1. ACADIAN ENTERTAINMENT Attached is list of twelve cajun bands from Louisiana and three speakers available to talk about Acadian Heritage and history. In this list are the names of cajun bands, their contact person and contact information. Also included are speakers who give presentations about Acadian history. Each group or person will need to be contacted about their availability and fees to come to the midwest to perform. Acadian Entertainment 100214
2. ACCORDIONIST – Mark Stillman. He is a freelance accordionist specializing in international ethnic music. He can play French musette or street café accordion, French cabaret with a French Chanteuse, Cajun and Zydeco music. For bookings or more information, call Mark Stillman at 612-823-8801 or email him at markstillman@comcast.net. You can get more information about his music at his website located at www.markstillman.com
3. SINGER – Francine Roche. She is singer who sings in French and sings various kinds of French and French Canadian songs. Has appeared in Prairie Home Companion. For bookings or more information, call Francine Roche at 763-529-9267. Email is Franroche1@yahoo.com.
4.DANCE REVELS MOVING HISTORY, Jane Peck director, choreographer, and dance historian available for workshops, residencies, and performances with French Heritage theme. contact info: http://janepeck.com/ revels@janepeck.com = See attached for more info: Dance Revels Moving History
5. FRENCH-CANADIAN CULTURAL PROGRAM. Pierre Girard will present cultural program on French-Canadians for schools and other organizations. He will present a program based on the life of a yoyageur, early Europeans from France to Canada, and stories of French-Canadian culture in Canada and the United States. Nominal fee to cover expenses. Contact Mr. Girard at 763-525-5015 or his email at pgirard1945@gmail.com.
6. FRENCH CANADIAN FIDDLE AND SONG. Performer and folklorist/ethnomusicologist Linda Breitag offers a spirited and fun program of French Canadian fiddle, foot-tapping, and call-response songs for all ages. Linda has been named a Master Fiddler in the state of Minnesota and wrote a master’s thesis on La Bottine Souriante at Indiana U. She can appear solo, duo, or band featuring guitar, accordion and more. Lecture-demonstrations and lessons also available. Email lbreitag@gmail.com or call 612-532-8086
7. FRENCH HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY IN MINNESOTA—GETTING BELOW THE SURFACE. Although Minnesota has a rich French heritage, the physical remains are few. The speleologist Dr. Greg Brick presents an innovative lecture showing how Frenchman developed the State’s subterranean resources beginning in the 18th century, with the mining of saltpeter from caves in the bluffs of Lake Pepin, to the creation of the local mushroom growing industry by Parisian immigrants in the 19th century, to the establishment of Roquefort cheese ripening caves in the 20th century. Based on his award-winning book SUBTERRANEAN TWIN CITIES (University of Minnesota Press, 2009). Nominal fee of $50 to cover costs. Website is www.GregBrick.org.
8. FUR TRADE REENACTOR OF GEORGE BONGA. Joel Brown is a 19th century reenactor who performs at Fur Trade Rendezvous around the Midwest. See attached. Joel Brown as George Bonga
9. LA COMPAGNIE DE LA HIVERNANTS DES RIVIERE ST. PIERRE. “La Compagnie de la Hivernants des Riviere St. Pierre,” is a Voyageur and Fur Trade Era Re-enactment Group in Minnesota. This historical re-enactment club meets generally on the first Wednesday of each month at the DePuis house in Mendota at the Henry Sibley Historic Site at 7 p.m. Visitors are welcome, although you should check first to make sure that meeting will take place. The club has a set of demonstration fur pelts, demonstration samples of fur trade goods (kettles, blankets, ironware etc.), a canopy to cover the demo stuff, and 3 freight canoes. They work at sewing and wearing historically accurate clothing appropriate to voyageurs and mixed bloods. Much of their activity is oriented toward public interpretation. La Compagnie does a number of gigs each year. If interested, please contact Linda or Steve Bryan. Contact Information: Phone: 651-777-7037 & email at: mrs.bryan@att.net . For some wonderful pictures showing La Compagnie in action, see https://www.flickr.com/photos/lacompagniehsp/
10. LA TRAVERSÉE – A Québécois Band. La Traversée is a band from Minneapolis-St. Paul that plays Québécois traditional music. La Traversée is a spinoff of a monthly French-Canadian jam held at Blackbird Music in Minneapolis (a learning session on 2nd Saturdays at 10:30 am) and the Underground Music Café in St. Paul (a regular jam on 4th Saturdays at 11:00 am). All are welcome to join in. Band members are Chris Bashor, Linda Breitag, Debra Goodlaxon, David and Suzanne Rhees, Véronique St-Louis, and Amy Shaw. For further info, contact veroniquestlouis@gmail.com.
11.RENDEZVOUS DIRECTORY- 2015. This directory lists all the Rendezvous events in the Midwest during the 2015 year. See attached: 2015 Rendezvous-directory
12. AFOUTAYI DANCE, MUSIC AND ARTS COMPANY. Afoutayi’s mission is to inspire and engage youth of all ages through dance, percussion, song and storytelling to celebrate the mosaic of Haitian traditional culture. For more information contact Djenane Saint Juste at afoutayidmaco@gmail.com and 612-508-8038. Their website is at www.afoutayi.org See attached:Afoutayi Dance
13. Expert on the voyageur era–Timothy Kent, see http://timothyjkent.com/
14. French Canadian and Métis fiddle, dance, song, and storytelling Danielle Enblom is a step dancer, fiddler, and dance historian with French Canadian and Red River Métis roots. She is an engaging performer and speaker, for adult audiences and children. She offers full-length solo or duo performances, interactive presentations, dance and fiddle workshops, academic courses, and children's programs. Danielle is the founder of The Step Collective, a project that explores traditions and intercultural connections between fiddling and step dance practices rooted in Ireland, Scotland, and North America. She has a Masters in Ethnochoreology (dance anthropology) from Munster Technological University in Tralee, Co. Kerry, Ireland; and holds a Diploma in Traditional Irish Music from University College Cork in Cork City, Ireland. Learn more at www.danielleenblom.com
