Happy Pride Month 2020 video from Hip Hop Pop. Plus, what does the lgbtqqip2saa full acronym mean?

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.