Tracee Ellis Ross recreates her mom’s “Work That Body” vid

By Rachel paige

August 25, 2015

By Rachel paige

August 25, 2015

How do you show your mom you love her? Things like flowers, dinner dates, and hugs probably come to mind. Well, if you’re Tracee Ellis Ross, you do all of those things, and then kick it up a notch and recreate your favorite music video. Oh, but your most favorite music video is actually one of your mom’s music videos.

Just who is Ross’ mom? None other than the legendary Diana Ross. The younger Ross decided to surprise her mom by recreating her 1981 “Work That Body” video, and donning the same colorful leotards that her mom did 35 years ago. In an almost shot-for-shot remake, Ross dances around, while images of her mom’s music video from way-back-when fade in and out. Sometimes, Mama Ross and Daughter Ross are even dancing together.

Why recreate “Work That Body” now? As Ross writes on her website, it’s a capitalized “ODE” to her mama, but there’s something else too. This video has been stuck in Ross’ head for nearly her whole life, and she even recognizes that what her mom wore is echoed in a lot of the scantily-clad music videos of today. But Ross feels different about the OG “Work That Body” video because for her, her mother “[feels] whole and connected . . . and in her body.”

“I saw a woman feeling joyful in herself as a whole being; she didn’t seem to be presenting her [tush] or saying look at all the ways I can make myself look appealing to YOU,” Ross says. “She seems to be saying, ‘this is ME feeling good and I am strong and sexy and joyful in ME!’”

That’s when it hit Ross that it was time to put on the neon-colored leotard and dance around, and “try to feel the joy of being in my body while offering up tribute to my glorious mother.”

Yes, YES, a million times YES. This is Amazing with a capital A. And guys, Ross is ridiculously FIERCE in the “Work That Body” tribute video. It’s impossible to watch it and 1). Not cry from the mother-daughter feels, and 2). Not want to get up and dance around yourself.

So what are you waiting for? Hit PLAY for the feel-good dance video of the summer (maybe even the year).