Synopsis
Big Freedia turns "Excuse" into an exuberant bounce lesson staged against a stark desert-like backdrop. Surrounded by dancers, she demonstrates a series of increasingly outrageous moves while the participants try to keep up, with comic interruptions, athletic poses, and plenty of booty-shaking along the way. The playful instructional setup gradually becomes a full-on dance party, with Freedia remaining the commanding center of attention. The clip captures the communal, physical energy of New Orleans bounce while presenting its choreography with a knowingly theatrical sense of humor.
Factoids & Trivia
- "Excuse" appeared on the five-song *Scion A/V Presents: Big Freedia* EP, released in 2011. The project represented Freedia's first national release.
- The video was funded entirely by Scion A/V as part of the company's music initiative.
- The clip was presented as an actual bounce class, turning the visual into a playful introduction to the dance style rather than a conventional performance video.
- Choreographer Mitchell Wayne worked with a large ensemble that included Corinne Loperfido, Amanda Rich, Heather Loop, Devon, Altercation, Lord Glam, Ahmad, and Rusty, alongside Big Freedia.
- The video's deliberately surreal combination of desert imagery, exaggerated costumes, comic physicality, and instructional choreography helped make "Excuse" one of Freedia's most recognizable early clips.
- The song later received a contrasting reworking from Seattle dream-pop band Hibou in 2015. That version softened the track with airy vocals and lush synths while retaining its bounce foundation.
- "Excuse" became a recurring fan favorite in Freedia's live shows and was also used for dance demonstrations, including a 2013 twerk tutorial made with Complex.