Raised in the unique urban environment of north Philadelphia, Rennie Harris is well-steeped in hip-hop culture and dance, having grown up with the music and the moves it makes, from B-boy (break dancing) to stepping and beyond. Now, as artistic director and choreographer of RENNIE HARRIS PUREMOVEMENT, Harris has created a renowned dance troupe that has electrified audiences since its founding in 1992 with programs that strive to preserve and promote hip-hop culture and take its dances from the street to the stage. This Friday and Saturday, the New Orleans Ballet Association (NOBA) hosts the group for two shows in Southern University at New Orleans' Multi-Purpose Auditorium. The group has earned kudos from critics and fans alike with choreography that works to combine the rich African-American traditions with the voice and style of today in its dance. "If Rennie Harris Puremovement were any hotter it would incinerate before your eyes," gushed Philadelphia City Paper. Now embarking on a world tour, Rennie Harris Puremovement will debut new pieces along with favorite routines from the past decade. The program includes "Students of the Asphalt Jungle," an affirmation of black heritage with movement guided by spirit and instinct; "P-Funk," dedicated to dancers taken by the streets; "March of the Antmen," inspired by the original music and life of Dru Minyard; and "Continuum," described as a "whirl of movement" with no beginning or end that creates illusions in the audience about what they've just witnessed. Both shows begin at 8 p.m. Tickets are $22.50 general, $15 students; call 522-0996 for reservations or information. The public is invited to learn more about Rennie Harris Puremovement at a free dance talk at 6 p.m. Thursday, hosted by Ashé Cultural Arts Center (1712 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd.). Local intermediate and advance dancers are invited to participate in a master class at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, in Tulane University's McWilliams Hall; the class fee is $10 general public, free for NOBA Dance Network members. Call 522-0996, ext. 21 for reservations. Also, the group will visit a number of community sites, including many schools through Feb. 6, to illustrate hip hop's roots in African traditions. -- Frank Etheridge

Erykah Badu 8 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday, Feb. 3-4 House of Blues, 225 Decatur St., 529-BLUE Erykah Badu performs Tuesday and Wednesday at House of Blues. Save for Jacko territory, pop artists don't get much quirkier than Erykah Badu. There was something so inspiring about her forward-thinking attitude when she broke into the neo-soul whirlwind of the late 1990s. She made music that pushed the soul envelope, underscored by the spark of her baby-like voice. After mothering a child with Outkast's Andre Benjamin, Badu faded into obscurity, head wraps and all. Now, with a '70s-size afro and a bit more husk to her voice, Badu's latest material is, for the most part, toned down and smoothed out. Her latest release, Worldwide Underground, contains a string of half-wrought R&B backdrops. But the album's "EP" label suggests it's a mere link between full-fledged studio efforts, not to be taken as the real follow-up to 2000's Mama¹s Gun. The standout single "Danger" finds Badu spouting the internal monologue of a coke dealer's girlfriend with anxious riffs swirling around it. Tickets $39.50. -- Cristina Diettinger

Twangorama, with special guest June Yamagishi 9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5 Carrollton Station, 8140 Willow St., 861-9718 The men of Twangorama are calling their series of guest stars "Seriously Twisted Guitar Thursdays," and how could it be anything else with this lineup? Twangorama itself has been known to have some sanity-challenged players with serious chops. Guitarist Jimmy Robinson has been righteously waving the progressive rock flag with his band Woodenhead. Cranston Clements is a low-key favorite of players and singers all over town. Phil De Gruy, owner of the guitarp (a hybrid guitar equipped with additional harp strings), has the most surreal sense of humor in New Orleans. This week's guest, June Yamagishi, is a monster of a guitarist. His onstage and studio time with the Wild Magnolias and Papa Grows Funk has made him the heir to Leo Nocentelli in the funk guitar realm. Tickets $7. -- David Kunian

