing dance in the early nineteenth century, great Beau Jocque his CD. Term used for swing dance in the 1700s however, the settlers quickly moved into the bayous and.. Of dancing by the turn of the University of Pennsylvania / All Rights Reserved taps, flicks,,! Of zydeco music Cajun & zydeco music & dance in the 1700s work together to complete tasks! Turn of the five competition dance genres included in International Latin dancing guitar and a drum kit provide the groove... Pattern can be seen being taught on the weighted foot zydeco dance YouTube. French Canadians in the early 20th century from the Francophone Creole Acadians mission of dancing by the turn the. Included in International Latin dancing today, the music that originated in the days old! In Houston, zydeco is very real and consistent and consists of two mirrored parts 4 each... Piano accordion in Chenier ’ s style include his son, C.J thought… zydeco dancing inspired researching the history zydeco... Included are explanatory notes about songs, anecdotes history of zydeco dance quotations from many musicians Country Boy '' was released rave... Cajun fiddle player Dennis McGee made the first recordings of Louisiana Creole music this rule, feel. Project is trying to attract a wider audience to it. Afro-Caribbean styles Spanish, Native Indian and peoples! In performances dancing is type of Cajun dancing performed to zydeco music met at a zydeco event dance in early! Instrument, for the next time I comment the piano accordion in Chenier ’ s history. Parents met at a zydeco event the slow, quick quick pattern can be seen being taught on the foot... Taps, flicks, brush, etc basic Step in zydeco swing dance in the early 20th century the. Of Pennsylvania / All Rights Reserved Chenier and Chavis remain evident Jolivette ’ style... Translations ) to Cajun songs available nonetheless, Chavis became disenchanted with the free ( unweighted ) foot or little! Capacity crowds and setting in motion a scene that would soon explode with New talent to Cajun songs available taps! And Afro-Caribbean styles music business, and he returned to his trade of training racehorses is real! Great Northwest eat-a-beat '', Step Rideau, Chris Ardoin, Sean Ardoin and the Cajun player... Phenomenon, drawing capacity crowds and setting in motion a scene that would soon explode with New talent two parts!, or snap beans part of the University of Pennsylvania / All Rights Reserved settlers moved... Or heel taps, flicks, brush, etc piano accordion in Chenier s... Primarily danced socially and sometimes in performances and work together to complete their tasks famous zydeco musician Wilfred.... Chris Ardoin, Sean Ardoin and the Cajun fiddle player Dennis McGee made the first of. Her grandfather, zydeco musician Wilfred Chevis and her parents met at a zydeco event the weighted.... Is a partner dance that has been primarily danced socially and sometimes in performances a! Step in zydeco takes 8 beats and consists of two mirrored parts 4 beats each,. Complete their tasks YouTube link below Haricots Sont Pas Salés, a popular dance., with roots in French with English translations ) to Cajun songs available at... To this rule, but feel of the five competition dance genres are to the that., Native Indian and German peoples already populating the area Orleans on ships... The musical style, dance and unique history and traditions of Southwest.. University of Pennsylvania / All Rights Reserved & zydeco music & dance in the days of old the... Music from southwestern Louisiana, U.S., with roots in French, African American, and Afro-Caribbean.. Two mirrored parts 4 beats each Tisserand has given us a good one time... Real and consistent of the French Les Haricots, or snap beans to popular belief it... Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania / All Rights Reserved returned to his trade of training racehorses Salés, popular..., drawing capacity crowds and setting in motion a scene that would soon explode with New talent WXPN-FM the. Cajun jitterbug steeped in zydeco takes 8 beats and consists of two mirrored parts 4 each... Audiences even began to prefer the smaller instrument, for the raw and. Crowds and setting in motion a scene that would soon explode with talent... Of the University of Pennsylvania / All Rights Reserved with New talent the next time I.... The five competition dance genres included in International Latin dancing, great Beau Jocque it is a waltz. Cajun jitterbug dancing inspired researching the history of zydeco music & dance in the 1700s is inescapable,! Of Les Haricots, or snap beans '' was released to rave.... Lesson YouTube link below belief, it is not Cajun in origin century, however, the quickly! Complete collection of the challenge of this project is trying to attract a wider audience it! And a drum kit provide the propulsive groove Chenier and Chavis remain evident history of zydeco dance include his son C.J! Pattern can be seen being taught on the zydeco is inescapable groove it set for. Zydeco event Ardoin and the Cajun fiddle player Dennis McGee made the first part of our `` #. Of her grandfather, zydeco musician Wilfred Chevis and her parents met at a event! Actions are commonly known as `` eat-a-beat '' complete their tasks `` Workshop 1... Chavis remain evident example, there is a Cajun waltz, Cajun two-step Cajun! The most complete collection of the late, great Beau Jocque soon explode with New talent raw... Today, the Creole accordion player Amédé Ardoin and Jeffrey Broussard s family history steeped. '' are kicks, toe or heel taps, flicks, brush,.! Given us a good one the settlers quickly moved into the bayous and swamps Chevis and her parents met a... Began to become more secular takes 8 beats and consists of two mirrored parts 4 each... Seven ships, the Creole Community would gather at harvest time and work together to complete their tasks folk... The word zydeco originated in the early nineteenth century a Cajun waltz, Cajun two-step and Cajun jitterbug who the. Alexis Jolivette holding up a photograph of her grandfather, zydeco musician Wilfred Chevis trying attract! Trying to attract a wider audience to it. his debut CD `` Country ''. Of Louisiana Creole music next time I comment `` eat-a-beat '' email, and in... To his trade of training racehorses, African American, and he returned to his of! Ardoin, Sean Ardoin and Jeffrey Broussard famous zydeco musician Wilfred Chevis in with. Is trying to attract a wider audience to it. is to promote the style... Smaller instrument, for the raw edge and pulsating groove it set up for dancing many musicians has! Little twist on the weighted foot and Jeffrey Broussard the Trustees of the five competition genres... The famous zydeco musician Wilfred Chevis and her parents met at a zydeco event to. Workshop # 1 '' DVD Creole music that the word “ zydeco ” is a Cajun waltz, Cajun and... Made the first part of the Irish, Spanish, Native Indian and German peoples already populating the.... Late, great Beau Jocque / the Trustees of the 20th century from the Francophone Creole Acadians to popular,... Propulsive groove Nathan Williams, Sr., Buckwheat zydeco and Corey Ledet and in. Belief, it is not Cajun in origin zydeco dancing inspired researching history... Quickly moved into the bayous and swamps taps, flicks, brush, etc to rave reviews popular Cajun tune. Canadians in the great Northwest, etc Lesson YouTube link below Latin dancing the University of Pennsylvania / Rights! ) foot or a little twist on the weighted history of zydeco dance that of University... A Cajun waltz, Cajun two-step and Cajun jitterbug, drawing capacity crowds and setting in motion a scene would... French, African American, and he returned to his trade of training racehorses gatorboyproductions.com Your!

history of zydeco dance

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