AFROVIBES SATURDAY / XL

From October 3rd to 5th, the 21st edition of the Afrovibes Festival will take place at the Maaspodium, featuring theater, dance, performance, and fashion from and about Africa. The central theme Africa is not a country emphasizes the diversity and complexity of the African continent, recognizing the unique characteristics of each region. This year, the focus is on North Africa.

The North African region is often seen as part of the Arab world rather than the African continent. This raises questions about identity and connectedness, fitting within the festival's 2024 theme: Belonging.

A ticket gives you access to both performances and the side programming each day. After the performances, there will be an artistic talk, and to conclude the evening, there will be a DJ.

In Fractal, Tunisian choreographer Wajdi Gagui combines the beauty of contemporary dance with the infinite possibilities of digital art. Fractal is an enchanting experience in which the dancers move through a world of constantly changing shapes, connecting human and digital images. A fractal is a geometric shape that repeats infinitely, creating complex and fascinating patterns. This idea of infinity and complexity is at the heart of Fractal, which explores the relationship between nature, technology and art. Using digital projections and the interaction between bodies and technology, Fractal becomes an immersive and fascinating experience for the audience. 

Choreographer Mohamed Lamqayssi (Morocco) tells the story of the Amazigh queen Dihya. She is the only woman in history who fought against the Umayyad - and unfortunately lost. This defeat marked a turning point in the history of Imazighen culture in North Africa. The matriarchal order that had prevailed until then had to give way to an Arab-Islamic patriarchy, which itself still exists after 14 centuries to this day. But what if Dihya did win the battle? Lamqayssi opens a temporary door to an alternative scenario in which Dihya is the architect of a different story and in which power and sacrifice lead to freedom and love. A hidden history of Imazighen culture that could have been.