This covers 1/2 of the complete dance step. For the second half there is a weight change to the right foot, a pause, a weight change to the left foot, and finally a weight change to the right foot -- then you are ready to start over again. The follower is mirroring the leader during the basic step.
The presented steps here are designed to be done in the "Open - not touching" position when the partners are not necessarily mirroring each other. This is the "Free Style" part of the Zydeco dance. Even though I am presenting the leader's part the follower can feel free to do it exactly the same way with the same feet, or use the opposite foot as the follower normally does in closed positions (see note near end of this article.) Since the follower is in a Free Style period, it makes no difference. Actually a partner is not needed to do these steps unless you decided to have some fun developing a routine to mirror each other.
Standard (as mentioned above)
Part I: Weight shift to left foot on a beat, pausing for a beat (eating a beat), weight shift to the right foot (on a beat), weight shift to the left foot (on a beat).
Part II: Weight shift to the right foot on a beat, pausing for a beat, weight shift to the left foot (on a beat), weight shift to the right foot (on a beat). This is nothing new. It is (hopefully) what you are doing now. I want you to see how I write what you may be doing automatically, having learned by a visual and/or kinesthetic (body movements) only technique.
Standard with Tap
Please Note: If you are dancing to Zydeco music using a Cajun Two-Step (4 to the left and 4 to the right) none of this will work for you so you might want to stop reading now. True Zydeco really needs the left-right in place weight shift movements so that the partners can communicate with each other and keep the necessary style. Also if you feel that you are totally a visual person and made it through high-school and possibly college by never cracking a text book and only learning from videos, slide shows, films, and watching others, you may want to skip this too for it will make no sense to you unless you see it done.
Now let's get into using the 2-3-4 beats in a different way. Remember you are in an open position, partners not touching except for the beat 7 and 8 hand re-joining that is not only popular but useful to establish the rhythm of the dance partners.
Eat 3
Triple Tap
Triple Taps -- Moving Left
Now you are starting to see the problem of writing about what you may feel are visual moves. As a hint, take one new step at a time, read slowly, do it, watch yourself, and do a little practice at home.
Heel-Toe-Heel Taps
Twist Taps
Double Taps
Double Heel
Stomps are done sometimes in Louisiana, a little more in Texas, and California seems to control the market with them. They are like the taps except the foot is stomped to the floor with the specific purpose of making noise. It is done with the sole and heel or just with the heel. There are some very classy moves where the foot, after stomping, bounces up into a lift, but I am not going into those for this discussion. Dancers who wear cowboy boots seem to like to insert stomps into their dancing, especially when the hard beats of some of the music seems to call for them. Instead of doing three toe taps during the 2-3-4 beats, try stopping the beats with your right foot while holding your weight on your left foot. Don't do this too much and please don't injure your partner's toes or the dance floor. Golf shoes not permitted.
Double Stomp
Single Stomp #1
Single Stomp #2
Shoulder Shake
copyright by Gary Hayman ©1998 (all rights reserved)
(Editors Note: The following Zydeco lesson was penned by
Zydeco Webmaster Gary Hayman and reprinted with his permission.
PART II to be published in the next Le Pont.)
Overview
For the purpose of these steps, we are going to accept the SPSS-SPSS technique of doing the basic Zydeco step. That is, there are eight movements (or non-movements) to the standard Zydeco step which cover two bars of the Zydeco music (played in 4/4 time). The above "S" stands for Step and the "P" for Pause. In a closed position, the leaders' first move is a weight change to the left foot (right foot for the follower), followed by a pause (for one beat of the music), a weight change to the right foot and another weight change to the left foot, all in rhythm with the music.
Again, nothing new. You are substituting a tap (brush, toe touch, or heel touch, etc.) with the non-weight bearing foot while pausing with your weight on the other foot. Step (left), Tap (with right while your weight is on your left foot), Step (right), Step (left) / Step (right), Tap (with left while your weight is on your right foot), Step (left), Step (right).
Simply step left and pause for the next three beats. Step right and pause for the next three beats. Of course you should do this, and the all the following moves with panache. I could write this as SPPP-SPPP. If you were in a closed position this might feel funny as your partner is moving while you are briefly standing still, however it is fun to do. It is an excellent resting move.
Instead of the pausing still, try taping your non-weight bearing toe three times. Step left (with the beat), tap (with right foot), tap again with right foot, and tap again with right foot. If you want you can do the same with the opposite feet for the second half of the 8 count dance step, but I think it is more effective if you do it once and then finish with the normal step during the second half (SPSS).
