Zydeco Dancing & Line Dancing At Black Trail Ride (Creole Trail Ride) Gatherings 2013-2020

Trailriderz Fotograffy, Jun 16, 2013

****
This pancocojams post showcases several YouTube videos of dancing at Black trail ride (Creole trail ride) gatherings.

Selected comments from the discussion thread for the first showcased video are also included in this post. Many of these comments compare Zydeco dancing with Columbia "Cumbia", Dominican Republic "Bachata", Chicago "Stepping" and other African Disapora dance forms.

The content of this post is presented for cultural and entertainment purposes.  

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THE DISCUSSION THREADS FOR TWO OF THESE  SHOWCASED VIDEOS
(Numbers added for referencing purposes only.)

Comments from the discussion thread for Video #1

1. Dex Jr, 2015
"You got a really good vid because u have most of the new and old styles of zydeco dancing this is👌"
-snip-
Zydeco dancing is called "Zydeco'in". 

**
2. David Luevanos, 2015
"Some of the dance moves look very similar to Cumbias :)"
-snip-
From https://www.colombia.co/en/colombia-culture/dance/everything-need-know-cumbia/
"Cumbia is Colombia’s national dance, one of its most representative rhythms and the source and inspiration behind much of the country’s popular music. Cumbia has been with Colombia from the beginning but, thanks to bands like Bomba Estereo, it’s once again emerging onto the international stage.”…

Where did cumbia come from?

Cumbia…was born on Colombia’s Caribbean coast where it was originally an African courtship dance that evolved with the addition of African, European and indigenous instruments and indigenous dance steps.

[…]

How do you dance it?

Cumbia really should be danced at night, with couples dancing in a circle around seated musicians. The woman makes shuffling steps while the man moves in a sort of zig-zag around her. At night, women hold bundles of candles wrapped in colored handkerchiefs in their right hands. Nowadays traditional cumbia is only really performed at carnivals and candles are not used during the day, although the handkerchiefs remain.”…

**
Reply 
3. Ronaldo, 2019
"All the dances of the Americas are similar due to African influence from the slave trade in each country"

**
4. ha Natzrymah, 2016
"Hi what's the history behind this, Is it exclusively Louisianan?"

**
Reply
5. Trailriderz Fotograffy, 2016
"+ha Natzrymah  Yes Zydeco dancing  originated in Louisiana"

**
Reply
6. KP, 2016
"This trail ride was in Texas."

**
Reply
7. Ronaldo, 2019
"I believe zydeco is concentrated in Louisiana and Texas. I’m from Houston and my family is from the rural part of Texas and it’s my belief that both creoles and African Americans take part in it without distinction."

**
Reply
8. Breanna P., 2021
" @Ronaldo  zydeco is a southwest la culture where as southeast, in nola, is more so second line. Texas just next door so ofc they would practice our culture but zydeco orignated from cajuns of Louisiana in the southwest region of the state and la creoles blended in their styles with it and we have the zydeco music we have today. it was never a texas thing. no offence. zydeco is country, bayou french music if that makes sense 😂"

**
9. Chadrick De'Jher, 2019
"This looks like a different version of "swinging out". Its what we call it in Mobile, Alabama."

**
Reply
10. Rayford Hickman, 2019
"This almost look like Chicago's steppin plus they're getting down too..."

**
Reply
11. Chadrick De'Jher, 2019
"Agreed like a mixture of styles as well. Looks like steppin mixed with swingin out to me."

**
12. LaToya Terry, 2019
"Love it! Reminds me of Bachata and a dance Chicagoans call Bopping mixed together."

**
13. rafael13atx, 2019
"Looks like a mixture of Bachata Cumbia Country and Gospel music put all together...."

**
14. Abraham Cantu, 2019
"It's interesting to see so many cultural influences in one. I see country, cumbia, step, etc."

**
15. j Pat, 2019
"These different versions are children of the Texas Tommy and later the Jitterbug.

 Every region of Africans Americans have their versions."

