A&E

Dancers needed

by Dominick Cross

Renaissance Cadienne, a folkloric troupe based out of Lafayette, performs in period costumes and consists of dancers, singers and musicians who present Louisiana Cajun heritage from the time of the early Acadians up to the present day.

Renaissance Cadienne, a folkloric troupe based out of Lafayette, is looking for dancers and singers.

The troupe, which performs in period costumes, consists of dancers, singers, and musicians who present Louisiana's Cajun heritage from the time of the early Acadians up to the present day.

Renaissance Cadienne's Richard Landry says dancers and singers are what they're looking for at this time.

"We're looking for new people across the board in general, primarily dancers and singers at this point," says Landry. "You don't have to be a good dancer, per se, if you like to dance, we teach dances from the 1800's to songs brought here from Canada and France."

Landry says Renaissance Cadienne is looking for performers from adolescence on up.

"We rehearse a couple of times a month for a couple of hours each and we usually have a performance once every couple of months," he says. "It's just enough to be a good hobby, in my opinion, to where your hobby is not to the point where it's like another job."

If you want to get a handle on the group, a full performance is set for April 21, 2 p.m. at the Southside Library.

Renaissance Cadienne has performed in Quebec and Nova Scotia, France and Belgium. They have been on national television in France, on the European channel Arté, and at the international Congrés Mondial des Acadiens and were participants at the ArteVida International Folk Festival in Berea, Kentucky in July 2000.

Locally, Renaissance Cadienne has performed at Festivals Acadiens, Le Festival International, Le Festival d'Amérique Francophone, on the live radio show Rendez-Vous des Cajuns at the Liberty Theatre in Eunice and The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival

For more information go here www.renaissancecadienne.org or call  337-652-0687, or 337-280-4288.