2. UPCOMING DANCES & EVENTS (Seattle) top

Friday, February 5 • Leon Chavis & the Zydeco Flames
Mardi Gras dance and par-TAY! with Leon Chavis & the Zydeco Flames from Louisiana at the Highliner Pub (3909 18th Avenue W in Fisherman's Terminal, 206.283.2233), 8-11:30pm, $18. Mama Rita says: "You wanna dress up? We'd love it! You wanna wear a mask? Mmmm, Sexy! You wanna catch beads? Show us whatcha got and we'll show you what we got!" View poster designed by Dana Sullivan. Brought to you by your Seattle Zydeco Connection. Also see Leon in Longview February 4 and Portland February 6.

Saturday, February 6 • Leon Chavis & the Zydeco Flames (Portland, OR)
Cascade Zydeco presents...A day full of dancing, steeped in Louisiana heat!
1:00-5:00pm Zydeco Blues Fusion workshop with Jodi Fleischman & Sean "Gator Boy" Donovan, $10. Details and registration. View flyer here.
7:00-8:00pm Beginning Zydeco lesson with the fabulous Roland & Janine Jemerson
8:00-11:30pm Dance with Leon Chavis & the Zydeco Flames from Louisiana, $15.
All events at the Vancouver Ballroom (808 Main Street, Vancouver, WA map). Workshop description and event details at cascadezydeco.com. Also see Leon in Longview February 4 and Seattle February 5.

Wednesday, February 10 • Richard Allen & the Louisiana Experience
Seattle Zydeco Connection presents Richard Allen & the Louisiana Experience...Louisiana Wednesdays (every 2nd Wednesday) at the Highway 99 Blues Club. 8-11pm, $10. Free dance lesson 7pm.

Friday, February 12 - Sunday, February 14 • Sweetheart Jamboree Mardi Gras
19th annual Sweetheart Jamboree at the Bellevue Hilton. Three full days and nights of dancing and classes including Terry West & Jackie Hursey, Michelle Badion, and your very own Sean "Gator Boy" Donovan, with 24 instructors in all! Get a Full Weekend Pass -- 3 days of classes, 2 evening dances, Saturday night dinner and show -- for the ridiculously low price of $92. Hope to see you there! Details and registration.

Saturday, February 13 • Swamp Soul
Swamp Soul at the Highliner Tavern (Fisherman's Terminal in Magnolia, 3909 18th Ave W, 206.283.2233), 8-11pm, $12. Traditional and contemporary Cajun, Creole, and zydeco dance music from Louisiana. Music samples. Plenty of friendly people and ample free parking. The Highliner has full food service as well as beer & wine. Over 21 only. Get you some Soul every 2nd Saturday.

Tuesday, February 16 • Dance Classes Start at Mount Baker
Swing 1 (6:30pm), Swing 2: Tip Top Tuck Turns (7:35pm) and Funkalicious Cha Cha Cha (8:40pm) classes start today with Joanie Brown & Sean “Gator Boy” Donovan, Mount Baker Community Club (2811 Mt. Rainier Dr S, Seattle). Class descriptions and registration details at nwdance.net or call 206.781.1238. Brought to you by Northwest Dance Network. Check out the hot Zydeco workshop coming February 28!

Tuesday, February 16 • Mardi Gras Party with Filé Gumbo
Mardi Gras Party with Filé Gumbo at the Frontier Room, 7pm-2am. 1st Annual Frontier Room Mardi Gras Party with "live zydeco with Filé Gumbo, Body Painters, $3 Bacardi Hurricanes, Costume Contest, DJ & Dancing for late night, and an unlimited supply of gumbo and Etouffe! More details...

Friday, February 26 • Les Chats Creoles
Les Chats Creoles (Claudia Anastasio, Linda Wilson and Lucy Reuter) at the Laughing Ladies Café (17551 15th Ave NE in Shoreline, used to be the Hotwire), 7:30-9:30pm.

Sunday, February 28 • Zydeco: Hot & Fresh Dance Workshop
Zydeco: Hot & Fresh dance workshop with Joanie "Li'l Biscuit" Brown & Sean “Gator Boy” Donovan, Swedish Cultural Center (1920 Dexter Ave. N., Seattle), 12:30-3:30pm, $35. Whether you're gearing up for Zydeco inTENsives V or want to shake up your dance and learn some great new footwork and partnering moves, this is it. Good, wild, groovin' fun. Prerequisite: Intermediate Zydeco skills. Registration and details at nwdance.net or call 206.781.1238. Brought to you by Northwest Dance Network. Almost here: Zydeco inTENsives V!

Saturday, March 13 • Swamp Soul
Swamp Soul at the Highliner Tavern (Fisherman's Terminal in Magnolia, 3909 18th Ave W, 206.283.2233), 8-11pm, $12. Traditional and contemporary Cajun, Creole, and zydeco dance music from Louisiana. Music samples. Plenty of friendly people and ample free parking. The Highliner has full food service as well as beer & wine. Over 21 only.

Saturday, March 20-Saturday, May 22 • Zydeco inTENsives V
Zydeco inTENsives V dance workshop with Joanie "Li'l Biscuit" Brown & Sean “Gator Boy” Donovan, Phinney Center (6532 Phinney Ave N), 1-3pm for 10 Saturdays. Price: $195 per person, if you sign up and pay by noon on March 11 ($225 thereafter, if space available) Prerequisite: Intermediate Zydeco skills a must. Click for registration and details or call 206.781.1238 today! Brought to you by Northwest Dance Network.
Calling all dancers, who want to continue with or join this extraordinary community, for a fifth and final Zydeco extravaganza! We'll revel in the rhythms of this exuberantly joyful, sexy dance, and focus on core, Louisiana-style connection. We'll learn deeper movement and new moves, as usual, but this year, we'll start preparing for our Folklife performance from week 1, and we're going to blow 'em away.
Join us for ten transformative sessions of life-affirming Louisiana fun, and take your Zydeco--and your overall movement--to new highs!
Participants will be eligible to join Allons Danser!, a dance troupe consisting of Zydeco inTENsives V graduates, for a performance at the 2010 Folklife Festival.

Sunday, July 11 • Folichon
Folichon returns to the Summer Sundays concert series at Village Green Park, Fairhaven/Bellingham. Free. Probable time: 3-6 pm. E-mail TEd for details.