“Taking It to The Streets ” –Community Events in Post- Katrina New Orleans

First, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the people that I met during my stay in New Orleans, for letting me into a world that at first seemed so distant. I would like to thank every stranger that danced beside me during these months, and the musicians for their notes and rhythms to help us get into our groove. I would like to thank my supervisor, Tone Bringa, for constructive feedback and enormous patience with me in this process. Thank you so much for the great conversations, literature and ideas along the way. To Edvard Hviding, thank you for the positive feedback and words of encouragement in the course of our seminars. And to my friends in New Orleans that took me in, that made me laugh when I felt down and answered all my strange questions. Thank you for the great conversations, good times and amazing meals that we shared. Especially Mr. Francaise and Miss Foxy Red, you are truly amazing and I could not have done this without you. Last, but not least, I would like to thank my friends, fellow-students and my better half for listening to my complaints, and for keeping me grounded. And a special thank you to those that have read through my chapters and given me feedback. New Orleans, mon amour, you will forever be in my heart. I will never forget the joy this city can bring, the scent of the oak trees and the distant trumpet sounds. Nor will I ever forget the pain I felt when the city showed its uglier sides. I have danced, laughed and cried alongside my informants, and can only hope my thesis is a fair glimpse into the social life of this amazing city