After finishing their stretches to warm up for their practice, dancers ages five to 18 lined up along bright blue painted walls facing rows of mirrors as they awaited further instruction in the Platinum Divaz Dance Studio.
“Get into your two lines. Juneteenth is this weekend and we need to practice our walks,” instructed 13-year-old Si’Ana Carter, current captain of the Platinum Divaz. The annual parade is a few days away and 2024 will mark the 12th year of the team performing at the celebration.
As they began practicing their walks they moved from slow to fast-paced music.
“I’m a bit overwhelmed because there’s a lot of new choreo for the parade,” expresses ten-year-old dancer Evie Armstrong.
Juneteenth–also known as Freedom Day or Jubilee Day–commemorates the official end of chattel slavery in the U.S. On June 19, 1865, Union Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas to inform the still-enslaved Black Americans of their freedom. Granger’s announcement came approximately two months after Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered and two-and-a-half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. On June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act officially recognizing it as a federal holiday. Despite this being the third year the holiday is recognized on a federal level, it’s been a traditional celebration in Colorado since 1966, marking the 58th annual Juneteenth celebration. The day is filled with different styles of dance, music and art to embrace African Americans’ culture.
“The Platinum Divaz can’t wait. I think it’s good for them to continue to participate so they can know their history and how important it is that they don’t have to deal with what those who have come before them went through. It gives them a chance to see unity within the community,” said head coach Chiniqua Jackson. “For the girls, it’s a celebration and a chance for them to get out and show their talents to the community. It gives them pride to know they are supporting and connecting with their community.”
Not even hardships during a pandemic stopped the celebration of Juneteenth. In 2021 during the pandemic, Colorado was permitted to have a drive-by parade.
“Watching the Juneteenth parade during the COVID-19 pandemic made me feel empowered because I saw how many people came together during a pandemic and it made me think about how we continue to do it no matter what,” said assistant coach Stanisha Evans-Snellson.
The Platinum Divaz is one of the longest-standing dance organizations in the Denver metro area. They have been an established team for 11 years, but some of the girls performed the first year as an informal group. The organization teaches girls and boys from the ages of five to 18 majorette, hip-hop, cheer and step. The team has become well-known in the community over the years through its performances and community work. Juneteenth is one of the biggest events they participate in, with nearly 5,000 attendees, and it comes with long, hard-working practices for the team. Many of the girls on the team expressed feeling anxious and nervous leading up to their participation in the Juneteenth parade.
“I want to perform well because as the captain, there’s a lot of pressure. When we have our outfits on it’s like we’re a whole different person. People will point to us afterwards and say ‘That’s the Diva captain,’ so it makes me feel good,” Carter said.
Others on the team are looking forward to the community experience and connecting with their peers.
“I like being able to have an event that represents our community and talking to other dance teams in the youth zone,” mentions twelve-year-old dancer Leilani Hayes.
The youth zone is a designated kid-friendly area set up for the event filled with games, rides and performances by other youth groups.
“The Divaz set up the youth zone with different attractions and games. It’s fun for them because they get to work while giving back to the community. They enjoy interacting with all the people that come by and seeing the talent that performs,” Jackson said. “I think it’s big because a lot of the time there’s not a space for kids to have something safe to do, so it’s nice for us to be able to provide that outlet.”
“When we’re in the youth zone and we get to see other teams perform we cheer each other on while we’re dancing,” said 14-year-old dancer Kylaya Summers.
The dancers feel unity and support as they watch each other express themselves creatively. Participating in Juneteenth provides an opportunity for the African American community to embrace and showcase any and all aspects of their culture. This year’s Juneteenth block party, parade and concert will be held June 15 at 2701 Welton St., where the Platinum Divaz will be performing.
“The Platinum Divaz are gonna show out for Juneteenth every year because that’s what we do!” Jackson said.