The Househedz Project converges critical performance ethnography and choreographic methods to explore Chicago house music and dance culture, unpacking its movement vocabulary and style; its fusion of spirituality and sexuality; its changing contexts from club, to basement, to radio station, to mix tape and CD; and its current re-contextualization on local and global club and music scenes. In addition to the studio rehearsal experience, the project utilizes a ‘wiki’ that includes an ongoing archive of the creative process and a critical genealogy of Chicago house as a form of local knowledge. Househedz has seen several phases of development.
In May 2008, Give Thankspremiered at the Brown Festival of Dance with a cast of Brown University students. Derived from seeds based on the original creative process, Give Thanks explores house's connections to the invincible spirit of historical black music traditions as well as its place as a contemporary lifestyle and music/dance scene. Here, house becomes an example of an urban folk practice and experience.