Krewes of Muses & Iris Parades

No time to blog this year but wanted to share photos of the fun at the Krewes of Muses and Iris parades. I always love dancing with my Pussyfooter sisters in Muses. Both the parade and our group – the first modern-day adult parade dance troupe, debuted together in 2001. Photos include Krewe des Fleurs, Krewe of the Rolling Elvi, the NOLA Cherry Bombs, Fat City Drum Corps, the Amelia Earhawts and much more! 

Mardi Gras 2017 Wrap-Up

We’ve heard it a lot in the last few days – this was the best Carnival (Mardi Gras season) in years. In fairness, a lot of it had to do with the extraordinarily wonderful weather. After the 50 degree rain-soaked Krewe of Cleopatra parade,  most days were 70-80 and sunny with breezes. This year, I danced in 3 parades with the Pussyfooters. We were excited to debut our super-hero-inspired capes and signature pink corsets at the Cleopatra parade but mostly ended up covered in dripping-wet plastic sacks. That said, the crowds kept us inspired. Carnival parades are like a perpetual motion machine. The paraders bring energy to the crowds and the crowds bring energy to the paraders.

Though routines are set, each year I get to do new things at Mardi Gras and have new experiences.

Krewe of Muses – Behind the Scenes

I love attending parades and the Krewe of Muses all-female Super Krewe of 1000 riders is a crowd favorite. When you participate in a parade, the one downside is that you don’t actually get to attend the parade. With the addition of the new train of duck floats being pulled by the traditional giant bubble bath and the opportunity to catch one of their coveted hand-decorated shoes, it was a lot to give up. That said, I love dancing with the Pussyfooters in Muses. A group of over 120 women-over-30, the Pussyfooters raise tens of thousands annually for domestic violence victims, provide entertainment and assistance at non-profit events and, of course, perform in parades year-round. The Pussyfooters debuted in the 2001 Krewe of Muses parade so I consider it an honor to join them rather than hope for a (super-awesome) glittery shoe. 

Krewes of Druids and Nyx Parades

Everywhere else, it was just Wednesday but here in New Orleans, Krewe of Druids kicked off a 2 parade night that rolled its way toward midnight. Founded in 1998, the “Merlin”-hat-wearing Druids honor the Celtic priests who acted as mediators between the people and their gods and nature. Their krewe never has more than 200 members and secrecy shrouds their membership. In near direct opposition, the Krewe of Nyx is a diverse all-female Super Krewe of more than 2,200 riders. The last float in Druids was South-Park-inspired with a sign picking on Nyx, “Seriously… The parade behind us is not worth the wait!” Except, of course, it totally was. Though by 10:30pm there was some nostalgia for the Wednesdays of yore when people could get home to watch a favorite show or finish homework before turning in, Nyx puts on a heck of a parade.

Mardi Gras Wrap-Up 2016

This is my 7th full Mardi Gras/Carnival season and the evolution from parade-goer to parader continues. I’ve gone from attending dozens of parades alone to knowing people on the route to knowing people in the parade to riding in the Orpheus Monarch Float and becoming a Pussyfooter dancer in parades. Three years in, I’ve now helped a new batch of “Kittens” learn the dances and tricks for staying warm and comfortable while parading for miles and miles. I’ve gone from having every parade, Krewe, marching band, float, dance troupe and rolling krewe be new to me to knowing bands by their uniforms and floats by their designer and some by name.  Even the parade schedule is familiar. Very little is new anymore, now it’s anticipated and beloved.

Pussyfooting in Krewe of Thoth

If you’re a regular reader of this blog, by now you know that I proudly dance with the Pussyfooters in parades throughout the year. Krewe of Thoth may be the longest route, but between the usually fabulous weather and the many delightful children that attend, it’s one of my favorite to parade in. I gave some behind-the-scenes information in my post on Pussyfooting in Krewe of Muses but here’s some answers to some frequently asked questions about parading.

Krewes of Druid & Nyx

Krewe of Druids, founded in 1998, honors the Celtic priests who acted as mediators between people and their gods and nature. The krewe is fairly small and cloaked in secrecy. The first float didn’t pass us until almost 8pm. Kids have school, their parents have work but there were still plenty of families on the route giving it the miles-long-block-party feel I like. By tonight when I dance with the Pussyfooters in Krewe of Muses, the crowds will be thick with out-of-towners. Druids highlights included the Organ Grinders, the Amelia Earhawts and Sophie B. Wright’s marching band.