When I danced in Richard's Club near Lawtell, Louisiana in 1995, I noticed that older dancers danced zydeco more subtly. Younger folks danced zydeco more conspicuously, sometimes adding moves such as hip hop in the apart position, sometimes dropping their single held hand. One young couple gyrated with a flamboyant African style in the apart position. From Creole family dance halls in Southwest Louisiana, a two-step and a waltz evolved into the many styles of zydeco dancing found today across America. Traditional zydeco dancing is done subtly, smoothly and upright by couples in a closed position.
Zydeco dancing appears to be evolving from a couples dance towards individual free-style.
This vibrant music will assuredly thrive as we dance into the new millennium. Order from any bookstore. The sounds can be savored in a Rounder compact disc with the same title. The author quotes zydeco dance teacher Diana Polizo-Schlesinger comparing zydeco and Cajun music and dance. Click here to jump to this Time Magazine article.