Geno Delafose Entertains Over 600 Senior Citizens

Geno Delafose Entertains Over 600 Senior Citizens

Good Food, Good Zydeco For the Seniors!

May 17, 2003

by Rod Sias
www.ZHPS.org
Uniting the Zydeco Nation

Geno Delafose and French Rockin' Boogie 
Photo courtesy of Zydeco Historical & Preservation Society, Inc.

Elderly couples dancing to Zydeco music are a common but compelling occurrence in the heart of the Zydeco Nation. However, over 600 senior citizens dancing to Zydeco music is undeniably a beautiful and moving experience. Such was the atmosphere on Friday, May 16, 2003 at the Martin Luther King Community Center in Lafayette, Louisiana as over 600 elderly Zydeco Enthusiast ate delicious Creole cuisine, fried fish, crawfish, sweet corn and spicy potatoes and danced to the Zydeco sounds of Geno Delafose and French Rockin’ Boogie.

The event was hosted by state Senator Don Cravins and there were a variety of activities for everyone that included bingo games, prize give-a-ways and a Zydeco dance contest. Prior to the Zydeco dance contest, the participants were treated to an outstanding musical performance by Geno Delafose and French Rockin’ Boogie. Considered one of the top traditional accordionists in Zydeco Music, Geno Delafose sang and played traditional Creole/La La songs that anchor deep within Creole tradition as well as hot contemporary Zydeco Music. The crowd gracefully waltzed to traditional Zydeco classics then two stepped to upbeat Zydeco songs such as “Everybody’s Dancing,” the title track off of his most recent CD, Everybody’s Dancing.

Louell Brassuax and Inez Batin (left photo) won 1st prize in the dance contest!
Photo courtesy of Zydeco Historical & Preservation Society, Inc.

Those participants not involved in the Zydeco dancing, tapped their feet and nodded their heads in rhythm with the Zydeco music perhaps reminiscing of past church hall dances and house (La La) dances. In between musical sets Senator Don Cravins, a strong advocate of Creole culture and Zydeco Music, kept the crowd enthusiastic and at ease by engaging in some playful Creole humor while on stage and reminding the crowd that there was plenty of good Creole food, donated by Mr. Sid Williams, the owner of El Sido’s, and local community businessman and philanthropist, and an upcoming Zydeco dance contest as well. Over thirty couples eagerly participated in the dance contest. In the end, first prize was taken by Louell Brassuax and Inez Batin. The event was sponsored by the Lafayette Council on the Aging, Inc. , a non- profit organization that acts as an advocate on behalf of the elderly population.


Rod Sias is one of the founders and organizers for the Zydeco Historical and Preservation Society, Inc. (www.ZHPS.org)

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