Red Hot Mamas taking on the Big Apple
They’ll take their act to the heart of New York City, but the Red Hot Mamas’ message might resonate from sea to shining sea.
Maybe it’ll even be heard in Washington, D.C.
“Everyone needs love,” said Mikki Stevens, originator and producer of the Coeur d’Alene-based Red Hot Mamas, who will perform in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade next Thursday in front of some 50 million viewers. “These mamas, grandmamas and greatgrandmamas want the best for all children and collectively send a mama message: ‘Love Life! Play nice!’”
What Stevens affectionately refers to as 50 “mostly untrained vintage sistachix” have been training seven hours a week for eight months. The challenge has been this: They’re spread out between Texas, Washington and Idaho all the way to New Zealand, so a lot of the training has been done by video. That means the Thanksgiving Day dance crews will actually rehearse together — live and in person — for the first time next Tuesday.
But as they have throughout history, mamas prevail, and Mikki’s certain her red-hot team will, too. And that means imparting an important message.
“Accepting and appreciating our differences in culture, geographical location, opinions, lifestyles, and preference in lipstick to focus on SHINING SOME JOY on others has been the unifying goal,” she said. “The mamas hope to be an example of what can be accomplished by diversified women when they work together and hope the example will encourage others to work together instead of fighting.”
Stevens said the merging of mamas includes the Texas DanceCrew, directed by Christina Fuller of Fuller Rhythm Studio; Washington DanceCrew directed by Amanda Dugger, Eastside Schools community coordinator; and Idaho DanceCrew co-directed by Deborah Miranda of Northwest Tile and Flooring and Karen Welts, administrative assistant.
Next Thursday will mark the Red Hot Mamas’ third time performing in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which started in 1924 and is still produced entirely by Macy’s employees. The Red Hot Mamas will perform to “Gimme Some Lovin’” by the Spencer Davis Group, but one of their cadences will go like this:
We are sisterchix.
Some from the city.
Some from the stix.
We are sisterchix.
Some lookin pritty
Some lookin sic.
Hey!
Love Life.
Play Nice.