Posts Tagged ‘dance’

Return of the Louisiana Dance Party, November 19!

Monday, November 15th, 2010

Aiyeeeeeeee! A few folks may remember when Maison Bleue played for a monthly “Louisiana Dance Party” at the Pittsfield Union Grange Hall just south of Ann Arbor, Michigan, in the early 2000s. Well, in honor of the fact that Maison Bleue played their first Cajun/zydeco dance at the Grange in November of 2000, they deemed it necessary to celebrate that 10th anniversary with another Louisiana Dance Party!

Maison Bleue from 2001

Maison Bleue plays at the Pittsfield Grange on January 19, 2001

The dance is Friday, November 19 (2010), with dance lessons starting at 7:00 pm (we’ll teach you how to do a basic Cajun two-step and waltz, and a basic zydeco step–it’s easy and fun!), then Maison Bleue will play live music starting at 8:00 pm. The event runs until 11:00 pm or so. Watch for other guest musicians (and maybe local bands) to also play during the evening. There will be an intermission around 9:30 pm with (non-alcoholic) refreshments served, and yes, there will be cake! (Hopefully, with 10 candles on it.)

Fake alligators

Pet Maison Bleue's pet 'gators!

The Pittsfield Union Grange Hall is at 3337 Ann Arbor-Saline Road, about 1/2 mile south of I-94. Heading south from I-94, when you cross Oak Valley Drive, the road you’re on will narrow down to two lanes. The Grange is immediately on your left. It looks sort of like an old-fashioned school house. Once you pass Oak Valley Drive, if you seem to be in open country, you’ve probably gone past it. Try to find a driveway to turn around, then head back to the Grange. (Note: The Pittsfield Grange Hall is NOT to be confused with the Pittsfield Township Hall, in case you’re looking it up online!)

Garry lying down on the job

Garry at the last Louisiana Dance Party on April 16, 2004

To celebrate the 10 years of being together as a band, Maison Bleue is charging admission based on the prices from 2000. They are $6 for adults (20 years and older), $3 for teens (ages 13 to 19), and kids 12 and younger are free when accompanied by an adult. Please bring clean soft-soled shoes to change into for dancing to help protect the nice wooden dance floor from grit that gets tracked in with street shoes. Wear loose, comfortable clothing, and prepare to have fun!

Get the flyer.

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Midway Ramblers last “First Friday” dance on November 5

Thursday, November 4th, 2010

Y’all have heard of “the announcer’s jinx”? You know, when a sports announcer on radio or TV says something along the lines of “this kicker has been perfect on extra points this season” then immediately afterwards the kicker will shank an extra point so he’s not perfect any more? I feel like I recently made a “blogger’s jinx” when I blogged about the First Friday dances in Chicago with the Midway Ramblers. The Ramblers have a dance this Friday, November 5, then a dance on Sunday, December 5 (with Morris Ardoin), and then will not have any more regular dances (at least for a while).

I received this email from Denise Thompson of the Midway Ramblers:

Hello everyone

I’ve been thinking for awhile about ending the dances and have decided that the December dance (with the Morris Ardoin Creole Quartet and Dennis Stroughmatt) will be the last regular dance for us, at least for awhile. We might schedule one dance in the spring and we’ll certainly manage any guest bands that come our way. There is no one reason for wanting a break, just a feeling that this is the right time to move on. We’ve been at it for ten years and will have left the dance scene in much better shape than when we started when there was no cohesive dance scene at all

I know that many of you started your “careers” in Cajun with our dances and that some of you go at least as far back in decades as we do with our love of Cajun dance music. I thank you all for attending our dances over the last ten years.  We certainly grew as a band and many of you made new friends.

The early part of the year will be taken up with a long Mardi Gras season and perhaps we’ll play a dance in April.  After that, the summer season begins so there will be plenty of Cajun goings on in Chicago

We hope to see you on November 5th for the regular dance and on December 5th for the wonderful Morris Ardoin Creole Quartet.

A bientot….

Denise

Quel dommage! But I understand how hard it is to manage a regular monthly dance, and I can also understand why the Ramblers might feel they need to take a break from those dances for a while.

So, if you can possibly make it to the November 5 or December 5 dances, do so!

As a reminder, the November 5th dance is at the Irish American Heritage Center, 4626 N. Knox (at Wilson), Chicago, IL. The dance is in the Shanachie Room and starts at 8:00 pm, some dance instruction is given around 8:45 pm. Admission is $8. Info: 630-833-3515.

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Cajun Dance with Back Bayou–October 16

Saturday, October 16th, 2010

If you like to Cajun dance, you should head on up to the Wheatland Music Organization’s Gladys Wernette building on Saturday, October 16, for a Cajun dance with Back Bayou. The dance starts at 7:30 pm (no potluck before the dance this time), $5 admission (younger than 18 are admitted free). All ages and beginners welcome, they’ll give some dance lessons at the beginning of the dance. No partner needed, either.

Back Bayou Cajun Band

Back Bayou Cajun Band

The Wheatland Music Organization is located at 7251 50th Avenue. To get there, first get to Mt. Pleasant, MI. Then go west on highway M-20 for about 20 miles. Once you get to the middle of Remus (also the intersection with highway M-66) keep going west about another two miles. Turn left (south) on 50th Avenue (St. Michael’s Church is on the corner). After you cross Pierce Road, look for the Wheatland entrance on your right (west side of the road). Once inside the Wheatland grounds, the Gladys Wernette building is on your left. For more info, call 989-967-8879.

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First Friday Cajun Dance with the Midway Ramblers

Wednesday, September 29th, 2010

OK, so it’s in Chicago! While I am trying to keep the Michigumbo blog focused on Cajun and zydeco dance and music events in the state of Michigan, occasionally it can stray outside of the Wolverine state. Chicago does have a fairly active CZ community, and the Midway Ramblers are part of that community. The Midway Ramblers usually have a “First Friday” Cajun dance every month (October through May) and so their dances are on October 1, November 5, and December 3 through the end of 2010.

Those dances are at the Irish American Heritage Center, 4626 N. Knox (at Wilson), usually in the Schanachie Room on the 1st floor. Admission is $8 (12 years and younger free). The dances run from 8:00 to 11:00 pm (Central time, of course), and they take a break for some dance instruction around 9:00 pm. They even have a number to call for more info: 630-833-3515. BTW, there is free parking at the venue, and there is an Irish pub on the premises where you can even get something to eat before the dance.

Garry playing squeezebox with the Midway Ramblers

Garry playing squeezebox with the Midway Ramblers in 2003

One of these days I’m going to get back to a Midway Ramblers dance in Chicago!

The Midway Ramblers are fairly active. Check out their online schedule. Also check out Monica Vachlon’s “Monica’s List” about Chicago area CZ events.

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