Krewe of Muses

The Krewe of Muses, named after the Muses, is an all-female krewe or New Orleans Mardi Gras social organization. The Muses were founded in 2000 by Staci Rosenberg, and first paraded during Mardi Gras in 2001.^[2] Since then, their krewe has grown to include approximately 1100 members.^[2] The krewe's parade is held on the Thursday evening before Mardi Gras, and features 25 floats designed by Blaine Kern Studios.^[1]

The krewe is known for non-traditional Mardi Gras throws such as "decorated shoes, lighted necklaces, purses and other fun 'girlie' goodies".^[3]

Participants

Each year's Honorary Muse rides in the krewe's 17-foot (5.2 m)-tall fiber optic shoe float. Past year's Honorary Muses have included Brenda Marie Osbey (the Poet Laureate of the State of Louisiana), New Orleans-based jazz singer Charmaine Neville; Cherise Harrison Nelson, Becky Allen, Mary Matalin, Liz McCartney (co-founder of the St. Bernard Project),^[2] Patricia Clarkson,^[4] and Ruby Bridges .

Bands that have marched with the Muses' parade have included the St. Augustine High School Marching 100, The Ninth Ward Marching Band ^[5] and the Revolutionary Snake Ensemble.

The Krewe of Muses parade has also featured dance troops such as the Pussy Footers, the 610 Stompers and the Camel Toe Lady Steppers.^{[citation needed]}

Themes

The theme of the Krewe of Muses, which is kept a secret outside of the membership, is always satirical. Past themes have been "Muses First Time" poking fun at women (2001); "Muses Reach the Terrible Twos (2002)" (featuring puns such as "Two Timers" and "Two Sides to Every Story"); "Museology—the Lesser Known Gods and Goddesses (2003)" which satirized the other carnival organization of the New Orleans; "The Weekly World Muse (2004)", which was a satirical look at tabloid journalism; "Muse TV (2005)"; "Muses Got Game (2006)"; and "SuperMuse (2007)" which featured satirical super heroes. The organization produced and threw a comic book, "The Adventures of Supermuse".^[6]

"Muses Night Fever" was a parody on disco songs (2008); "Muses 009: License to Swill" spoofed James Bond movie titles (2009); "The Muses Guide to Love and Romance" attempted to teach men what women rarely have the nerve to say (2010) and celebrated the krewe's tenth anniversary with a pyrotechnic birthday cake; and "Dancing with the Muses" (2009) was a parody on Dancing with the Stars and provided an array of dance parodies. The 2013 Muses parade theme explored the supermarket theme, "Muses Makin' Groceries". One notable feature was a male dancer dancing in the silhouette booth for the "Meat Market" float.

Other activities

The Krewe of Muses has presented several award-winning displays.^[7]

In addition to their parade and year-long philanthropic works, the Muses host a design contest for students in the area. The winner has his or her design turned into a throw cup.^[7]

History

In 2006, to honor the victims of Hurricane Katrina, the Muses had at the tail end of their parade an empty float which evoked the riderless horse that follows the caisson carrying the casket in a funeral procession.^[8] the final riderless float represented the mother of the Muses and the goddess of memory. Painted on the somber float were the words "We celebrate life, we mourn the past, we shall never forget."

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Krewe of Muses.

• Krewe of Muses website