Qmmunity: Peace, Love, and the House of Juicy
Legendary Father Akasha and princess BabiBoi talk the new Central Texas chapter of Juicy Couture
By James Scott, Fri., Feb. 23, 2024
Ever since he can remember, Akasha wanted to be a Juicy. The legendary kiki house, started in the late Aughts by Icon Courtney ToPanga Washington, has chapters all across the nation spreading its reputation for outstanding talent. In 2022, after representing it since 2019 in clubs and on-screen in Max’s competition show Legendary, Akasha brought Juicy to Central Texas as its Father.
“I’ve known about ballroom since 2009,” Akasha recalls in our phone interview. “Since like 2013, I would watch videos on YouTube and you would hear that chanting, the House chant like 'Jui-cay!’ It would just get me up.”
His recollection mirrors that of many ballroom hopefuls, as Central Texas Juicy princess BabiBoi says when describing the folks flocking to Vogue Nights both in ATX and San Antonio – now joint-run between Juicy and House of Lepore. “Every Vogue Nights, there’s new people that I’ve never seen before,” he says. “They’re showing up and they’re, like, turning it. Then like you ask them where they learned this from, and they just practice in their bedroom by themselves. They watch the ballroom clips on YouTube, and they study it.”
That youthful energy is what marks Juicy as a kiki house: In ballroom, kiki houses are often named after less high fashion or street-wear focused brands like Juicy or Nike, whereas a house being “mainstream” denotes a long legacy dating back to ballroom’s beginnings in the Seventies with style stronghold names like Gucci or Ebony. By bringing a new Central Texas chapter to Juicy, both BabiBoi and Akasha hope to encourage more young kiki enthusiasm. “Just having the space for them to bring that out of their bedroom and bring it to the community is really dope,” BabiBoi says.
But enthusiasm isn’t all that’s required to build out a successful chapter: According to Akasha, “It requires members, talent, and it’s also a family unit.” What draws people to Juicy Couture is its level of talent. After all, that’s what pulled him in: watching the strong performances online of Juicy voguers in New York. It’s also what keeps a chapter alive. “The overseers who are, you know, overseeing all of the south ... they look at us and are looking at our chapter saying, 'Alright, is this up to par?’” Akasha explains. “Like if we don’t give what they want, they’re just gonna strike it down probably. We have to have a high standard so that we don’t look foolish.”
Maintaining that high standard while also building up a bigger Juicy family poses a difficult but not impossible journey, but BabiBoi says they’re focusing on “quality over quantity.” While he says this is not necessarily a challenge due to growing interest in ballroom, “the more challenging part is finding people who are willing to be committed and sort of take it seriously,” BabiBoi admits. “People want to be a part of something. But being a part of something doesn’t mean that you get to come in, say that you’re in a house, but then be gone for four or five months and not show up, not practice, not really push yourself.” What the new Central Texas chapter demands is commitment. “We’d rather have a few people who really take it seriously,” BabiBoi says. “Really take the time to cultivate their talents and what they can bring to the table.”
As February nears its close, the CTX Juicys count two anniversaries: two years of Vogue Nights in Austin, and a year of Vogue Nights in San Antonio. Those goal posts are exciting, but they’re nowhere near the final score the Juicys want to make. “Just one year, two years is nothing,” BabiBoi says. “Those are like baby years for what might eventually turn into a decade or two decades. By the decade mark, like, ballroom in Texas should be a huge thing where it’s televised type thing, or people fly in from other states [or countries] to compete.” They also want to see a great diversity of houses represented and acknowledged in Central Texas. “There should be like 10 houses that come to mind when you think of ballroom in Texas,” BabiBoi says, “like, even as a spectator, as someone who’s not competing.”
On the horizon in March will be several opportunities for ballroom curious and committed folks to check out Juicy. For example, March 14 will bring the Bestie Ball, an unofficial South by Southwest event with categories themed around pop-culture couples. Being unofficial calls to mind the main goal of ballroom – providing a place outside of often white-centric spaces for Black and brown queer people, which BabiBoi explains came from needing an alternative to the white-focused drag pageants of the past. Of course, he adds that in the tumultuous state of Texas, that issue still rears its ugly head. “Ballroom, you know, it’s a place for Black and brown queer people, especially Black and brown youth, to come and find their support systems,” they say. “In these times we should be leaning into it more, providing these spaces.”
Stoplight Party
Friday 23, Cheer Up Charlies
Whether you’re green, yellow, blue, or red, Local Queer ATX’s color coordination party will find you a cutie to boogie down with.
Drag Me to the Tavern
Saturday 24, the Tiny Minotaur
Hail and well met, traveler, and join host Sir TRT (Travis Randy Travis) at this drag show featuring the talents of Sinful Purchase, Jenna Talia, Solovino, and Tangelo.
Chiqq Presents: Burlesque
Sunday 25, the Cathedral
Find chocolate-dipped strawberries, body painting, and a color-coded system for love at this sensual affair, plus tons more.
Non-Binary Square Dance
Tuesday 27, Cheer Up Charlies
Does doing a two-step feel too ... binary to you? Join workout queen Erica Nix for a nonbiney dance class to cure your gender blues.