****
Comments from the discussion Thread For Video #3

1. King Reyna, 2020
"May I please get a list of the songs used? I LOVE zydeco."

**
Reply
2. KQED Arts, 2020
"Old Time Zydeco by Rusty Metoyer https://rustymetoyer.com/

Ballin' and It is What is Is by Lil’ Nathan and the Zydeco Big Timers www.nathanwilliamsjr.com

Love in the Barn and Pull it til it Pops by Step Rideau https://www.steprideau.com/

Les Zydecos Sont Pas Salés by Clifton Chenier https://www.downhomemusic.com/product.."

**
Bayoubelle83, 2020
"I’m really trying to understand how zydeco is bigger in Houston than Louisiana. Somebody please explain. Houston is a bigger city but to say zydeco is bigger in Houston is a huge reach."

**
3. Nolaboy824, 2020
"Everything about Zydeco started in Louisiana, not Houston. Just look up Zydeco on Wikipedia if you need more knowledge, cuz I'm not about to sit up here and be a historian to yall today. I just don't feel like it lol ⚜"

**
Reply
4. Creole Belle, 2020
"I remember when I went to SUBR in 2000..I was jamming some Chris..the people from New Orleans said "what the hell u listening to"..I said y'all don't listen to Zydeco..they said nope..then they put on some big Freeda and started bouncing "I said mae what's that? She said y'all don't listen to bounce..i was like nope..lol..i learned to like it tho.. Zydeco is to SW LOUISIANA what bounce/twerk is to NEW ORLEANS...."
-snip-
"jamming some Chris" = "listening and/or dancing to music by well reknown Zydeco musician Chris Ardoin" 

**
5. Tize, 2020
"Correction: Zydeco as a genre was not born in SW Louisiana. LA-LA, or creole folk music, was born in Louisiana and was brought to Houston which combined with the urban houston R&B and rural TX "down home" blues to create Zydeco.

 Now it would be accurate to say that Zydeco was created mostly by people FROM Louisiana, but not IN Louisiana."

**
6. Creole Belle, 2020
"Zydeco is a SW Louisiana thing. MAMOU, Frilot Cove, Basile, Ville Platte, Leonville, etc.The Father of Zydeco and the FIRST EVER creole musician was Amede Ardoin from Basile Louisiana. He played Cajun Creole music/La La.. He played a dance in Eunice and a white women gave him a handkerchief..they beat him dead on his way home. Now, The KING of Zydeco is Clifton Chenier. He was born in Opelousas Louisiana to sharecroppers..he grew up listening to Amede Ardoin and his daddy showed him how to play accordion. He took That Amede sound and added R&B flavor and recorded a record in Floyd's record shop in Ville Platte, Louisiana. He took it to east Texas and Houston and it was extremely popular and it stuck. He started the vest washboard.  He is considered the King because he created the sound we hear today..Yes Houston cuts a rug,  but everybody and they mama know SW LOUISIANA is Ground Zero for Zydeco. The Zydeco that is in Texas is from the creoles that migrated there from Louisiana. Every ORIGINAL Zydeco artist is from LOUISIANA! Geno Delefosse , Boozo, Chris Ardoin, Leon Chavis , Da Boss Man Keith Frank, Mr Beau Jocque,  Buckwheat Zydeco, Amede the father and Clifton the King and many more hail from SW LOUISIANA! Playing in Lawtell Louisiana at Richards Zydeco Club and lets not forget Slim Y Keke,, PaPA Paul in MAMOU and don't forget the Bamboo!! Sho you right!!"

**
7. Homestead Housewife, 2020
"Yay! Laissez les bon temps rouler!! Been here in Htown since I was 10 years old from Lafayette. I never knew how much of the African Americans in Houston had come from floods in Louisiana - obviously they did after Katrina. Great video! Great culture to keep alive and spread even further!!"

**
Reply
8. Victor Parker, 2021
"Great Mississippi River flood of 1929 sent thousands of folks fleeing from Louisiana and Mississippi to Houston and other places seeking safety."

