14th Annual Cascade Zydeco Dance Camp
September 12 - 14, 2008
DANCE CAMP 2008
Cascade Zydeco Dance Camp 2008 will be held at the Mt Hood Kiwanis Camp in the beautiful Mt Hood National Forest, just 55 miles east of Portland, Oregon. The Little Zig Zag River flows through the camp with great hiking trials right outside your cabin door. There are a few photos of the camp at www.mhkc.org. We will post more photos of the lodges, dance hall, and gorgeous scenery once the snow melts!
This year's camp features three days of hot zydeco tunes from the fabulous Brian Jack and the Zydeco Gamblers as well as Portland's own Too Loose Cajun Band on Sunday. Intermediate and advanced professional zydeco dance instruction will be taught by Michael Seider and Flory Katz Saturday and Sunday, plus a Friday night lesson in Whiskey River Jitterbug. Beginning instruction will be taught by Adam and Ali Grimshaw Friday night with a waltz lesson on Sunday.
The cost this year is $225 per person. The camp facilities are far superior to 2007 Dance Camp - more comfortable and convenient in every way. All meals, beginning with a late night snack at Friday night's dance through Sunday lunch, are included, as well as live music and professional dance instruction. And the newest feature is Mt Hood Kiwanis Camp includes cleaning in our cost. Just pack your bag on Sunday and take your tired feet home!
Mt Hood Kiwanis Camp features...
- Heated lodges with rooms that sleep from four to ten people
- Women’s, Men’s, Co-ed, or Couple’s rooms
- Full bathrooms inside every lodge (no walking down dark paths to use the facilities!)
- Large community areas in each lodge
- Large fire pit for gathering at night
- Lodges and camping are located adjacent to Dining/Dance Hall
- Ample camping space
- Ample parking space
- Great hiking right out of the camp
- No camp clean-up required this year!
BRIAN JACK and the THE ZYDECO GAMBLERS
Brian Jack writes and performs his songs in the urban zydeco style with great harmonies and zest. Brian and the Gamblers have played at many renowned events such as The Original Zydeco Jamboree, Big Easy Festival, Plasaiance Festival, Gator by the Bay, and the 2006 Cascade Zydeco Dance Camp, as well as on television shows such as Texas Justice, Swamp Bayou Road, The Travel Channel’s Road Trip, and Cayenne’s Hot Wings TV. Brian and his Gamblers have toured coast to coast, leaving everyone with sweaty shirts and big smiles of satisfaction on their faces.
TOO LOOSE CAJUN BAND
For a change of pace Portland’s own Cajun band plays Cajun, Zydeco, and Honky Tonk dance music and is guaranteed to get you out on the dance floor. Too Loose brought rave reviews from the sell out crowd at the 2007 Cascade Zydeco Christmas dance.
MICHAEL SEIDER
Michael Seider polishes his steps at roadhouses, clubs, festivals, and trail rides across the prairies of Southwest Louisiana. He has taught Creole and Cajun dance styles for over a decade and a half. A skilled interpreter and devoted student of these evolving dance forms, Michael incorporates the newest steps and stylings into his dancing and instruction. His authentic repertoire includes shuffles, two-steps, jitterbugs, waltzes, baisse-bas, and other regional dance variations.
He has been an instructor at Ashokan Fiddle and Dance Roots Camp, the Augusta Heritage Festival, Living Traditions (Seattle), Country Dance and Song Society, Buffalo Jambalaya, Puget Sound Urban Dance Camp, North Cornwall Cajun Zydeco Festival (England), Cascade Zydeco Dance Camp, and the Original Zydeco Cruise, as well as being featured in many workshops. He has also done choreography for a feature film.
FLORY KATZ
Flory Katz is from St. Paul, Minnesota, where she is an active board member of the Cajun Zydeco organization, Krewe de Walleye. Flory has taught at the Amana Taste of Louisiana Festival, the Zydeco Dance Cruise, and teaches private lessons in Cajun/Zydeco, Country 2-Step, Swing and Ballroom. Flory travels to Lafayette, LA several times a year, as well as festivals around the country.
"I’ve studied with the locals from the region to be able to dance in true Louisiana style because to me it’s not just about the steps, rather more about the feel and attitude which makes the Zydeco dance special. Even though I’m from Minnesota, I’m well respected down in Louisiana for my dancing abilities and am often mistaken for a local. It may be cold here but we know how to dance - we have to do something to keep warm!"
ADAM and ALI GRIMSHAW
Adam and Ali will be teaching our lessons for beginners in Laurel Lodge. They are regular instructors at the Cascade Zydeco Wednesday night dances, as well as teaching a variety of dance styles around Portland. Their team teaching approach creates a relaxed atmosphere that makes learning easy with an emphasis on partner appreciation and fun, and they will get the beginners underway with a clear understanding of the basics and a real sense of zydeco styling.
Adam and Ali have been teaching together for the last 11 years in the Portland area. Their teaching experience includes waltz, zydeco, and swing. They have taught lessons in Eugene, Seattle, and Lafayette, Louisiana as well as Portland.
Adam and Ali's first date was the first Cascade Zydeco dance in Portland!