Coeur de la ville de Bruxelles
This exciting and engaged event brings queer performers from all backgrounds together for a dance battle covering all styles. More than a competition, it celebrates the diversity of physiques, identities and artistic expressions in a welcoming space shielded from mainstream norms. Every participant showcases creativity and audacity, mixing voguing, hip-hop, waacking, krump, breakdance and traditional dancing.
Certain dance styles, like voguing, waacking or funk, were popularized by the queer community itself. In others, however, the queer influence has been erased. This battle aims to provide a safe space that recognizes and respects queer people, whether or not they’re from the hip-hop scene.
The event is led by an organization largely comprising queer people and their allies, all engaged in the creation of fairer and more representative spaces. Although the stage is exclusively for queer dancers, the audience is open to everyone: the curious, the enthusiastic, friends, allies… all are invited to celebrate and support the rich artistic expression. This unique battle confirms the power of dance as a tool of empowerment, resistance and visibility for sexual and gender minorities.
Justine Theizen is a 27-year-old dancer and choreographer. Initially trained in hip-hop over a long period, then in krump for three years, she grew up in urban culture amongst dance battles, choreography competitions and music videos.
Between 2019 and 2024, she was a dancer and performer for several creations: Chikara by Ronin (Zinnema), Solomon x Sheba by WANP (Arenberg Theatre), La Ave by Nina Munoz (in residence at the Kaaitheater), Ruuptuur by Mercedes Dassy (recently at Les Hivernales for Avignon Festival and the National Theatre for the Fame Festival), Categoreez by Yassin Mrabtifi (KVS) and I’ll be there for you (for me) by Lorena Spindler. She also performed at the Monnaie Theatre with the Rivoluzione e Nostalgia opera choreographed by Michiel Vandevelde. She recently medalled bronze in the Hip-Hop Dance category at the 2023 Francophonie Games with the collective Ruthless, representing the Wallonia–Brussels Federation.
She created her drag king persona @Zack in June 2022 and has performed for the Sassy Cabaret, Mama’s Open Mic, Fame Festival, Crashtest and Playback. One of her latest projects is the All About Love battle, a dance event limiting entry to queer performers. With five previous editions, the competition gives the LGBTQIA+ community visibility and representation.
Her art allows her to represent her community; every project she embraces brings her a little closer to that goal. She is a queer hip-hop artist.
Hôtel de Ville – Grand-Place
1000 Bruxelles | Belgique
Following La Pluie (Act I) in 2023 then Pleurez! (Act II) a year later, CRC is releasing a shorter but crucial format for his artistic evolution: L’Entracte. This five-track project produced by Armand Tournier presents as a true intermission, hinting at a future Act III.
Much more than an interval, L’Entracte marks an important step in the Belgian rapper’s journey. Here CRC explores his personal relationships with new depth and sincerity in his work.
Musically, he skilfully combines rap, chanson française, R&B and afro influences, confirming his ability to cross and fuse genres. After gracing the stages of the Dour and Grünt Festivals and twice filling the Ancienne Belgium concert hall in late 2024, CRC is now preparing for Act III. L’Entracte is the bridge: an intimate and essential auditory experience in today’s French-language rap landscape.
A young Brussels-based artist, Lovelace is part of the new alternative pop scene. She creates her unique sound in her bedroom-cum-studio, weaving a dark thread of soft, robotic and distorted sounds.
Her work is a true audio cocktail in the style of Billie Eilish, 070 Shake and Babysolo33. Lovelace has long been a lover of life, which makes her overly cheerful sometimes. Unfortunately, that love constantly clashes with the absurdity of this world. A little self-deprecation, lots of love and much melancholy are her formula for surviving the chaos.
The Junior Ballet Project (JBP) from the company Opinion Public is an intensive programme for dancers aged 17 to 25. Designed as a practical career platform, it immerses participants in a company-like working environment, developing the technical, artistic and interpersonal skills they need to grow as performers.
Launched by the company’s artistic director Sidonie Fossé in September 2024, the two-year programme provides daily training from Monday to Friday: a demanding syllabus of classical dance, contemporary dance, partnering, floorwork, acrobatics and improvisation, as well as other complementary disciplines emphasizing versatility, creativity and artistic maturity.
Throughout the year, the dancers also join performances, giving them regular opportunities to go on stage and apply what they have learnt before an audience.
