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What: The only remaining dance camp in the USA. Y'all come!
Dates: September 16-17-18, 2011.
Location: Mt. Hood Kiwanis Camp in the Mt. Hood Nat'l. Forest on the slopes of majestic Mt. Hood (US Forest Service Road 2639, Government Camp, OR 97028).
Cost: $225 includes lodging or camping, meals, snacks, two great zydeco bands, and nationally known instructors.
Accommodations: Beds in heated 4 to 8 person rooms in cabins with indoor bathrooms. On-site camping in your personal tent, or in our camp provided group yurts & platform tents. Area for rv campers also.
Other Camp Facilities: Outdoor heated swimming pool. Hiking trails right from camp into the Nat'l Forest. Large dance/dining hall with hardwood floor. Separate chalet with large fireplace & hardwood dance floor.
Meals: Great food! Friday late night snack. Saturday breakfast, lunch, dinner & snack. Sunday breakfast & lunch. Alcohol permitted in moderation.
Bands: Horace Trahan & New Ossun Express Zydeco Band from Lafayette, LA. Andre Thierry & Zydeco Magic Band from Oakland, CA.
Instructors: Erin Brandt from San Francisco Bay Area & partner teaching advanced zydeco steps. Ali & Adam Grimshaw from Portland, OR teaching beginner zydeco steps.
Tentative Schedule: Friday-beginning at 7 PM with introductory dance lessons. Both bands play from 8 PM-midnight, with a mid-evening snack. Saturday--advanced & beginner dance lessons mid-morning & after lunch. Horace Trahan plays late afternoon. More lessons early evening, followed by Andre Thierry until midnight. Sunday--re-creation of Café des Amis (Breaux Bridge, LA) morning brunch/dance with Andre Thierry. Horace Trahan plays early afternoon. Break camp & tearful goodbyes by 4 PM.
Nearby Facilities: Rhododendron (5-6 miles) with tourist facilities. Government Camp (10 miles) with tourist facilities. Timberline Lodge (WPA Historic Building) (15 miles) with tourist facilities.
For those flying into Portland: Cascade Zydeco can arrange to pick you up and return you to the airport. Bedding can be provided as well. If you are new to Oregon, it is suggested you make a true vacation of your visit by staying for a few days after the dance weekend to explore our beautiful mountains, gorge and coast. Many of you will know some folks in the Cascade Zydeco dance community & may be able to score a home stay through our homestay coordinator. Overnight hotel accommodations are available at Portland Airport (PDX) as are car rental agencies. Use your favorite website to check rates. More details to come--but first, be sure to book your flight for this awesome weekend of great zydeco.
Additional Comment: The weekend will include more dancing than in past years, but will still provide dance instruction for those desiring it--both beginning & advanced.
Erin Brandt is a well-known dance instructor now living in the Bay Area. She has her own dance studio in which she teaches a number of dance styles. She is a popular zydeco dance instructor at Gator-by-the-Bay & other California zydeco events.
Ali & Adam Grimshaw are long-time swing-lindy-waltz-zydeco dance instructors in Portland and regularly teach at local zydeco dance events.
Horace Trahan & the New Ossun Express is a highly acclaimed zydeco band which plays at zydeco festivals around the country & weekly club gigs at home. This 6-person band plays a mix of Beau Jocque, Boo Zoo Chavis, and 1950's rock & roll to a zydeco beat. The addition of a saxophone & flute gives their music a unique danceable rhythm.
Andre Thierry & Zydeco Magic plays at festivals & weekly dance events throughout California. He was a great hit at the Portland Waterfront Blues Fest last July. Andre began playing accordion at a very young age and is currently only in his twenties, as are the rest of his band members. The band provides a hard-driving danceable rhythm.
Camp Capacity: Maximum Capacity is 150, which includes cabin beds and tent camping. So it is important to get your registration in early, as we expect the weekend to sell out. We will make every effort for a gender balanced camp, so you might wish to ask someone of the opposite sex to register with you. This does not commit you to room together-only sign up together.
REGISTRATION WILL OPEN MARCH 1, 2011. Details for registration will be provided at that time.
Questions? Contact dickbrainard@gmail.com
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“The King of Zydeco,” Clifton Chenier grabbed Andre Thierry by the arms at the age of three and deemed him a future accordion player. Thierry’s French Creole roots are grounded in Louisiana. Thierry’s mother, Olivia Guillory is from Basile, Louisiana and father Gregory Thierry from Jennings, Louisiana. Andre Thierry’s childhood was deeply influenced by his late grandfather Houston Pete Pitre (Pa-Pa as they called him) from Basile, Louisiana and his loving grandmother, known to all as Mama Lena Pitre from Soileau, Louisiana. Andre Thierry released the first CD “It’s About Time!” in 1999. Thierry has raised the bar for Zydeco-Cajun musicians nationwide. Thierry has been labeled as the Jimmy Hendrix of Zydeco Music, a legend before his time. Andre is an exceptional multidimensional self taught musician who has embraced his ability to merge traditional Zydeco-Cajun music with hip-hop, blues, jazz and rock. As quoted from an article published in Eh Toi magazine 2002, “There is no accordion player in Zydeco that uses his left hand as well as Andre Thierry. ”Andre Thierry released his second CD A Whole Lot of something in 2004. Andre Thierry & Zydeco Magic will capture your attention with his melodic fingers as they embrace the brass buttons of his accordions, creating music that will captivate your souls, soothe your minds and have your feet dancing all night long. As Clifton said once, that " if you have arthritis you won’t have it no more."