**
9. esmeralda garcia, 2020
"Wow i learn something new today. Love the dance. Looks litle like our Dominican 🇩🇴 merengue mix w salsa dance."

**
Reply
10. Justice JoyceTV, 2021
"Think bachata + merengue. I haven’t lived in the capital since 2000, but it’s a similar feel with all the movements. Bachata moreso when the music slows down and the instruments are stronger."

**
11. Micah de prophet, 2020
"Yes, the dance of Flavor, movement of the body and soul with a swing that stretched from Louisiana, thru the Dirty South, in South America, Dominican republic and Brazil has some dancing step swing. I love it 😎💃"

**
12. Armando Fernandez, 2020
"La Quebradita that's what it looks like,get ur money man,dancing g is fun no matter what u dance too,it releases alot of stress and it just makes u Happy,but for reals it looks like when Mexican people dance Quebradita."

**
Reply
13. Hater fans Club, 2021
"Yeah I agree it really does look like a lot like it."

**
14. mayito_tamps, 2021
"Im Mexican and love Zydeco Music

 We Called It Cumbia And We Also Play The Accordion Too"

**
15. Kimberly Pierce, 2021
"Im from PHILLY (PA) and fell in love with Zydeco when I came to the Houston area to meet my in-laws. It's way different than the Philly 2 step (we call it bopping) but it keeps me on the dance floor!!"

**
16. Tre Carleone, 2021
"Half of Houston is Louisiana culture"

**
17. leroy maxwell, 2021
"Somebody might wanna tell the steppers in Chicago they done changed the name of they dance in Houston."

**
Reply
18. Roy Babineaux, 2021
"Hate to bust your bubble but zydeco is way older than steppin in Chicago"

**
Reply
19. Brandy Gee, 2021
"Zydeco has nothing to do with steppin/swing out."

**
20. FunkSquadTV17, 2021
"Nah I don’t respect this video at all, talking about doing zydeco bigger than SWLA is straight disrespectful"

**
21. Nitty’s World, 2021
"Don’t play Louisiana like that, we migrated to Houston, introduced to Houston and they fell in love with it!"

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #2: Trail Riders Shuffle

Rico C Oct 21, 2019

Trail Riders Shuffle (Dallas, TX)

Big Mucci ft: Rico
-snip-
The line dancing starts around 2:22 in this video.
-snip-
Also, click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULSpiyI8Tlk&ab_channel=TakeOver for a video entitled Crunkest Party Wagon Step-N-Strut 2013. That video documents that Black trail ride gatherings have competitions for the best ("crunkest") "party wagon". 

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #3: Zydeco Dance in Houston: Black Cowboys, Trail Rides and Creole Roots | KQED Arts

KQED, July 14, 2020

Houston’s zydeco dance scene brings joy and a driving rhythm to partner dancing, and in this episode, we explore the dance’s deep roots in Creole culture and music. What was called La-la in Southeastern Louisiana Creole communities became known as zydeco in Houston with the influence of R & B and the ‘King of Zydeco’, Clifton Chenier. Houston is where zydeco is thriving, evolving and reaching a broader audience, around trail-riding clubs who dance together after their rides to the accordion-driven sounds of zydeco bands with a touch of hip-hop. As infectious as zydeco is, it’s grown popular worldwide, but what hasn't changed is how zydeco brings community together in Houston. EDITOR'S NOTE: This episode was filmed in February, before the coronavirus pandemic swept through cities in the United States. Houston is currently experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases and we hope the community remains safe at home until it’s time to dance together again.

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Colombian Band Bomba Estéreo - "Yo Soy" (information, videos, lyrics)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases two videos of the song "Yo Soy" ("It's Me") by the Colombian Band Bomba Estéreo .

Information about Bomba Estéreo is included in this post along with Spanish lyrics and English translation of that song.

The Addendum to this post showcases "Be You y Vota", a 2016 Vote Democratic political ad targeted to Latinos that features Bomba Estéreo's song "Yo Soy". The Addendum also showcases a video about the Latina girl who is featured in the official video for "Soy Yo" and the "Be You And Vote" video.

