First ever Memphis Jookin’ National Tour kicks off Feb. 11 at the Orpheum

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - The first ever Memphis Jookin’ National Tour kicks off Feb 11 with its first stop at the Orpheum Theatre.

Producer and Cast Member Charles “Lil Buck” Riley and Director Amy “Catfox” Campion joined Andrew Douglas at the Action News 5 Digital Desk to talk about the national tour and how it all come about.

“Memphis jookin’, like I said, it’s really a part of our lineage in Memphis and our culture,” Charles Riley said.

Riley said he was first exposed to jookin’ at 13-years-old.

“It was at the Crystal Palace actually at the skating rink,” Riley said. “I think everyone in Memphis knows about the Crystal Palace. That’s where I first saw someone really good jookin’. I actually saw this guy named Boe Boe. We called him Boe Boe and he was gliding across the carpet like it was water and it was such a fond memory for me.”

The Memphis Jookin’ National Tour will include 13 stops spanning coast to coast.

“It’s a dance theatre show with a story and several main characters,” Amy Campion said. “There is acting and theatre in it. It is inspired by the history and the folks who were actually a part of originating the dance style of Memphis jookin’.”

Watch the full interview in the video player above.

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