BAPPs Juneteenth Extravaganza Coming to ReelWorks June 17
Juneteenth is culturally celebrated as the time when southern slaves learned of their emancipation.
Black American Princes and Princesses, often referred to as BAPs or BAPPs, became a cultural phenomenon and were depicted in the media frequently as affluent POC who enjoyed fame and wealth. Oftentimes the undertones to the BAPs movement came with an acknowledgment that access to such a lifestyle would not have become possible without the emancipation that is celebrated as Juneteenth.
Keeping this theme in mind, Asya Toney (she/her), who works as the dance manager at Tracks Denver, partnered with good friend Stalli Wilde (they/them) to combine their visions, bringing their very own style of Juneteenth celebration to ReelWorks Denver. The BAPPs Juneteenth Show is a cultural extravaganza, celebrating the Afro-legacy of Black excellence throughout the ages. In its inaugural year, the BAPPs is a jubilee commemorating Black ancestral freedom which provided many of the foundations for the society in which many marginalized communities all live and love to this day.
“A really good friend of mine, Stalli Wilde, another drag performer in Denver, came up to me and said, ‘We’ve not really had the Juneteenth celebration that we all deserve. Would you be interested in working together to produce a really great Juneteenth show?’ and I was like, ‘Yes, absolutely, I want to do that,’” says Toney about the inspiration behind the upcoming BAPPs Juneteenth show this June.
Toney performs locally and has established herself as drag performer Freda Slaves. As founder and CEO of American Pharaoh Productions LLC, Toney has a background in musical theater and various styles of dance. She holds multiple degrees in performance art from schools around the world. In 2019, Toney’s original cabaret, American Pharaoh debuted at the London West End. By 2020, Toney was producing the first-ever Virtual Black Pride in Colorado. Known as a Ballroom Assassin for her energetic, high-caliber performances, Asya is a fierce force to be reckoned with in the Denver queer and POC communities.
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Hailing from Fort Smith, Arkansas, Wilde is known as Denver’s Wilde Card, calling the mountains home. Wilde is a dancer, singer, musician, and formally a pageant entertainer. Producing and performing regularly at local events across the Denver Metro Area, Wilde is well known and well respected amongst Denver’s elite community of drag performers.
BAPPs is produced by Axel and American Pharaoh Productions. This Juneteenth party is open to everyone and kicks off on June 17, 2023, with a Block Party at Rainbow Alley starting at 3 p.m. This all-ages party will feature music by G2. Later that evening, ReelWorks opens its doors to patrons 21+ for the BAPPS show with music by DJ Blaque Gurl. Featured performers include local icons Porsha DeMarco-Douglas, Mikki Miraj, Brittany Blaze-Shearz, Isaiah West, and Remy Dee. On the Tracks side, partygoers can enjoy a Juneteenth Dance Party and a Motown Lounge from 9 p.m. until 2 a.m. Tickets start at $10.00 for the Block Party and VIP passes are available.
Featured image credit Asya Toney/American Pharaoh Productions
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