Clarence's quick band links:
Bruce Daigrepont Cajun Band www.brucedaigrepont.com
Baton Rouge www.ceezees.com
Layne Zuelke and the Swampstompers Cajun band
Steve Bing and the Bayou Hot Shots Cajun band
www.myspace.com/bayouhotshots
www.fredsbar.com
www.tigeru.com
www.boutins.com
www.thetexasclub.com
Raxx Sports Bar in Erwinville, La.
Lost Bayou Ramblers cajun band
www.lesfreresmichot.com http://groups.msn.com/lesfreresmichot/gigcalendar.msnw
Rodney Thibodeaux Tout Les Soir Cajun Band
www.leebenoit.com
www.philbradysbar.org
www.225batonrouge.com
www.boudincajunband.com/
The Red Stick Ramblers
Kevin Naquin & the Ossun Playboys
www.choupique.com
www.chelseascafe.com
The BlueRunners
www.brunetscajunrestaurant.com
www.varsitytheatre.com
www.lafayetterhythmdevils.com
www.waynetoups.com
www.pineleafboys.com
The Patsy Report
L'Angelus Band
Travis Matte and the Zydeco Kingpins
fredsontheriver.com
www.daltonsdowntown.com
www.couzans.com
www.arnb.org/ExternalConnect/Ext.php?E=38&EMAIL Cajun dancing in Baton Rouge consists of the following. Cajun Jitterbug is a style of Cajun dancing with two variations. The cajun music Baton Rouge main style is a classic two-step form of a six-count East Coast Swing, which is differentiated from the one-step Cajun Jig. The other is considered a cowboy-style of Jitterbug or swing dance, also referred to as the Lake Charles Slide, the Cowboy Jitterbug and the Whiskey River Jitterbug. Cajun Two Step is a style of Cajun dancing, also with two variations, and is arguably the most traditional. It is very similar to the country western two-step. The traditional Cajun two-step doesn't have as many fancy turns and spins as their country western cousin. Some Cajun dance moves in Baton Rouge are initiated from one of two basic positions: the open-handed position and the cross-handed position. In the open-handed position, the partners face each other and join right hand to left (and left to right) slightly below waist level. Cross-handed position is identical, except the hands are crossed (right hands joined on top, left hands below). Traditional Cajun Jig in Baton Rouge, the newest form of Cajun dance features a “hobble step” alternating feet like you are stepping on and off a curb, and lots of underarm turns popular with country and western dance. One form of the Cajun dance features stepping or walking, in time to the Baton Rouge music, with alternating feet. In an exaggerated form, most often seen in newer dancers, this resembles a “hobble step”, as if stepping on and off a curb. In reality, it is a subtle weighting down of one foot/leg (right for men, left for woman) which allows the opposite leg to move about. The effect is to facilitate turns and swings reminiscent of jitterbug and swing dancing, or versions of Country Western dancing. One usage of the term, "Cajun Jitterbug" dancing, alludes to the style of Cajun dancing which contains more turns and spins, regardless of the basic step pattern. Cajun Jig, or Cajun One Step, is among the simplest of Cajun dance forms. Baton Rouge Cajun Dance has only one basic step. The Baton Rouge Cajun Jig was popular in Louisiana in the late 1980s and early 1990s, but remains a mainstay of dancers. Often, this step pattern is alternated with other styles, during a single song, particularly among those who are regular dancers, in urban and non-traditional settings, or those who are also Zydeco dancers. The Cajun Jig is a Baton Rouge Cajun Dance that is danced to fast or slow Cajun music played under 2/4 or 4/4 timing, associated with the two-step, rather than one-step blues time or 3/4 timing associated with a waltz. The Cajun Jig shares vague similarity to Merengue. Despite the single-like step, variations of the handhold combined with turns give the dance infinite cajun dancing move options. The dancers' handholds can be uncrossed (i.e., the right hand of one partner meets the left hand of the other one and vice versa) or crossed (i.e., joined right hands over left, or left over right). This is the cajun dancing Baton Rouge Basic step. To begin: Start the Baton Rouge dancing by marching one-two, one-two, left-right, left-right: in place, sideways, forward, backward. Now pretend that to have a nail in one boot that hurts your heel, so that this foot steps on a toe, and you march in a limping way. This limping also gives you this slight bob-bob-bobbing up and down. It doesn't matter which foot limps; you can freely switch during the dance. When stepping on your toe, you push a little bit up on count "One" and on "Two" simply drop onto the second, flat foot. Note that this cajun dancing Baton Rouge description creates an exaggerated hobble often seen with newer dancers in Baton Rouge. The effect of the step is not to avoid stepping down, and not to appear as if one is stepping up, but to provide more weight on a "planted foot", allowing the other to move freely. For the man, the weighted foot is the right foot/leg; for the woman it is the left. This weighted-stepping pattern facilitates turns and swirls, and swing-outs, due to the freedom attributed to the unweighted leg; as well, it does not impede the traditional Cajun dance patterns. These traditional patterns include those in which partners hold hands, and turn or move in concert or in opposition, including: the cuddle (sweetheart), (hammerlock), tie pretzels, turn inside out from face-to-face to back-to-back, or just simply walk around each other for a change in any of dance positions. 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). It is a partner dance that has been primarily danced socially and sometimes in performances. The Cajun dance follower usually mirrors the steps of the leader however in some figures the steps may be completely different, allowing for self-expression and improvisation. Because of the very lively zydeco dance music, the overall style is small sidewise steps with relatively steady upper body and no hip swinging, wiggling or jumping. There are exceptions to this rule, but feel of the zydeco is very real and consistent. 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. [edit] Basic step The basic step in Baton Rouge zydeco dance takes 8 beats and consists of two mirrored parts 4 beats each. The step pattern is often memorized as "SPSS SPSS", "S" is for "step", "P" is for pause. After mastering the basic rhythm of zydeco dancing in Baton Rouge, 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 while dancing. 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. 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). 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 dancing skills, including accenting, as discussed below, the second and sixth beats. The slow, quick quick pattern can be seen being taught on the Zydeco Dance Lesson youtube link below. 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. Finally, the lively Baton Rouge zydeco music with its accented 2nd (and 6th) beats will force you to do something rather than simply "pause" on counts 2 and 6. Usual "fill-ins" are kicks, toe or heel taps, flicks, brush, etc. with the free (unweighted) foot or a little twist on the weighted foot. These actions are commonly known as "eat-a-beat". 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 zydeco dance music.