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Bomba Estéreo for their musical legacy. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these video on YouTube.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT BOMBA ESTEREO
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bomba_Est%C3%A9reo
"Bomba Estéreo is a Colombian band founded in the capital, Bogotá, in 2005[1] by Simón Mejía. Their music has been described as "electro vacilón" (a term dismissed by the band[2]), "electro tropical"[3] or "psychedelic cumbia".[4] According to Mejía, the band's name (which translates into English as "stereo bomb") is a Colombian term for "a really cool, awesome, bad ass party".[5]....

Simón Mejía was selected as one of the three finalists for the 2010–11 Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative to spend a year working with Brian Eno,[12] eventually losing out to Australian composer Ben Frost.[13] He also travelled with London-based filmmaker Santiago Posada to the Colombian town of San Basilio de Palenque, where the two men spent three months in 2011 recording the music of the local Afro-Colombian community for a music and DVD box set – the town became known in the 17th century as the site of the first free slave community in Colombia, and has retained much of its African-originated language, culture and music.[14][15]

2011–present: Elegancia Tropical and Amanecer
Bomba Estéreo performed at the South by Southwest and Roskilde festivals in 2009, and in 2010 undertook a world tour that visited 32 cities as well as the Bumbershoot festival and Bonnaroo Music Festival.[12] In 2011 they performed at the Coachella Festival and Austin City Limits Music Festival in the US, as well as Lollapalooza Chile and the Vive Latino festival in Mexico City, one of the major worldwide festivals for "rock en español".[9][16]

The band's third full-length album, Elegancia Tropical, was released in 2012 on Polen Records in Colombia and on Soundway Records worldwide. The album was engineered and mixed by producer Joel Hamilton.[17] To promote the record the band undertook a tour of Colombia, followed by Mexico and the US throughout 2012 and 2013. Band members have said they miss suero while on tour away from Colombia.[7] Their fourth full-length album, Amanecer, was released on June 2, 2015, on Sony Music. One song, "Soy Yo", was selected for the soundtrack of FIFA 16.[18] The music video for Soy Yo, released in September 2016, featured the debut of Sarai Gonzalez as a nerdy-looking Latina girl with a spunky personality standing up to bullies on the "mean streets" of Brooklyn, New York.[19][20] The video received over 6.5 million views as of early November 2016.[19]
The album "Amanecer" was placed 50th in Rolling Stone's list of the 50 best albums of 2015.[21]

Origin Bogotá, Colombia
Genres Electro, Cumbia, Alternative dance
Years active 2005–present
Labels Sony Music US Latin"
-snip-
In the context of this band's name, I believe that the meaning given for the word "bomba" largely comes from the African American Vernacular English term "the bomb" meaning "something or someone that is very hot, i.e. very good".

****
LYRICS: YO SOY (Spanish)
(Bomba Estéreo)

Yo caí me pare camine me subí
Me fui contra la corriente y también me perdí
Fracase, me encontré lo viví y aprendí
Cuando más te pegas fuerte más profundo es el beat

Sigo bailando y escribiendo mis letras
Sigo cantando con las puertas abiertas
Atravesando todas estas tierras y no hay
Que viajar tanto pa encontrar la respuesta

Y no te preocupes si no te aprueban cuando te critiquen tu solo di
Soy yo
Soy yo soy soy soy
Soy yo

Sigo caminando y sigo riendo
Hago lo que quiero y muero en el intento
A nadie le importa lo que estoy haciendo
Lo único que importa es lo que esta por dentro
A mi me gusta estar en la arena
Bañarme en el mar sin razón sin problema
Estar sentada sin hacer nada mirando de lejos y estar relajada

Y no te preocupes si no te aprueban cuando te critiquen tu solo di
Soy yo
Soy yo soy soy soy
Soy yo yo yo yo

Soy así soy así
Relaja
Y tu ni me conoces a mi
Bien relaja
Soy así soy así
Relaja
Y tu ni me conoces a mi
Bien relaja
You know what I mean

