The Blak/ˈByo͞odē (The Black Beauty)
Friday, June 2, 7:00 PM
Saturday, June 3 and Sunday, June 4, 12:00 PM
Exhibition Park, 81 London Rd W
Friday inclement weather location: Royal City Mission Church, 50 Quebec St
Saturday and Sunday inclement weather location: Old Quebec St Shoppes, 55 Wyndham St N
ABOUT THE WORK
The Blak/ˈByo͞odē is a piece that embodies Black beauty at its core reflecting on the intimate moments of Black womxn while deconstructing the resilience and constant battles of the beauty industry. The needs to tear down the stigmas of the beauty industry while exploring the boundless essence of Black womxn. Black brands only make up 2.5% of the industry and yet 11.7% of the industry is Black consumers. Challenging the norms while boosting melanin identity will give viewers an opportunity to connect on an emotional journey. This piece will allow you to explore and experience softness while connecting to empowerment through movement of body, music, speech and design.
CHOREOGRAPHER
Kween
PERFORMERS & CO-CHOREOGRAPHY
Kween, Alexis “Lex” Charles, Raechele Lovell, Dominique Myrie
MUSIC
‘Papillion’ by Alexis Ffrench, ‘Cocoa Butter’ by AIZA
POETRY
Natalie Ann Poetry
ABOUT THE COMPANY
The Kween Company is a female and Black-owned company. The Kween Company is recognized as a brave space for members of the Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) community and used as a platform to support small businesses, provide mentorship and educate oneself to seek higher knowledge. TKC is a one stop hub for BIPOC owned and operated businesses supporting through event, educations and entertainment. It also supports BIPOC creatives in the cannabis, dance and artist space while offering education and awareness in activism and on political issues.
ABOUT THE CHOREOGRAPHER
Thadinadonnih (Guelph) born and raised, University of Guelph Alumni, Valedictorian from the Randolph Academy for Performing Arts, Kween is a Black settler living out her passions. She is a dancer, teacher, actor, choreographer, director, producer, advocate, curator, marketing/social media guru, TedX and International Speaker and co-contributing Author to 100 Women of Inspiration and The Stage Light Flickers.
Kween is the CEO and owner of The Kween Company and Co-owns The Heels Academy. Kween is the leader of Solidarity March in Support of BLM in 2020 and the past Executive Director and Social Justice Initiatives Coordinator for Guelph Black Heritage Society. Kween is also host and community producer on Rogers Channel 20 with “Diverse and Converse”, a BIPOC panel discussion. Kween specialized in EDI work specially for Violence, Oppression, Harm and Indiegious Relationship Building.
Kween held a Residency with Guelph Dance in 2020/2021, was winner of Woman of the Year 2020, nominee for RBC Women of Influence 2021, Women of Inspiration 2021 Finalist and nominee for RBC Canadian Entrepreneur Awards 2022, Women Who Rock Awards 2022, a Miss Canada 2013 Finalist and National Canadian Miss – Ms Guelph 2023 Delegate.
ACKNOWLEDGEMTS
A huge thanks to Alexis, Raechelle and Dominique for their essence and presence. You are the embodiment of beauty and grace, yall bad gyals with soft gyal energy. I am so proud of each of you for giving your souls and spirits to this piece, the process and the creation. Thanks to our spaces for brave dance and creation with Moonlight Yoga. To Natalie Ann for sharing her beautiful poetry, to Aiza and Alexis for sharing their music and talents, to Burju Heels for the sponsorship of the heels and bodysuits and the ongoing collaboration – this project came to life because of your company and belief in us. To Zaria – the hidden visual talent, the one behind the designs that came to life on the Burju Heels. An extra special shout out to my Mommalicious and my Partner in all things Curtis who always hold me down. lift me up and cheerlead for me. To all my girls and to all my sistah’s, sistars and beautiful Black womxn who continue to ripple through life so flawlessly. To Guelph Dance for providing the opportunity to create and bring new and old pieces to life for so many artists. And to God – ashay to my people!