Zydeco, Zaré: Creole Life in Modern Dance

Oct 10th, 2008 | By Blog Editor | Category: Auditions & Upcoming Events, Newest Posts

It’s Creole culture, without cowboy boots.

Premiering Saturday, October 11 in Lafayette, Louisiana, Zydeco, Zaré, the newest work by choreographer Elisa

Elisa Monte Dance Company (from PASA)

Monte, interprets the spirit and heat of traditional Zydeco culture through the medium of modern dance. The Performing Arts Society of Acadiana (PASA) commissioned the piece, which challenged New York-based Monte to capture Creole culture in a work that will take Monte and her dance company on an international tour with six-piece Zydeco band Jeffery Broussard and the Creole Cowboys.

Traditional Zydeco dancing incorporates 8-count footwork generally done in closed position. It’s counted slow/quick/quick, slow/quick/quick with footwork: step pause/step/step, step pause/step/step. Each of the steps is a weight shift from side to side. ¹ The music accompanying these steps combines jure–a praise-based rhythm of hand-clapping and foot-stomping first used by black field hands–with the modern influences of rhythm, blues, and jazz. As Zydeco has continued to evolve, a form of “club Zydeco” has embraced the influence of soul. Dancers don cowboy boots and blue jeans.

Jeffery Broussard, Creole musician performing with Zydeco, Zare (from PASA)

In Zydeco, Zaré, Monte captures the vibrant spirit that first inspired, and still underlies, Zydeco dance and Creole culture. PASA entrusted this work to Monte not only because her past creations have won such acclaim, but because the organization has worked closely with her in the past. In 1994, Monte created Feu Follet for PASA, a piece based on Cajun music.

Before creating Zydeco, Zaré, Monte immersed herself in Creole culture. She told the Advertiser, “When I started delving into the music and realized it was the people, the players, the lineages of families that I found compelling, it went more toward the personalities and the people involved.”

Before founding Elisa Monte Dance in 1981, Monte’s career included work as principal dancer with Martha Graham Dance Company and Pilobolus. She has created works for Alvin Ailey and The Joyce Theater’s Stephen and Cathy Weinroth Fund for New Work.

Elisa Monte Dance premieres Zydeco, Zaré on Sat, Oct. 11 at 7:30pm at Heymann Performing Arts Center in Lafayette, Louisiana. Following the performances in Louisiana, the company will begin its international tour.

Visit this link to find more information on Zydeco, Zaré, and to buy tickets.

Visit this link for more information on Elisa Monte Dance.

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