Dancing the Dozens

Yo' mama's feet so big, they each got their own zip code

Comments (0) By Theodore Bale Thursday, Feb 18 2010

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If your mama's so clumsy she gets tangled up in a cordless telephone, maybe you should bring her to Sandra Organ Dance Company's 12th annual Black History Month performance, provocatively titled Dancing the Dozens. The endless variety of "your mama" jokes told by African Americans is a source of inspiration for Organ's choreography. Organ says she's been researching audio files of famous black comedians which, along with Monty Python, shaped her sense of humor, to prepare the pieces in Dancing the Dozens. She's particularly interested in Bill Cosby and Flip Wilson, whom she describes as "pivotal" to her career. The 12 dances are flippant and full of attitude. They run the gamut, from Suite Louis (with classics by Armstrong) to a Michael Jackson tribute featuring his early songs with The Jackson 5. If you arrive at least 45 minutes before curtain, Organ will teach you Jackson's complete "Thriller," and you're welcome to dance in the finale. 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. Sundays. Through February 28. Barnevelder Movement/Arts Complex, 2201 Preston. For information, call 713-225-0677 or visit www.organdance.org. $12 to $18.
Fridays-Sundays. Starts: Feb. 19. Continues through Feb. 28, 2010