Festival HYPE OCC
A celebration of dances stemming from hiphop culture in all its forms, in the Occitanie region.
And for the second act: HYPE OCC 2024…
And for the third act: HYPE OCC expands to three cities in Occitanie!
In November 2023, camin aktion, a production- and creative agency with social added value, took on an ambitious challenge: to create a festival dedicated to all forms of dance originating from hiphop culture, celebrating both its roots and today’s evolutions. The festival’s vision extends regionally, aiming to foster a network of shared dynamics—first in Occitanie and eventually connecting with initiatives across France and internationally.
HYPE OCC champions values we hold dear, resonating with the principles of hiphop culture: diversity, inclusion, accessibility, cultural democracy, tolerance, and artistic excellence.
The Universal Appeal of Hiphop Dance
Hiphop culture, emerging 50 years ago, has grown into a global phenomenon. Among its cornerstones, dance stands out for its astonishing variety of styles and techniques. Originating as social dance – non-academic, accessible, and rooted in convivial community settings – hiphop dance remains inclusive and participatory, welcoming all while fostering exchanges in cyphers and battles for the more initiated.
Since the 1990s, choreographic creation within hiphop has flourished, particularly in France, enriching the broader choreographic landscape. Drawing on the technical and aesthetic depth cultivated in non-academic spaces, it innovates with fresh codes and dramaturgical approaches.
A Celebration of Evolution and Roots
Hiphop dances are deeply rooted in traditions born from the forced displacement of peoples, continuing to evolve while inspiring new forms, styles, and aesthetics. Other dances and musical cultures emerging in similar contexts have enriched this universe, often categorized as “urban” dances.
HYPE OCC invites everyone to celebrate these dances in their myriad forms, alongside the multifaceted humanity they represent. Diversity remains a core value of hiphop culture, and its dances mirror the individuals who bring them to life. Through movement, style, and personality, dancers express themselves, showcasing the richness and accessibility that define this global culture.
A Festival with Social Added Value
The values of the hiphop movement are universal. Respect, sharing, coexistence, diversity, and peace form the foundation of this culture, which has become a global phenomenon not only for its artistic expressions but also for its humanistic philosophy.
For camin aktion, a production- and creative agency with social added value, this vision is embodied in its year-round work. Alongside supporting companies with production and distribution, the organization develops its own productions and training programs, while also nurturing emerging artists through the camin’cubateur initiative. Moreover, it places a strong emphasis on artistic and cultural education.
The agency leads the #JeSuis program, dedicated to human and cultural mediation. Through this initiative, access to culture and artistic practice is created for newcomers, unaccompanied minors, refugees, and local communities, ensuring that cultural and artistic experiences become tools for empowerment, exchange, and diversity.
The festival dream team in Montpellier
Artistic direcrtion | Dirk Korell in collaboration with Letitia Martín Sanchez, Naïs Haidar & Camille Daudet de Windt
Production | Dirk Korell, Camille Daudet De Windt and the support of Veronica Oyomo Maye
Communication | Letitia Martín Sanchez, Dirk Korell
Graphic design | agence entre/autre
Administration | Dirk Korell
Festival HYPE OCC is a production by camin aktion
Public support Département de l’Hérault, Région Occitanie, DRAJES
Partners La Halle Tropisme and Cinéma Utopia. Des’L and AGSMR for the accessibility for hearing impaired communities. Hôtel du Palais for artists’ accommodation. Cyclable Montpellier to support our vision of sustainable transport during the festival (and beyond!)
We thank the artistic, technical, administrative and production crews involved. Thanks to the committed workers at Théâtre d’O, Halle Tropisme, at Cinéma Utopia. To all the volonteers of the festival. To the beautiful young souls of the #JeSuis program to bring your energy, talent and your committment to your new home. To the educating artists Siaka Coulibaly and Kera Beatz, the mediators, to Veronica Oyomo Maye for her committment. To Dieynébou Fofana-Ballester for your thoughtful and accurate perspective. To Sandrine and her crew at Print Tees. To Olivier at Cyclable for the shared reflexionx on sustainable urban transports. To the team of camin aktion: Dirk Korell, Camille Daudet de Windt, Veronica Oyomo Maye, Letitia Martín Sanchez, Naïs Haidar and our board, Marie-Josée Cartier, Dorothea Kaiser-Wibaux and Emmanuelle Echassoux.
