BOUNCE

Miley Cyrus might be the current face of the phenomion that is Twerking, but the latest dance craze orignated in New Orleans as a response to bounce music.  While grunge was sweeping the nation in the 1990's a new musical movement was stirring in New Orleans.  Originating from the projects bounce music emrged over fast, hard, club beats, feating a call and reponse between rappers that mimics those featured in Mardi Gras Indian chants. There is a frisky sexual tone to the genre which offers insite as to why the sexualized hip jerking that is twerking became the accompanying dance.  Twerking isnt all about sex according to leading artist, but it is undenaibly a prominate aspect.   Currently the most notable Bounce artist is Big Freedia, and that's whose concert I went to see.  It was at the Republic, a club located in the Quater and filled with an audience of all (permitted) ages.  I expected that I would be walking into some sort of predominatley black twerk fest since bounce is such a large part of New Orleans black culture.  It was evident though, that the genre had recieved some mainstream attention as the crowd was flooded with white fans. The absolute highlight of the show for me personally was when the openers invited girls on stage to twerk.  Obviously my friend and I jumped right up on the stage put our moves to work.  Some of the girls produced rather raunchy twerks that perhaps should have been kept in a bedroom.  After a while of being on stage I was getting fairly tired and we stepped off. Soon after, Big Freedia stepped on the stage and the crowd arrupted with cheers and some of the girls we had been on stage with were still up there.  It was upsetting that we missed being on stage with Big Freedia, but in all reality there is only so much twerking and bounce music that an individual can handle at time.  I would recommand checking out a bounce concert before it looses anymore of its authenticity as it is diluted by mainstream culture.