Y no te preocupes si no te aprueban cuando te critiquen tu solo di
Soy yo
Soy yo soy soy soy
Soy yo yo yo yo

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxWxXncl53U, posted by Super Sketchy, November 2016

****
LYRICS: I'M ME (English translation; also given as "It's Me")
(Bomba Estéreo)

I fell down, stood up, rose up
I went against the stream and I got lost
I failed, I found myself, I lived it and I learnt
When you fall harder, the deeper the beat

I keep dancing and writing my lyrics.
I keep singing with the doors open
Going through all these lands and not have to travel so far to find the answer

And don't you worry if they don't approve, when they criticize you just say
It's me
It's me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me

I keep on walking, keep on laughing
I do whatever I want and die trying
Nobody cares what I'm doing, the only thing that matters is what's on the inside
I like to be on the sand, bathing out in the sea without reason, without problem
Sitting down doing nothing, looking far away, and be relaxed

And don't you worry if they don't approve, when they criticize you just say
It's me, it's me, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's
It's me me me me me me me me

I'm like this
Relaxed
and you don't even know me
So relaxed
I'm like this
Relaxed

and you don't even know me
You know what I mean
You know what I mean
Relaxed
So relaxed
Relaxed
So relaxed
And don't you worry if they don't approve, when they criticize you just say
It's me
It's me me me me me me me me
Yes, I am

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxWxXncl53U, posted by Spex Modz1, September 2016

****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS
Example #1: Bomba Estereo - Soy yo (Fifa16 Soundtrack) - Sala Caracol (live) [HD]


Sala Caracol, Published on Jun 13, 2015

Concierto de Bomba Estereo en la Sala Caracol, Madrid, España, presentando su nuevo album, amanecer, en este vídeo interpretan la canción Soy yo.
-snip-
Google translate from Spanish to English: Bomba Estereo concert in Sala Caracol, Madrid, Spain, presenting his new album, Dawn, in this video interprets the song's [It's] me.

****
Example #2: Bomba Estéreo - Soy Yo (Official Video)



BombaEstereoVEVO. Published on Sep 7, 2016
-snip-
Here's a comment from that video's discussion thread:
100% beast mode boss, October 2016
"Soy yo is its me and the song is saying dont care what others think you are you"
-snip-
This video is praised for its an anti-bullying theme.

****
ADDENDUM
Example #1: Be You y Vota (Be You And Vote)



PFAWdotorg, Published on Oct 28, 2016

In her now-famous style and inspired by Bomba Estereo’s ‘Soy Yo’ music video, Sarai rejects Donald Trump’s hate by bringing everyone she knows to the polls to go vote. Speaking to Latino and bilingual audiences, the video “Be You y Vota” is part of People For the American Way’s Latinos Vote! campaign. People For the American Way (PFAW) is a progressive advocacy organization founded to fight right-wing extremism and defend constitutional values including free expression, religious liberty, equal justice under the law, and the right to meaningfully participate in our democracy. PFAW’s Latinos Vote! program works to expose and counter anti-immigrant, anti-Latino rhetoric from Republican and far-right candidates, leaders, and elected officials.

****
Example #2: Meet the Little Latina Girl Behind Bomba Estéreo's Viral Music Video


POPSUGAR Entertainment, Published on Sep 16, 2016

11-year-old Sarai Gonzalez can teach us all a thing or two about how to twirl on your haters with style.
-snip-
Here are two comments from this video's discussion thread:
MikeSnipz, October 2016
"I didnt understand how this music video was an anti bullying video it didnt really show anything about bullying all she did was go up to random people and just doing something random"

**
Reply
Bayron Rivera, 2016
"Shows people who get bullied that its ok to be themselves. You not always have to be literal about a message specially in videos. There are many interpretations. In this one we can see the disapproval in the peoples faces when they are staring at her and she gives zero F^&%$ and just does her stuff, yeah it doesn't show her being bullied but that's only because she doens't care enough to what people have to say.."
-snip-
This comment is given as it was written in that discussion thread.

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.