Hip Hop Pop have provided a safe place for members of the LGBTQI+ community to learn street dance in the UK for the past 18 years. The pride movement is very close to our hearts here at Hip Hop Pop, and with June being Pride month in the UK we wanted to take the opportunity to share this special blog post.
This special post contains a brand new pride performance by our students young and old and the low down on how we as a company have celebrated pride in the past. We also provide a quick 101 guide for those of you wanting to know more about pride. Ever wondered; What's the lgbtqi meaning of each letter or lgbtquia meaning of each letter? Where's the best LGBTQI+ community near me? When is pride day? We can help with these most common questions.
Read to the end to find our brand new 'Happy Pride 2020' video.
I'm proud, but let's share some honesty
"Growing up in Harlow in the 80's and 90's, I felt alone in my quest to figure out who I was..."
...or what my preferences were. The underlying feeling since about the age of 12 knowing that I wasn't that in to boys, made for a difficult time at school, when back then, being 'gay' wasn't as accepted and well integrated into society as it is now. Even moving on to college at 16, I knew of no one who was gay my age, no one to chat to, and knew of no communities to reach out to. Thankfully I had a supportive family and great friends, and was able to live my true self.
Today 20 years later, I am so happy to see Harlow and many towns in the UK building strong LGBT+ communities, with all of us being better educated and able to accept others who identify differently to the 'perceived social norm'. There's still of course a way to go in some respects, but wow what a difference those years have made already.
I am proud to be gay, my wife, Victoria (Director of Hip Hop Pop also) and I, have been friends for 20 years, together for 11 and married for 6 at the time of writing this article. We have seen the LGBT+ community grow in the past 2 decades and we want be a part of its future too. Hip Hop Pop provide a safe place for the LGBT+ community to learn street dance. We want to give everyone a safe place to be themselves, we want to be living evidence that you can achieve success no matter how you identify.
"Our company mission is to bring Authentic Street Dance to EVERYBODY, no matter your age, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion etc. Hip Hop Pop is open to EVERYONE"
Victoria and I recently featured in the music video to Nora Mac's 'Bad Love' as a couple. We were very grateful to be asked to dance along side so many talented dancers, and were proud to have shared a little of ourselves here in this heart warming new music video.
How has Hip Hop Pop celebrated pride in the past?
The first year Hip Hop Pop actively took part in a pride event as a company was a huge deal! In June 2013, Forever Jackson -Europe’s number 1 Michael Jackson show- which I choreograph and Hip Hop Pop provides dancers for were invited to headline Barcelona Pride!
Let me set the scene... A beautiful beach stretch, on which was set a huge stage with an enormous LED screen back drop and a PA you could hear from miles away was set up. The sun began to set... we stepped onto stage to see...
"..what I can only describe as the most gut wrenchingly exciting view, a sea of people that went back so far you couldn't see them anymore!"
With the waves crashing to the right hand side of the stage, 200'000 people were in attendance that year. It was one of the top 3 performing memories of my 31 years dancing!
Hip Hop Pop continued to perform at Barcelona pride another 2 times with Forever Jackson and we hope to again in the future, post Covid-19.
Since 2014, Hip Hop Pop have been invited to perform at Essex Pride every year on the main stage. The very first year we performed at the Chelmsford event, the crowd's applause blew our ear drums! The reaction was one that will never be forgotten and we've loved performing there ever since. Hip Hop Pop always get looked after well by Garry and the team at Essex Pride.
This year, due to Covid 19, Essex Pride was unable to run it's physical event, but they ensured the pride celebrations continued online and Hip Hop Pop were once again proud to be asked to take part. Check out one of our pieces at 1 hour, 32 minutes and 53 seconds of this streamable version fo Essex Pride.
Last year, in 2019, Hip Hop Pop were asked to provide dancers for BGT's favourite drag act The Beyonce Experience, for their adventurous 40 dancer performance at the Harlow Playhouse. We loved doing something completely different and have enjoyed performing with Aaron Carty's Beyonce show ever since. Here's a snippet of our performance at the Harlow Playhouse, on our Facebook Page
As far as Pride performances for Hip Hop Pop go, 2019 has to be at the top! 8 HHP dancers we're excited to perform with The Beyonce Experience live at London Pride! The crowd were cheering and singing along so loud, it was such a buzz up on stage.
Plus we got to meet Bridget Jones, I mean, Renée Zellweger backstage too!
We're set to perform at The Harlow Playhouse's Digital Pride event on the 4th July 2020, details to come! Or you can follow the Playhouse's Facebook Page so you don't miss it!