SweetArts Ball 8:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday, Feb. 6 Contemporary Arts Center, 900 Camp St., 528-3800 Described as an evening blending "the revelry and romance" of both Mardi Gras and Valentine's Day, the Contemporary Arts Center's annual gala SweetArts Ball this year boasts the theme "The Birds & The Bees." A nod to the space's new exhibit of bird- and flight-inspired art, Birdspace: A Post-Audubon Artists Aviary, the theme will be carried out in numerous rooms within the CAC decorated by top local artists and designers, bringing partygoers into realms such as the lush Garden of Eden, the dance-friendly Beyond the Clouds and Shotgun-Wedding Chapel (where an Elvis impersonator will perform fake and real marriage ceremonies). The other senses are treated to catered cuisine from area restaurants, visual and performance art, an open bar, and live music from Henry Butler, Invisible Cowboy and Phillip Manuel. Attire is black tie or costume. Tickets $50-$150, with options including late-night admission, an honorees' party and more. -- Etheridge

Rickie Lee Jones 10 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6 The Howlin' Wolf, 828 S. Peters St., 529-WOLF Rickie Lee Jones tours in support of her first all-originals album in six years Friday at The Howlin' Wolf. Rickie Lee Jones and New Orleans go way back; in the early '80s, she rented an apartment down on lower Decatur Street, hung out with Dr. John, and was mesmerized by a piano player named James Booker. It's been nearly four years since Jones performed here, and six since her last all-originals album. But she's back with a vengeance with last fall's politically charged release, The Evening of My Best Day. Loose, jazzy, bluesy, funky with a dash of gospel, Best Day is a wolf in sheep's clothing as Jones comes out of her musical hibernation to decry the autocratic post-9/11 world in which we live. "Tell somebody that democracy is only as good as the voices of protest that you protect," she testifies just before the fade-out to "Tell Somebody (Repeal the Patriot Act)." And check out the guest performers: Eric Benet, Bill Frisell, Grant Lee Phillips, Ben Harper and David Hidalgo, just to name a few. Tickets $25. -- David Lee Simmons

The Rok'um Sok'um Tour 10 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6 Tiptina's, 501 Napoleon Ave., 895-TIPS It's an abrupt deviation from brass bands, funk throw-downs, and touring rock acts, but Tipitina's will take a step off the beaten path Friday when it becomes a stop on the Rok'um Sok'um Tour. This controversial traveling show is an all-out "hardcore midget brawl" with little people in the spotlight. Touting the slogan "No silence, all violence," and names like Vomit, Chuckie Smooth, and Puppet the Psycho Dwarf, participants take each other on in bloody events such as no-rules boxing and weapons-allowed wrestling. The tour boasts completely real fighting, unlike, say, the World Wrestling Federation's "fake" wrestling. ("Midgets will bleed for your enjoyment," the tour's Web site promises.) But before all that, the little people host drinking contests, twisted games and a comedy routine. Two local bands provide the hard-rock warm-up: all-female trio the Hazard County Girls and macabre-themed outfit Rock City Morgue, featuring singer Rik Slave and bassist Sean Yseult. Tickets $10. -- Diettinger

David Copperfield: An Intimate Evening of Grand Illusion 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Saturday, 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 7-8 Saenger Theatre, 147 N. Rampart St., 524-2490 The latest exploration of master magician David Copperfield ventures into that elusive netherworld we all share in alternate doses of joy, fright and meaning: dreams. The goal of Copperfield in his "Grand Illusion" show is to take dreams and make them reality, which he views as a vital step toward making his magic relevent and revealing in people's lives. The interactive show brings volunteer audience members to the stage for such journeys as reunions with loved ones, with Copperfield sending them to a freely selected location to find one another -- all of which unfolds onstage. Tickets $40-$50. -- Etheridge

Krewe du Vieux parade 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7 Faubourg Marigny/French Quarter Unless you're a confirmed blueblood, the Krewe du Vieux often feels like the first pitch of the Carnival season -- and what a way to get things started. Sure, the scatological, pun-driven humor often feels like it was concocted during a bender (was it?), but nobody beats this krewe when it comes to down-and-dirty satire. This year's theme is "Quest for Immorality," and the Queen is children's book author and noted storyteller Coleen Salley. Imagine the stories she'll have to tell after this parade, which starts at the corner of Port and Decatur streets and snakes through Faubourg Marigny and the French Quarter before hitting the State Palace Theatre for the annual ball. This year's headliner: Marcia Ball, with the Theresa Andersson Group doing the late-night chores. Tickets available through krewe members and at Louisiana Music Factory (210 Decatur St., 586-1094). For the parade route and more details, visit www.kreweduvieux.org. -- Simmons

