June 15-18, 2000
Thursday Evening through Sunday Afternoon
Featuring:
Cajun & Zydeco Dance Instruction:
- Cajun Dance - Chris Trahan, Janine Dugas
- Zydeco Dance - Willie Bushnell, Keisha Roberts
Illustration by: Linda Langford
Photos from past years:
The The Bruce Daigerpont Cajun Band at the 1996 Buffalo Jambalaya. Photograph courtesy of : Sue Daigerpont - bdcband@cs.com
Ellen Wicker and Isaiah Reed demonstrate the Nouveau Zydeco moves. Buffalo Gap Dance Camp, 1995 Photograph by: Marty Katz
Also see page from previous years - Buffalo Jambalaya 1997 and Buffalo Jambalaya 1998
Information
- Bands:
- Leroy Thomas & the Zydeco Road Runners:
- Leroy is the son of Creole drummer Leo Thomas and took over the Zydeco Road Runners from him. Leroy started playing the drums at the age of 8 and soon after learned the accordion. He joined his father’s band at the age of 19, and rocks the crowds with his single note and piano note accordion. Leroy’s band plays solid traditional zydeco music with roots in rhythm and blues. The band includes Kevin Navy on rhythm, sax and lead guitar, Mike Chenevert on bass, Leo Thomas on vocals and drums, and Lil “J” on scrubboard.
- Lee Benoit and the Bayou Stompers:
- Bradley Benoit was born in Abbeville, La. in 1959 and raised in Crowley, La. When he was five years old, his grandmother bought him an organ and he immediately played songs by ear. At age 12, “Lee” picked up the guitar and played gospel songs and sang at prayer meetings. At 22 he playing guitar and sang with a rock band and at age 29 learned how to play the Cajun accordion. Influenced by Cajun masters like Wayne Toups, Iry Lejeunne, and Belton Richard, Lee formed his own Cajun band. In 1994 is first CD, “Lee Benoit Avec Amis”, was nominated for Best First Album and “Valerie” was nominated for Song of the Year. Accompanying Lee is Valerie Benoit on guitar, Mark Hebert on fiddle, Kevin Stelly on drums, and Mark Miller on bass.
- Com an Cayenne Zydeco (or “Like a Red Hot Pepper”)
- A new band out of SW Louisiana featuring Christopher P. Ardoin (second cousin to Double Clutchin’ Chris and great, great grandnephew of Amede) on accordion and vocals; C.W. “GhettoMan” Riley(formerly of C.J. Chenier’s band) on rubboard and vocals; drummer Nat Jolivette (Buckwheat Zydeco, countless others); Keith Simon (Willis Prudhomme) on bass, and Andrew Donaldson on guitar and vocals (John Wilson, J.J. Caillier, Roy Carrier and Thomas Fields). 20-year old Chris cut his chops playing in Tony Delafose’s band; that’s him on the title cut of their “Treat Me Right” CD.
- Instructors:
- Janine Dugas:
- Janine was named Best Female Dancer in Louisiana at the 1986 AOC Cajun Dance Contest in Lafayette, LA. That's when they started calling her "Janine the dancin' machine". In 1987, she founded the first Cajun Dance Mardi Gras Krewe in Louisiana, Krewe de Canaille. The Krewe has grown from being a small group of 30 local dancers to now having over 300 members worldwide. For the next three years, she became a professional Cajun Dancer, dancing as part of the Cajun Connection band in Branson, Missouri. She joined the Cajun Folkloric troupe Renaissance Cadienne in 1992 and has been performing and teaching dance with this group throughout the United States, Canada, France and Belgium. Janine has taught dance workshops over the last 10 years in Louisiana; Little Rock, Arkansas; Huntsville, Alabama; and at Buffalo Gap Camp in Capon Bridge, West Virginia. When Janine is not dancing she works for L'ACajin, a bilingual monthly newspaper, as an advertising consultant.
- Chris Trahan:
- Chris started dancing at an early age in his hometown of Lafayette, LA. In 1986, he began dancing regularly at Mulate's Restaurant in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, where a bronzed pair of his shoes hangs on the wall today. In 1987, he performed with the Cajun Connection band in Branson, Missouri as dancer, M.C., and humorist for the show. He's an original member of Krewe de Canaille. Moving to Baltimore, Maryland in 1989, Chris started teaching Cajun dance workshops in the Baltimore - Washington D.C. area. In addition, he has taught at both the Baltimore Folklife Festival in Baltimore and the Washington Folklife Festival held at Glen Echo Park in Washington, D.C. He's conducted dance workshops in Louisiana; Nashville, TN; Richmond, Virginia; Little Rock, Arkansas; Huntsville, Alabama; Gulfport, Mississippi; and at Buffalo Gap Camp in Capon Bridge, West Virginia. You may have also seen him dance on the Mary-Chapin Carpenter video, "Down at The Twist and Shout". Chris is assistant director of the Cajun Folkloric troupe Renaissance Cadienne and has been a member since 1994. He toured France and Canada with Renaissance Cadienne. He has also toured El Salvador and Venezuela, dancing with the Bruce Daigrepont Cajun Band. When not dancing, Chris is a computer consultant.
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- Program:
- Thursday
- Friday
- Dance Instruction, Beg. & Adv.
- Workshops and Culture Classes
- Evening Dance
- Saturday
- Dance Instruction, Beg. & Adv.
- Workshops and Culture Classes
- Evening Mardi Gras Ball
- Sunday
- Facility and Accommodations:
The 200-acre camp, nestled in the mountains near Capon Bridge, West Virginia, is about 30 minutes from Winchester, Virginia, and two hours west of Washington, D.C. The grounds include wooded hills with hiking trails, a lake with a sandy beach, sauna, dining hall, an open-air dance pavilion, and a large dance hall. Housing: Housing is in rustic dormitory-style cabins which sleep 8-12 people. All male, all female and couples cabins are available. Cabins have plumbing and electricity, but some do not have indoor showers. Dancers must bring their own towels, toiletries, bed linen, pillows, blankets or sleeping bag. Tenting sites are available, but there are no RV hookups. Meals: In addition to three meals served daily, a snack is provided after each nightly dance. The 200-acre camp, nestled in the mountains near Capon Bridge, West Virginia, is about 30 to 45 minutes from Winchester, Virginia, and two hours west of Washington, D.C. The grounds include a lake with a sandy beach, sauna, dining hall, an open-air dance pavilion, and a large dance hall. Housing consists of rustic dormitory-style cabins which sleep 8-12 people. All cabins have plumbing and electricity, but some do not have indoor showers. Dancers must bring their own towels, toiletries, bed linen, pillows, blankets or sleeping bag. Tenting sites are available, but there are no RV hookups. In addition to three meals served daily, a snack is provided after each nightly dance.
- Fee Schedule:
- Full Time (Thursday evening through Sunday 4pm)
- $260 Adults (through May 22)
- $280 Adults (after May 22)
- Part Time (Friday 6pm to Sunday 4pm)
- $215 Adults (through May 22)
- $240 Adults (after May 22)
The fee includes all meals, snacks, dance events, workshops, and a bed. All campers must be preregistered & fully paid at registration time. Refunds (minus $15 cancellation fee) will be given through May 22. Sorry, no refunds after that date. Confirmation is dependant on maintaining a gender balance (bands and instructors not counted). Confirmation letter includes directions and what you will need to bring. Downhill cabins with indoor showers are assigned first to earliest registrants. Part-time campers should not arrive before 6pm Friday.
Return to Cajun/Zydeco Music and Dance Page page.
Last updated on: 03/28/00
Copyright 2000 Jeremy Rice. All rights reserved.