Same as the above, however instead of taping your right foot in the same place, tap it in a moving arc in front of you from right to left. First tap to the right on (beat 2) after your weight has been placed on your left foot, then directly in front of you (beat 3), ending with the third tap (beat 4) in front or to the left of your left foot. Be warned, the next step which is on your right foot requires you to quickly move that right foot back into normal position. If you are late, your timing will be messed-up. You might, instead of making a full arc with your tapping right foot, make a small one and as you get more proficient, increase the size of the arc. Again, as above, only doing this once in the 8 count dance step may be preferred.
We are still using the 2-3-4 beats. This is also a tap technique but instead of three toe taps in place we use the right heel, followed by the right toe, followed by the right heel again. It can be accomplished in an exuberant manner or made to be quite subtle. When I do it, I just move the heel of my right foot forward only about 4 inches for the heel tap, then swivel the ankle for the toe touch and another swivel of the ankle for the following heel touch.
Do this with a playful fun partner, but not very often during the dance -- it looks strange, but brings forth smiles. It is a "put-on" step. Again we are using the 2-3-4 beats for a type of tap. When you do the first tap of a triple tap, rotate your foot so that the right toes are pointing to the left, follow this by rotating the foot in the other direction so that your right toes are pointing to the right (for the second tap), then rotate your foot in the opposite direction so that your right toes are pointing to the left (for the third tap). All this time, as in the above 3-tap steps, your weight is on the left foot.
On the surface this step is similar to the triple taps but you will find that the "feel" is different when you used it. Give it a try. Instead of doing three taps, pause where you would normally do the first tap -- just like in the standard step -- and do individual taps in time with the remaining 3rd and 4th musical beat. Sort of a Step-Pause-Tap-Tap.
Same as the above except instead of using your toe, use the heel of your right foot, either just in front of you or to your right side.
Same as the double tap or double heel. Step (with your left), Pause, Stomp (with your right) on the 3 and 4 beats of the music. Finish the series with your normal SPSS for the 5-8 beats.
When you take your initial step, with your left foot, do a stomp (make some noise), then pause or tap with the right foot for the 2 beat and shift weight as normal for the 3 and 4 beats. This will produce a syncopated effect with the music (accenting the un-accented musical beat (the one beat)). I prefer the pause, but experiment.
Here we are doing another syncopated stomp, but on the 3 beat instead of the 1 beat. You can do it as a Step-Pause-Stomp-Step or a Step-Tap-Stomp-Step or some variation during the pause period. You may find this a little harder to do.
When I first started Zydeco dancing (as a much younger man) - Ben Pagac, renowned international Zydeco dance instructor, was teaching the fun to do Shoulder Shake move that still is done today. During the Shoulder Shake, which takes place on the 3 and 4 beats, you are definitely in a hesitation mode. The move starts off with a normal Step and Tap for the first two beats. On the third beat the leaders body is turned 90 degrees counter-clockwise (follower 90 degrees clockwise) as the right (left) foot is planted, shoulders of the partners gently touching and shoulders shrugged down and up as the partners look at each other (lots to do on this beat.) On the forth beat only the shoulders are shrugged down and up. On the fifth beat there is recovery to the normal position planting the right (left) foot and continuing with the remaining Tap, Step, Step. There are variations to this but this will give you an idea. When done in mirror image there is a special communication established between leader and partner that is quite enjoyable. The move might be repeated several times in succession.
Sautè onions and garlic in butter and some of the seasoning until tender. Add quartered artichoke hearts (save the liquid) and the remaining seasoning and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes.
Mix in the oysters, cream of mushroom soup and the liquid from the artichoke hearts and simmer for 8 - 10 minutes. If you prefer, a ½ cup of water can be added to thin the soup and add volume. Sprinkle individual servings with green onions. Serve immediately with hot French bread and chilled chardonnay. Bon Appetite!
OYSTER ARTICHOKE SOUP
Submitted to Joe Kopacz by Stewart M. Long
½ pint oysters
¼ cup chopped green onions
1 can artichoke hearts
½ cup chopped yellow onions
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 tsp. Chopped garlic
½ cup water
½ tsp. Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning
½ cup butter
¼ tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
1 cup of cornmeal
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon grater onion
1 teaspoon salt
green onion tops, chopped
1 teaspoon of sugar
3/4 cup of milk
1 cup of flour
1 egg
