The weekend after the festival, Boulegan l’Ostal, we packed it up again and drove south to La Motte en Provence.  This exact dance weekend had been recommended to me before I even set foot in France.  However, between not having a car and the cost of entry I wasn’t sure how I was going to pull it off.  It was a wonderful coincidence (my whole trip has been built on such coincidences) that Polo and Nadine’s band, Ida Red, had been hired to perform.  Luckily, they needed a banjo player and I happened to know one…tee hee.

First, we played for a daytime “American Dance Workshop,” a.k.a. contra and square dance.  A wonderful woman named Cathi taught and called the dances.  It was funny to hear dance calls, something so familiar to me, said in French rather than English.

When Cathi learned that I clog and have taught clogging she asked if she could incorporate me into the workshop.  I said, “Sure!”

The evening dances went until 4am in the morning with a variety of bands playing for tango, Cajun, contra and traditional bal folk danse.

Here is a short video of Ida Red playing the last waltz of the evening set.  I love how Polo and Nadine are standing side by side in their matching overalls.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWVWGaJlgWg

I have to mention this tidbit before I leave you because I thought it was funny.

Below is a picture of our accommodations for Night #1: a gym floor.

Then, here is Night #2…

…which included a swimming pool (though we weren’t there long enough to take a swim) and a lovely breakfast.