Dear Dance with Pride community, 

Thank you thank you thank you!

To every dancer, volunteer, teacher, and supporter who joined us on Pride Sunday, thank you for making this year's Dance with Pride contingent another joyful and unforgettable experience.

To the dancers: thank you for dancing your hearts out...and for speed-walking your hearts out, too, along Market St. The parade moved at an unusually brisk pace this year, and you adapted the choreography beautifully to help us speed along. Maybe next year we'll have one routine that's just running with arm gestures. ;)

To the volunteers: thank you for carrying the banner, driving the truck, keeping us hydrated, handing out stickers, pulling wagons, monitoring wheels, capturing memories, and doing dozens of other things behind the scenes. You created such a supportive experience for our dancers while also sharing so much joy with the crowd. We truly couldn't have done it without you.

Some of you may have witnessed, or later heard, that one of our dancers, Sharon, took a fall along the parade route and was transported to the emergency room. I'm happy to share that she is okay and recovering. She went home later that same day with six stitches, soreness, and thankfully, her wonderful spirit intact.

Sharon is a Dance with Pride and Carnaval Parade veteran whose joy and commitment have been part of the Rhythm & Motion community for decades. To everyone who rushed to help her in the moment, checked in afterward, or simply kept her in your thoughts, thank you. Sharon, we love you, and we're all sending you healing vibes for a speedy recovery.

Thankfully, the rest of the day gave us so many reasons to celebrate...

After last year's memorable generator failure, having music for the entire parade felt like a victory all its own. Adding to that experience was hearing the crowd cheer, applaud and sing along. At times the cheers were so loud that those of us near the back could barely hear the music. I can't think of a better "problem" to have...although we are looking into an even bigger sound system for next year.

One of my favorite parts of this year was getting to step back a little more and simply watch all of you. At every rehearsal, I knew this was going to be an extra special group and I couldn't wait to see the full group come together on the parade route. I knew the crowd's energy would only amplify what was already there. And it did. Every time I turned around to watch you, I couldn't stop smiling, and it was everything I had hoped it would be.

The other part of this experience that stays with me every year is hearing some of the stories behind why people dance with the group. Every story is different, and each one reminds me why this community matters. Some of you recently came out or have stepped more fully into who you are. Some dance in celebration of your queer children or alongside your families - biological and chosen. Some carry the memory of friends and loved ones we've lost. Some remember when Pride was far more about survival and protest than a celebration. Others come to refill their spirit, celebrate how far we've come, and gather strength for the work that still lies ahead. These stories remind us that Pride is not simply for "this or that" purpose - it's countless individual journeys woven into one amazing experience. 

For me, Dance with Pride has always been about creating a place where people can celebrate, commemorate, and stand up for one another. I want queer people to dance their hearts out and share who they are through movement. I want those who fought for the rights many of us enjoy today to experience the joy they helped make possible. I want parents and children to dance together and for each other. I want allies to stand beside our LGBTQ+ community and remember that advocacy, for all human rights and freedoms, doesn't begin and end in June. I want visitors to leave San Francisco feeling welcomed, loved, and hopeful.

I've had the privilege of leading Pride contingents with R&M since 2010, but Dance with Pride truly took on a clearer purpose in the wake of the Pulse nightclub tragedy and the presidential election in 2016. It became clear that our contingent needed to be more than just a performance. The Pride theme in 2017 was "Celebration of Diversity," and it inspired us to expand our vision and to share more intentionally about what we stand for and what we are advocating as we dance at Pride, while inviting the broader dance community to join us. Multiple dance organizations dancing together became its own act of resilience and a reminder that joy isn't separate from advocacy...it's one of its most powerful expressions. I'm incredibly proud that Dancers' Group has been a co-presenter and collaborator in this vision from the very beginning, and grateful to this year's partners, the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival and ODC, who believe in what we've built together and the values it represents.

Every one of you has helped shape what Dance with Pride has become, and I'm so grateful for that. Thank you for trusting us, believing in this community, and bringing your whole selves to the process. Every rehearsal, every laugh, every high five, every step along the 1.6-mile parade route, every smile shared with a stranger, every song you sang - it all mattered. You all matter.

Until next time...keep dancing, keep showing up for one another, and keep carrying the spirit of Pride with you everyday.

With gratitude and Pride,
Dudley 
(on behalf of all of us at Rhythm & Motion and Dancers' Group)