Dance with Pride 2025
A letter from Rhythm & Motion Director, Dudley Flores

Dear Dance with Pride Dancers and Volunteers,

As Pride month comes to a close, I’ve been reflecting on our time together. One moment in particular captured it all for me (and I bet you can guess what it was.) We shared it on social media, and to my surprise, it resonated far and wide - liked 1000+ times across multiple platforms and shared nearly 100 times. If you haven’t seen it, here’s the VIDEO LINK and the text I wrote that accompanied it:
 
This is the moment the SF Pride Parade judges walked over and handed our contingent the award for ABSOLUTELY JOYOUS MUSICAL CONTINGENT.

A wave of emotions washed over me - not because of the award, but because of everything behind it.

Over a month of planning and a month of rehearsals. 192 dancers and volunteers. And then, seven minutes into the parade, our generators failed. Dance With Pride was suddenly without music. It was awkward and heart heartbreaking.

As I hopped on the sound truck to try to resolve the issue (I couldn’t), the other teachers (Maggie, Katie, Corie, Clara, Zach, Marielle, Nehemiah, Aimee, Leila, Heather, Rebecca, Peter and Nancy) and the dancers kept it together and moving forward. They all improvised, cued the moves, and sang…all to stay connected and moving together.

They did this for the live TV broadcast and for the blocks beyond that.

Then we pulled out our small cooler-sized rehearsal speaker and they continued on with some music for the last portion of the route. Since the speaker couldn’t be heard in the back, people kept singing to help others catch the rhythm. Every single person poured their heart out onto that pavement. All in. Fully present. For each other…and for Pride.

At the grandstands, with our award ribbon in hand, I stood on the truck watching the group - eyes swelling from tears in awe of the beauty, the grit, the generosity. It wasn’t the spectacle I imagined over the last two months, but it was real, alive and full of heart.

The judges saw it.

Everyone saw it.

This is what community looks like.

This is what joy looks like.

Joy that refuses to quit. Joy that dances through challenges. Joy that uplifts others. Joy that shows up when it is most needed.

I will remember this Pride because of the heartbreak with the music. I will also remember this Pride because of THIS moment in the parade - when I finally stopped to watch and take it all in - the faces, smiles, commitment, dancing, singing, the resilience and the heart of this group. I felt myself fall even more in love with this community of beautiful human beings.
 
CONGRATULATIONS to our ABSOLUTELY JOYFUL MUSICAL CONTINGENT.

Happy Pride! 



First, I want to say how truly sorry I am for what happened with the sound. After all the time, sweat, and care you gave, you deserved better - sound quality as big and as bold as the energy you put into this. You showed up with heart and purpose, and I know how much this moment meant to each of you. I am sorry.

But even though the music didn’t carry the way it should have, YOU did. Your energy, your presence and PURPOSE.

We showed up to dance or volunteer at Pride for many reasons - to celebrate who we are, to honor those who came before us, to uplift young queer and trans people, and to stand for all those whose voices and identities are being silenced and erased. We danced for joy, for healing, for protest, for community. Many of us showed up for more personal reasons that may not have been visible from the outside - in honor of a friend or family member, in celebration of a personal journey, in quiet defiance, or simply to be held by something joyful and affirming.
 
All the reasons were visible and vibrant. Collectively, it was powerful.

Because of this, and what I witnessed on Sunday, I feel hopeful. I feel hopeful because this kind of community - one that shows up with grit, generosity, and love when things fall apart - is the kind of community that will carry us forward. And if this is what we can do together in the face of adversity, imagine what we can do when everything goes right…

On behalf of all of us at Rhythm & Motion and Dancers’ Group, THANK YOU for your time and energy, intention and positivity, and for showing up and showing out. Thank you for being a part of this community and for reminding everyone what is possible when we move with heart, with purpose and together.
 
With deep gratitude, respect and love,
Dudley