When DJ Sinna-G started managing the Dance World stage at Denver PrideFest 10 years ago, there was an eight-inch riser off the ground and a collapsible six-foot folding table that “had splinters,” plus a small banner. Now, there’s a stage raised off the ground five or six feet, LED screens and a “ginormous rainbow inflatable” in the middle of the stage, she said.
“Every year I have asked for a little more, and they gave it to me,” Sinna-G said. “The Center on Colfax gave that to me and gave it to the community. It just looks so cool, and it feels so cool, and it's so professional looking and professional sounding. I'm so proud of where it's come to.”
Absolut Dance World has blossomed into a high-energy locale with DJs and go-go dancers performing all day at the festival
She said she has tried to save as much money as possible for booking outside talent over the years because she knows the money raised at PrideFest all goes back to The Center.
Sinna-G is a member of the PrideFest planning committee, which is mostly volunteer. She’s been a DJ since 1999 and played her first Denver Pride in 2011. Managing the stage started a few years later in 2015. This year will be her last in the role. She’s moving on, saying her three other jobs keep her busy and tired.
“Some of the most memorable experiences of my life have been playing on that stage every year, so there is a sadness that I'm choosing to back away. We'll see how that goes.”
She admitted there’s a chance she’ll return to the stage as a DJ or stage manager of Dance World, which she talked about with pride: “It’s just its own force.”
It’s a lot of "boots" and "cats," she joked. “If you're into club music and high-energy dance music and just a vibe where everybody is dancing and smiling and having a great time, that's where you want to be. The energy is over the top.”
Some of the music people might be familiar with and some not. She said the overall energy is something for everyone to experience, and she guaranteed a good time at the stage over by the McNichols Building.
DJ Sinna-G has also been an emcee for the Denver Pride Parade
If you’re a first timer to PrideFest, she encourages you to come “celebrate your true, authentic self and be in an environment unlike any other thing and feeling and energy in the world, with the amount of love and acceptance and support and good vibes and good energy and smiling faces and positivity. It's just such a welcoming space for anybody and everybody, no matter how you identify, no matter what you look like, no matter what your age is.”
And she hopes people will take away the feeling of unity, not just from the two days in the weekend in June.
“It's about an entire remainder of the year. If you're proud to identify either as an LGBTQ+ member or an ally of the community, there is still a way that you can show that even on the outskirts for the remainder of that calendar year by simply attending PrideFest in those two days.”
Sinna-G is fired up about a recent newspaper opinion article suggesting people should avoid Denver PrideFest, with the headline “Ditch Rainbow Capitalism.”
“I really hope, maybe collectively, the goal is to continually educate the public in Denver on what all of it is,” she said. “Because I think it would really, really be important to do that. Instead of telling people not to go, everybody will know the reasons why they should go.”
Those reasons, she said, include supporting local, small mom and pop businesses and vendors, as well as raising money for The Center, which helps support programs for the community for the entire calendar year.
DJ Sinna-G poses for a picture with the go-go dancers on stage
“It's so much more than just those two days. You don't even realize it, but you're able to give back and continue that prideful feeling.”
She said she’ll take the prideful feeling with her after the end of her time on the PrideFest organizing committee.
“I could cry,” she said, talking about the people she has worked with. She called them “amazing people who work really hard to make sure they're providing a safe environment and an inclusive environment.”
She has forged close relationships and watched the growth of PrideFest, including the talented DJs who have taken the stage. And when asked about a memory that stands out from her decade of work, she talked about the appearance on stage in 2023 of DJ T-BeatZ, a survivor of the 2022 Club Q massacre in Colorado Springs.
“It was unbelievable to have her there,” she said. “It was her first event back since that horrible day. That was really emotional to see. And to look out and see everybody’s smiling faces and dancing, you can't describe that feeling. You can't take material stuff with you when you go, but you can always take the memories of your life with you when you go.”
DJ-Sinna-G volunteers her time, as do the DJs on stage and the go-go dancers who are out in the heat, “dancing in 90 degrees around the clock” for hours. Only the headliners are paid, she said. They all do what they do to give back to the community. Her hope is that her time on the stage will also inspire other DJs to get a start.
She said she feels gratitude to The Center for all the years working together, and to the people who show up to dance.
“I just want to thank all the people year after year after year. We're talking thousands and thousands of people who have come to support Denver PrideFest and donned their glitter and rainbows. Happy, smiley, loving faces. I want to thank each and every one of them for being a part of the memories that I'll take with me forever.”
About the Author: Linda Kotsaftis
With over 25 years of experience in the broadcast media industry, Linda is an innovative content leader who works to create impactful, engaging, and diverse stories for various audiences and platforms. Linda is the current editor of Front Porch Newspaper and the winner of multiple awards for her work in journalism, diversity, equity, inclusion, and innovation.
Linda has joined The Center as a contract journalist to uplift the stories of Denver Pride through the eyes of our community. Click here to discover more Stories of Pride.