This year's official Brighton & Hove Pride dance video to support the trans community
– 3 min read
Five trans drag artists will headline in this year’s official Brighton & Hove Pride dance video.
The brainchild of 201 Dance Company’s Brighton-based artistic director Andrea Walker, the video, which last year had one million social media hits, will strongly support the trans community.
And Brighton queers and their allies have the chance to appear in the video, which will be filmed at Brighton Pavilion on Sunday, 13 July. The final film will be shown just before the headline act at this year’s Pride In The Park event.
The five trans drag artists appearing in the video are Inga Rock, Ophelia Payne, Tylernol, Nyongbella and Amethyst. Inga has also worked on the storyboard for the film.
Anyone can join in the final scene of the video, to be shot in Pavilion Gardens and so far over 80 people have signed up to appear. For Andrea it’s a logistic challenge, with filming taking place throughout the building, including its historic underground passages. But it’s also an important project for him.
Andrea moved to Brighton in 2017, and in 2018 made his first Pride dance video. In 2019 when Kylie headlined, he asked her to appear in the video he was making. She did. And last year’s video had one million views on TikTok alone.
I asked what it was like to work, however briefly, with Kylie.“F***ing epic,” Andrea said. “I gave her some simple steps; we only had a few minutes - and one take, so no pressure!”
This year’s video will be slightly different as there will be no lead dancer but the group of trans drag acts will lead. And the finale, hopefully with a big crowd, will be filmed in Pavilion Gardens. “The music will be headliner Mariah Carey’s Touch My Body, Andrea said. “It’s a message with a purpose - lyrics include 'Give me what I deserve' - and we’re saying give me my rights - particularly trans rights.”
The main filming will be in every room at Brighton Pavilion, who approached Andrea to offer the venue. It will take place from 5.30pm - 11pm on Sunday, 13 July. Andrea has a specific reason to highlight trans rights as his step-sibling is trans.
“There’s something specific about the way trans people are being targeted - the most vulnerable part of our society; they are being given so much hate. I strongly believe the queer community hasn’t done enough. People say it doesn’t concern them, but it does. We won’t turn our backs now that they need us. They helped us get our rights.”
“The power of dance is incredible: it expresses things words simply cannot. It’s a fantastic tool. We hope as many trans people as possible will take part in the filming: we're excited to also have two trans men playing our bodyguards."
You can be in the finale; it will be filmed at Pavilion Gardens facing Old Steine starting at 7pm and ending at 9pm on Sunday, 13 July.
“We’re asking people to come wearing something that incorporate the Trans Pride flag colours - light blue/pink/white. It can be as subtle or as obvious as they like - flags, signs, make-up showing support are encouraged.”
The video will be released on social media on the evening of 22 July.
