MurdaMommy & Cuenique Smith

MurdaMommy-min.jpg

MurdaMommy is a dancer, musician, actor, and innovator in the film, fashion, and gaming industries.

Jorita "Cuenique" Smith is a mixed-medium artist from Chicago's Southside, Grand Crossing Neighborhood.


 

Watch the Performance

 

MurdaMommy

MurdaMommy is a dancer, musician, actor, and innovator in the film, fashion, and gaming industries. As a lesbian artist and a teen who experienced homelessness, she brings her life experiences into her practice and teaches the dance from Chicago Footwork to people who live on the South and West Sides of Chicago.

In 2019, she was recognized by SWAN Day Chicago celebrating black women in dance, Dance/USA 2019 fellow. MurdaMommy has performed across the U.S. In Chicago, she mentors and connects with all generations through performance and workshops, including programs within Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center and Stateville Correctional Center.

She recently created the short film " I Am Queen," based on the women of Chicago Footwork culture. She is also collaborating on Juke Town, an online multiplayer game where characters can practice footwork, socialize, and complete missions. For more information visit www.murdamommy.com.

Above image of MurdaMommy by Jason Pickney

Jorita "Cuenique" Smith

Jorita "Cuenique" Smith is a mixed-medium artist from Chicago's Southside, Grand Crossing Neighborhood. Growing up in the 90's, she used the media and the arts through her education at Hyde Park Career Academy, to escape the troubles of inner city and home life. As an adult, those skills carried on to push her into the life she now knows in creating great works.

Jorita has always had a love for music since she can remember. Her love for EDM (Electronic Dance Music) came from her mother's love of disco. "I fell in love with House music first. It is number one in my heart. When I heard Footwork, my heart had no choice but to share the love."

She uses her current skills to maintain her own endeavors in media; DJing, digital media artistry in graphics and design, content management system creation and operations, web designing, audio/video production and editing, camera operation, and producing.

Jorita has worked as the in house graphic designer for "Tekk DJ'z" brand. She is a major digital art/music contributor and member of District 160 footwork music/dance collective, as well as the host, manager, and curator of "The CueNection Radio Show' and website. Jorita currently resides in Houston, TX.

Above image of Jorita "Cuenique" Smith courtesy of the artist