I am a beginner but my accordion playing is progressing quite rapidly due to a good cajun box. My goals are simple: to take my playing out of the bathroom and onto the back porch, and play well enough so my little granddaughter can dance. But, I feel I am missing half of the cajun spirt in my playing by not knowing how to dance. Can anyone suggest the best DVD to learn traditional cajun dancing?

A.E.

Not quite sure about Waltz or Two Step... but Mona Wilson has a vid out on Creole style Zydeco Dancing.
See www.zydecoqueen@crazygator.com

She usually can be found at dance/music camps teaching classes along with Chester Gremillion or Joely Bias.

Does dance make a better musician?

I never thought so (at one point), but all that thinking changed. I got tired of folks shaking guitar picks and fiddle bows at me like some sort of Zoro stand off thing. It was my timing that screwed the works up (and everyone else).

Naturally a leader stepped up and came to grips with the truth of the matter:

(them). Do you dance Dave?
(Me) Nah not much.
(them) Yeah well, we can tell. I think you outta start and soon!
(Me) What the heck's that suppose to meen?
(them) Man your timing stinks and your playing has everbody outa wack, you need to learn how to dance and get in the pocket.

I think it helps that I sorta started thinking more towards that dancing business as part of my timining issue thing. Of course, I was always very reluctant mind you, till I discovered enough red wine can give ya crazy legs and try about anything including this dancing business.... But, if ya go that route, ya gotta watch the next day thunder in the head

I have brutalized some nice women with my dancing.
To each of them (god love em) they tollerated much, to make a little better out of the likes of me as a hoofer... it helps.

Check out that Mona Wilson thing A.E. and keep squeezing, it's all good.

Nonc D

Go to google and search for cajun dancing videos. There you will find some very good ones.

Floyds has the biggest collection of cajun/zydeco dance videos i've seen... here's a link to it

http://www.floydsrecordshop.com/Videos_DVDs_C33.cfm?UserID=261193&jsessionid=b6306933ed64A$EFV$C7

I have all the ones on Floyd's site..and a few more even. I've been to Louisiana several times..and have seen some of the best dancers from the UK, France, Australia and U.S. here in Europe at the Saulieu Festival. My wife has been a dance instructor..and we've pretty much seen them all and even taken lessons..

The best two to get are Greg Benusas Louisana Dance Home School..which is very well done..and is well informed as Greg did field work all over acquiring footage of dance styles to incorporate..and it is very easy effective learning.

The other, strictly Zydeco, is Mona's second DVD / VID .. "no counting" just dancing.. that's the real deal..and you can do many of the same steps to Cajun music too..

Good luck.. you can't go wrong with those two..to keep you interested and for some immediate results..

Glenn

hmm Alexander? I can see your point some but!! Im a drummer, been playing drums since I was around 10, majored in percussion in college, basically have pretty good rhythem. But dont get me on the dance floor. I look like I have 3 left feet..No, I cant explain it..