In Paris, the Fusion Concept, the most influential hip-hop dance festival in the world, was held on Sunday. On the stage of the winter circus in Paris, 18 teams of two people competed, each from selections organized in America, Africa, Europe and Asia. Spotlight on this essential manifestation of urban cultures.
” People who come to Fusion Concept today don’t necessarily come to win. They come to show the best of themselves, to mark the occasion and to make history. Quite simply. As Abdel Mustapha, one of the pillars of French breakdance, summarizes it, hip-hop is a state of mind as much as a culture, diverse and multifaceted.
Melting pot of dances
And it is the specificity of the Fusion Concept festival to bring together in the same game, the different styles of dance, krump, breaking or even litefeet or popping. A concept forged by Kanon Zouzoua, founder of the festival. He wanted to break down the barriers and judge the dancers on criteria other than technical aspects: ” That is to say that the only criterion is what the dancer makes you feel, how he takes the music, how he invests the place. How he conveys his emotions. So it’s other criteria, which for me are easier to judge than the technical criteria. »
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The success of the festival, which is in its thirteenth edition, is also due to the international selections. United States, France, New Zealand, Senegal or even China and Kyrgyzstan have designated their finalists. Coming from Minnesota, the American The Crown is convinced that by going global, Hip-hop is reinventing itself: “ You can see the true beauty of hip-hop when, from all over the world, different people from different countries can express themselves in particular ways. But, with for all, the same bases, the same roots. And it’s also very important to keep an open mind for this ongoing and growing movement. »
France, stronghold of urban dances
Akamz is one of the best standard-bearers of the current French generation. Krump dancer, he is also a model, influencer and humorist: “ The krump is my style, I fell in love with this dance, and in fact, this dance, it is very refined, very sentimental. When you’ve had a crazy day, you can krump, you can deliver everything. In fact, it is feeling. One needs to see it. »
A leading international festival, revealing talent, the Fusion Concept also highlights the French power in the hip-hop movement. We find, for the last word, Abdel Mustapha, who is also coordinator of the French breakdance federation: “ France has always been one of the countries that has made its mark in major international competitions, in the biggest battles in the world. And this, since the 1980s and 1990s. It is also a land recognized for international dancers. They know that France is a place where you have to come and express yourself because it is an international showcase. »
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