318 Swampers

ARTICLE BY VANELIS RIVERA AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY KELLY MOORE CLARK

There’s a new Mardi Gras krewe in the Twin Cities and among their revelers is a manic ensemble of twelve men walking the fine line between dance team and the Sherwood Forest gang of Robin Hood: Men in Tights.

KREWE DE RIVIÉRE Rivière rolled out their inaugural parade on February 8th, and among the carefully embellished floats, enthusiastic riding groups, and multicolored beads galore, the all-male dance group known as the 318 Swampers were easy to spot. Flailing their bodies around from one dance groove to another, they generated boogie fever from the parade’s beginning to end. Whether you’re into washboard abs, dad bods, or beer bellies, this diverse group of men befuddle, amuse, and impress with just one swing of their hips.

“It took a few brave men to come out and lead it up,” says Judy Parillo Babb, president of Krewe de Rivière and mastermind of the dance group. A superfan of the New Orleans phenomenon 610 Stompers, Babb longed to bring their spirit and creativity to the 318. In a league of their own, the New Orleans all-male dance squad are known for their Mardi Gras strolls but have also danced, clad in headbands, high socks, and red satin jackets, at Saints games and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Loving to dance herself, she wanted to introduce a male dance group to Northeast Louisiana “that keeps their clothes on,” she laughs. Babb set out to find the kind of guys that could bring upbeat fun times to the collective. When she posted a casting call on Facebook, it was captioned with the question: Do you crave attention? That’s how current dance captain Joshua Colson was pulled into the group. “Everyone tagged me in it and I was like, well guess that says a lot about me. And I was encouraged to go and try it,” says Colson. Initially, only a few hopefuls showed up, but Colson’s fire was lit and he persistently recruited at Enoch’s Irish Pub & Cafe, motivating average Joe’s by offering a hard-to-resist sales pitch: “Don’t think of it as dancing, think of it as having fun. And there’s free beer.”

With interest growing, Babb sought out a dance coach that would be a good fit for a high energy ragtag brigade. “At first, I didn’t know what to expect,” says Swampers choreographer Mary Beth Crow May, who works as an inventory specialist at Central Oil & Supply, “but I quickly learned that this would be a fun and maybe sometimes crazy adventure for us all.” Lovingly referred to as “Swampa Momma” by the crew, May had her work cut out for her since none of the men had any formal dance background. But dancing for most of her life until high school and coaching for about seven years proved to be all the experiences she needed to whip the novice hoofers into shape. “I think a lot of men hear the word ‘dance’ and immediately freak out, but these dances are silly and fun. They are meant to make the audience laugh and trust me, these guys are sure to do that,” says May. Colson chooses to call what they do “workouts.” Not only does that sound more “manly than dancing,” but some of their practices have gotten as dangerous as a grueling workout. “We tried to play leapfrog once to work into a dance, and there was a miscommunication. One went high, the other went low,” says Colson, also mentioning a member they lost because of a blown-out knee resulting from dancing too hard during their first practice. Even though they’ve had a few hiccups, the guys aren’t agonizing over their mistakes. If someone forgets a move, they’re encouraged to shrug it off, make something up, and dance on. Ultimately, nobody is taking anything too seriously.

“There’s no formula, no equation for a 318 Swamper. They just have to wanna have fun and maybe poke a little fun at themselves,” informs Babb. Though the Swamper concept of an amateur dance crew is obviously a parody, a member of the group must still be dedicated. The men are expected to attend practice regularly and be available to participate in community service events. Already, they’ve performed at Champagne & Shopping held at the West Monroe Convention Center and volunteered at the Colonial Manor Nursing & Rehab in Rayville, Louisiana. From different walks of life, varying in race, age (between twenty to forty years old), and occupation (from bartender to engineer), they are bound by the common goal of staying involved in their community in the most entertaining way possible.

“I would say that you have to be able to hold your liquor, but you don’t even have to drink,” informs Babb, humorously referring to the requisites of being a Swamper. While some of the performers do need a bit of liquid courage, others don’t drink alcohol at all. It’s all the same to Babb, who stresses that anyone involved has to at least be able to handle the 2.9 mile parade route, which this year started at West Monroe High School and ended close to the Ouachita Parish Courthouse. For May, a Swamper is “really just somebody that wants to have fun and has a great sense of humor and likes to dance.” It’s also a great opportunity for networking. “I’ve met so many wonderful people that I probably would have never crossed paths with. I just love ‘em to bits,” says Babb. Socializing and a little beer drinking is how most practices start. Then, in between stretching and dancing, more socializing, drinking, and eating king cake often ensues. “It’s like herding cats,” laughs May. “They are such a fun group of guys and they definitely keep me on my toes.”

In spite of the team’s occasionally short attention span for learning May’s choreography, they always arrived ready to have a good time. “I wanted their choreography to not only be fun, but easy for them to remember. So basically the sillier the better,” says May. She found that the less they tried to dance, the better they performed. Even then, there were still a few moves that presented some challenges, namely the old-school funky chicken. Not to be confused with the chicken dance, this classic nineties move takes some athleticism, requiring busting outstanding knee-to-chest crunches while holding one hand on your ankle and spinning in a frenzy.

Taking a page from the Stompers’ playbook, the Swampers took their time to conceptualize a memorable parade costume. “If their dance moves don’t impress you, their ability to get crafty should. I think their costumes turned out to be a perfect reflection of them,” says May. A few ideas thrown around included Mardi Gras styled overalls or kilts before they decided to stay true to the krewe’s “roaring twenties” theme. Colson introduced the idea of suit jackets, which each member customized with glitter and neon-colored acrylic paint. The general attire included the group’s official Swamper tee in toasty orange (designed by Byron Nelson), black shorts (of varying lengths), Mardi Gras striped knee-highs, gilded sneakers, plumed hats, and custom-made wood ties—not a sight that can easily be unseen.

Their Mardi Gras parade performance was to eleven staple dance tracks, including “It’s Tricky” by Run-DMC and “Red Solo Cup” by Toby Keith. All of the dances were visually fun, some even involving props. In “Red Solo Cup” the team performed with fake giant red Solo cups and mimicked playing beer pong. It’s hard to stay animated for such a long stretch, but the Swampers played off of their dance partners and kept “marching their crazy down the streets,” as Babb puts it.

From the beginning, the goal was simply to provide the community with light-hearted and lively entertainment. “They’re just Louisiana proud,” says Babb. Grown men by day, and Swampers by night, they may not always have the perfect dance moves, but they are a testament to the importance of not taking life too seriously. Make some room, ladies, because this group of daring men is proving that, as Babb notes, “Boys just wanna have fun, too!”

The next wave of recruitment for the 318 Swampers begins in March. Follow them on Facebook for updates and scroll through their array of Mardi Gras photos. Learn more about the Krewe de Rivière and their sponsors by visiting their official website: http://krewederiviere.com.

LOUISIANA PROUD A Swamper is “really just somebody that wants to have fun and has a great sense of humor and likes to dance.” It’s also a great opportunity for networking.