The Merry Widow 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 7-8 Jefferson Performing Arts Center, 400 Phlox St., Metairie, 885-2000 Hungarian-born composer Franz Lehar is credited by many for helping to inspire America's tradition of musical theater with his seminal tale, The Merry Widow, which premiered in 1905 and made Lehar a multi-millionaire just two years later. With the plot following numerous suitors trying to win the love of wealthy widow Hanna Glawari, the backdrop is one of elegance and decadence. The score and sexy dancers have long been considered the play's lasting legacies. For this production, the Jefferson Performing Arts Society has recruited director Robert Johanson, who looks to the New York City Opera's 1996 PBS performance for inspiration. Nancy Ross (Violetta in JPAS' 2001 La Traviata) stars as Widow Glawari. Dennis G. Assaf directs the JPAS Symphony Orchestra. Tickets $28 orchestra, $26 balcony, $12 students/children. More info on www.jpas.org. -- Etheridge

Jazz Extravaganza: A Nawlins Grammy Evening 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7 St. Peter Claver Church, 1910 Ursulines Ave., 822-8059 A stellar and diverse list of local Grammy-nominated musicians will perform for St. Peter Claver's fifth annual Jazz Extravaganza. First on the program is vocalist B.J. "Lady B.J." Crosby, a high-energy Broadway performer whose 2003 Extravaganza performance sealed a return invitation this year. Donald Harrison Jr., a regular performer at the event who is credited with helping to shape Jazz Extravaganza, will use his alto saxophone to explore modern jazz with local twists. Trumpeter Irvin Mayfield, recently anointed Cultural Ambassador of New Orleans and founder of the acclaimed 21-piece New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, will also perform. Following Mayfield is another revered local trumpeter, Nicholas Payton, whose stellar Sonic Trance album finds the NOCCA alum up for another Grammy in 2004. Tickets to Jazz Extravaganza range in price from $100 for two to $5,000, with various packages offering a huge variety of lagniappe. -- Etheridge

The Gossip 10 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 8 Mermaid Lounge, 1100 Constance St., 524-4747 A minor member of the early-2000s retro-rock wave, Olympia, Wash., trio The Gossip started a band out of boredom and promptly landed on the indie-hipster label Kill Rock Stars. With a much-buzzed-about debut, 2000's That¹s Not What I Heard, the trio rounded up interest in the gay community, probably due to vocalist Beth's outward lesbian dirty talk. The Gossip has a decidedly raw garage rock sound, but Beth harbors a powerful set of soul-drenched pipes. And though her sloppy intonation can grate on perfectionists' ears, she sure makes her voice heard. A self-proclaimed "writer, performer and leftist," Beth likes to perform in her bra, and the other band members and the audience often join in. Delightfully unapologetic about her 200-pound frame, she encourages her audiences to buck societal norms. Could she be any more rock 'n' roll? Call club for cover. -- Diettinger

Charles Barbier: Artists in Detail Through February LeMieux Galleries, 332 Julia St., 522-5988 Ever wonder where artists, writers, musicians and all those other creative types get their ideas? Must be the Muse, right? Well, maybe sometimes. Quite often, artists, writers and musicians get their ideas from other artists, writers and musicians. This is traditional, and it's only bad if it's an outright knock-off. Unlike some artists, Baton Rouge painter Charles Barbier is happy to pay homage to those he admires most, and his portraits of artists such as Chuck Close, Salvador Dali, Vincent Van Gogh and M.C. Escher employ dramatic contrast to highlight various facets of their lives and personalities. Barbier's work has always been about contrasts, not merely of the dark and light, the drab and the colorful, but also the ironic contrasts of the humorous and the somber -- the trials and tribulations of the human spirit that resides in everyone. -- D. Eric Bookhardt