Saturday night’s third annual BaoBao Festival at the Boulder Theater will celebrate world beats from across the globe, but its main focus is rooted in the traditions surrounding a stately African tree. “In Africa we have these trees called bao-
bab, and that’s where you gather to sing, dance, storytell and drum together,” says dancer/choreographer Adjei Abankwah, who founded the festival in 2004. “I wanted to educate people on what we do in Africa, and I was so surprised; the turnout was amazing the first and second year.”
Abankwah came to Boulder from Ghana four years ago as part of the Ghana Dance Ensemble, where he worked as a principal dancer, musician and choreographer for 11 years. He found a scene in Boulder that suited his lifestyle: He loves to dance and explore multicultural aspects of the performing arts. Now he teaches African dance and music, and plays percussion for his Afro-pop band Charlie Sounds.
Abankwah will be joined at the festival by other performers from Ghana, including Kwesi Brown, who wrote “Aku Sika,” the main performance at Saturday’s festival. The story offers a new take on an ancient folk tale, and showcases traditional dances performed by area dance students. “The music, dance, drums and storyteller will perform at the same time like back home,” Brown says.
The festival’s offerings extend beyond West African traditions, incorporating Middle Eastern belly-dance troupes and modern Afro-pop and reggae music. Abankwah wanted to include other cultural aspects because the BaoBao festival, he says, is about “building community together.”
Join the community Saturday night at the Boulder Theater; 7 p.m., all ages, $10.50 student/$15 adult, 303-786-7030.
Going with the Flow
There’s a different sort of community forming at Flow Lounge tonight in the Luna Hotel (1612 Wazee St.). Denver’s Community Recordings hosts a monthly DJ night in the lounge on the first Friday of each month, and tonight it offers three guests behind the decks. DJ Halo (formerly of Denver’s H-Foundation with DJ Hippie) is in town from his home in San Diego, along with his current musical comrade DJ Duane. Joining the party is DJ Jonene, a.k.a. Jonny Kaboom of San Francisco’s legendary “Stompy” parties.
The lounge party is just the warm-up for the real event, a private after-party, which kicks off when the bar closes at 2 a.m. and continues until 5 a.m. Sunday. Want an invite? Just hit the lounge between 9 p.m. and 1 a.m. and make sure you hook up with a Community membership card to get into the private party. $10, 9 p.m., 303-572-3300.
Three nights, three clubs
Francois Baptiste and Alvin LaCabe of 3 Deep Productions have their hands full these days. The promoters have been throwing some of Denver’s hottest urban-themed club nights and one-off parties for years, but now they have three consecutive nights running weekly at three separate clubs.
Thursday nights, they continue to draw crowds to Vinyl nightclub (1082 Broadway) for Reggae in the Room, held in the enclosed portion of the rooftop patio until warmer weather returns it to the outdoor area where it launched last summer.
Baptiste says he has hot plans for summer, including a happy hour with live steel drum bands and island cocktail specials.
Friday nights the pair move the party to Spy Bar & Lounge (500 16th St.), where their “Juicy” club night with DJ Sabotage brings in a lounge crowd. “It’s more of a social atmosphere, not based on dancing,” Baptiste says. And Saturday night’s “Plush” kicked off a month ago at Club Evolution (821 22nd St.), with DJ Chief Rocka of the Radiobums mixing hip-hop and R&B.
“It’s kind of two clubs in one,” Baptiste says. “Upstairs is the lounge and pool table where people can go up and have a drink, and downstairs it’s the club and the dance floor.”
Kat Valentine writes about nightlife Fridays in 7Days. Reach her at kat@kingproduction.com or call 303-820-1568.
