Upcoming Zydeco and Cajun Dancing in LA

Well for those who missed the Long Beach Crawfish Festival and the other Zydeco/Cajun and Mardi Gras festivals in Long Beach and elsewhere, there is a chance to join hundreds of others to dance to Zydeco and Cajun music at the Music Center Plaza on Friday night August 26 from 6:30 pm to 10 pm. This free event is back by popular acclaim and for those who haven't participated before, put this on your calendar. This is one of many free Music Center events during the summer on the plaza. Even if you have never done this form of dancing, don't worry, there will be free lessons to help you learn and overcome any anxiety. Purpose is to have fun and be part of this gathering.

And if you are looking for a low cost family event revolving around cajun/zydeco music, then you are in luck, as the LA County Arts Commission has such an event at the Ford Amphitheatre the next day after the Music Center on the morning of August 27. Children under 12 are free and adults are $5. The kids will get to dance and have fun listening an interacting with Lisa Hadley and the Zydekats

If you are already a fan of this music genre and are looking for a regular fix, then LouisianaDanceLA.com offers up live Zydeco/Cajun music every month in Long Beach on the second Sunday. The $10 cost of admission covers the cost of the band which sometimes are musicians on the road from Louisiana, and on those times, the cost is $15. Before the night begins at 4:30 pm, there are free dance lessons. This past Sunday, there were 30 people that showed up early to get the free dance lessons from Karen Redding who is also part of the Music Center Plaza event. Here are performance pictures that I took from this past Sunday's event featuring David Sousa & The Zydeco Mudbugs. Watch the ExperienceLA events calendar for these upcoming sessions for September, October, November , December and beyond.

If you have been to the various Lousiana-related events in the Los Angeles over the years, and are a big fan of zydeco and cajun music, then maybe it is time to visit Louisiana and get beyond New Orleans and their Jazz Festival. One of the great festivals for Zydeco/Cajun music and regional food is the annual free Festival des Acadiens et Creoles in Lafayette, Louisiana from October 14 -16, 2011. Here is a link to pictures I took from several years ago at this major regional music and food festival in Louisiana.

Now if you want to know where to go in the Los Angeles area for authentic Lousiana cooking without waiting for the festival circuit, well that will be a future ExperienceLA blog post. I do have my favorites for Oyster Po'Boy sandwiches, but for now here is one from Traxx Restaurant at Union Station.

A taste of LA (Louisiana, that is) in L.A.

Last Friday evening, my husband and I along with a couple of our friends, hopped aboard the Metro Red Line from North Hollywood and made our way to the Music Center Plaza for some Zydeco dance lessons, all part of the Active Arts at the Music Center's Dance Downtown events. We arrived a little after 6:30 and the plaza was already packed with people dressed up in their cowboy hats and boots having a good time learning dance steps.

Dance Downtown Zydeco and ExperienceLA's Final Dance Video Challenge: 60s Dances

We've been rather fortunate this summer in LA. The weather (so far) has been relatively comfortable, and the evenings nearly downright perfect. So what better way to enjoy the last Friday of July 2010 than dancing under the stars at the Active Arts at the Music Center's Dance Downtown series, where the featured dance style is Zydeco? I know it's where I'll be. Zydeco was also the subject of our latest video contest for July.

And now, our final video contest is "60s Dances." Read on to find out more about this contest and how you can enter to win. (Photo courtesy of Music Center, credit Alex Pitt)

Still time to enter for tickets to Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at the Music Center

There's still a week left to get your video entries submitted to us for our Zydeco dance video challenge (also mentioned on Culture Spot L.A. and About.com's L.A. Travel section). One winner will be randomly selected and announced at the upcoming Dance Downtown Zydeco night, Friday, July 30 at 6:30PM. (Photo courtesy of Music Center, taken by Alex Pitt)

Dance Video Challenge #2: Zydeco

Thanks to everyone who made it out to Friday night's Dance Downtown Bhangra & Bollywood event at the Music Center. If you missed the chance to enter our Dance Downtown Video Challenge for this style, you're in luck! We've got two more opportunities for you to win tickets to an upcoming dance performance at the Music Center, donated by Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at the Music Center.

The next dance style in our video challenge is "Zydeco." Zydeco is the upbeat, fun, Creole two-step dance originating from Southwest Louisiana.

Check out our video and instructions (after the jump), then come join us for a free night of dance lessons and good times. (Photo courtesy of Music Center, credit Alex Pitt)

Dance Video Challenge: Bhangra & Bollywood

Wanna win tickets to see an upcoming performance of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at the Music Center? Read on to see how you can enter our fun and easy video challenge based on the Music Center's Active Arts® Dance Downtown Series. (Photo courtesy of Music Center, credit: Howard Pasamanick)