Before we get to this years new 'Happy Pride 2020' video by Hip Hop Pop members, let's delve into some of the key facts about Pride and all things LGBT+, hopefully answering some of your questions...
Your questions answered...
What is Pride?
Pride is a fantastic and colourful celebration of the sexual diversity of people, and while it is the festival of the LGBT+ community, it’s a wonderful time for people from all backgrounds to join together and celebrate sexual diversity and support their LGBT+ friends and colleagues.
Gay pride or LGBT pride is the promotion of self-affirmation, dignity, equality, and increased visibility of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people as a social group. Pride, as opposed to shame and social stigma, is the predominant outlook that bolsters most LGBT rights movements
When is Pride Month 2020?
Every year, during the month of June, the LGBT community celebrates pride in a number of different ways. Across the globe, various events are held during this special month as a way of recognising the influence LGBT people have had around the world. Why was June chosen? Because it is when the Stonewall Riots took place, way back in 1969.
Looking for an 'LGBT community near me'?
Essex Pride offer an extensive list of support groups, community groups and advice centres via their support page here. Hertfordshire County Council have also published an extensive guide on all things LGBT+ in Herts Right Here.
What does LGBTQQIPSAA full acronym stand for?
LGBTQQIP2SAA stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, queer, intersex, pansexual, two-spirit (2S), androgynous and asexual. Read more about some of these here
You may be wondering if this is the same as LGBTQI or LGBTQUIA? And what the meanings are behind these letters? Or why we use the expressions LGBT+? Let’s answer that.
LGBTQI and LGBTQIA are common abbreviations of the above full acronym. You might be thinking how am I going to make sure I know what the current correct string abbreviation is when talking about that community? Don't worry, that's what the phrase LGBT+ is for, its's an "inclusive" way to represent all the different identities in the full acronym.
Interested in reading further? you can find a full glossary of terminology here
I've heard of LGBTQr, what is that?
LGBTQr is associated with The Get Real Movement, is a youth-focused non-profit group that fights LGBTQ discrimination in Canada. “LGBTQr Code,” is a campaign to help Ontario LGBTQ+ students feel safe in their schools at a time when the government has taken steps to remove or reduce LGBTQ+ education from school curricula. This may not be a UK issue directly, but showing our support for such important non-profit movements is important. You can find QR codes on T-shirts, pins and stickers that link to a microsite containing information about LGBTQ+ terminology and answers to questions. You can read more about the LGBTQr campaign here
Celebrating Pride 2020? Want to know when and where Pride events are?
With over 160 events scheduled in 2020, and sadly an increase in hate crimes towards the LGBTQ community reported in the UK, it's more important than ever to show our visibility. You can get a Full calendar of UK events here. With pride month days, and days to celebrate in other months too, there's plenty going on.
When is Pride Day?
Global Pride day falls on 27th June 2020 yet 'pride month' is a celebration period just as recognised as the singular day. The very first Pride was held in New York on the 28th June 1970.
Celebrating Pride Virtually? Celebrating Pride in Lockdown? Here's some essentials
The Independent has put together an article to list all the awesome ways you can celebrate pride at home during lockdown and you can check it out right here
What does the rainbow mean?
Going back to 1978 artist Gilbert Baker, an openly gay man and a drag queen, designed the first rainbow flag. Baker adopted eight colours for the stripes, each of the colours had its own meaning (hot pink for sex, red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, green for nature, turquoise for art, indigo for harmony, and violet for spirit).
CNN has put together a 2 minute video to help explain what the rainbow means:
Got another question? Get in touch
Thanks for reading our Pride blog today, we appreciate your time, now here's what you've most likely been waiting for!
The 'Happy Pride 2020' Video by Hip Hop Pop students.
What's it all about I hear you ask? We gave Hip Hop Pop students of all ages and abilities at our dance school the opportunity to take part in a lockdown style pride celebration video, the invitation was open to all, to spread the word that 'love is love' and we can all love freely. 40 students came online on Friday 19th June to learn the steps for the video via Zoom. Armed with the choreo, they went off to film themselves performing these steps along with a message of support for pride, the deadline for videos to come back to us was 24 hours after they had learnt the steps, and what a great job they did so quickly. We can't wait to share this video with you.
The track, We Got Love by Sigala and Ella Henderson was perfect for the video, the chorus lyrics and the happy fun celebratory vibe of the song were ideal. If this video makes you smile, tap your feet, get up and dance or warms your heart, please share it with your friends on your social media platforms and spread the love for Pride and Hip Hop Pop.
So finally, here it is, Hip Hop Pop's Happy Pride 2020 video, enjoy:
Jenny Bater-Sinclair
Director - Hip Hop Pop
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