To a 120 bpm beat — like a heartbeat in your ear — choreographers Laura Defretin and Brandon Masele lead us into a meticulously crafted rave party.

The choreographers pay tribute to electro culture, the first urban dance to emerge in France — a hypnotic trance that brings the underground back to the spotlight.

The choreography draws inspiration from the world of dance battles — where dancers challenge each other in freestyle — and from clubbing, a space of freedom and shared celebration.

The ten performers — the “Ebois” and “Equeenz” — move between confrontation and release. In unison, they vibrate to the rhythm of the pulse, forming a graphic and organic kaleidoscope. In movement and music, the piece exudes a visceral, spontaneous, and committed fever that embodies the essence of electro culture.

Created in 2016, Mazel Freten combines the names, journeys, and styles of dancers and choreographers Brandon Masele and Laura Defretin.

Brandon Masele, a self-taught electro specialist, is one of its global ambassadors. He became world champion with Alliance Crew in 2012 and ranked number one worldwide in solo in 2019.

Laura Defretin, internationally recognized in French hiphop, explores dance in all its forms — from battles to stage works, film, musicals, and concert tours. Together, they have created a distinctive choreographic language, driven by the desire to bring electro and hiphop to a wide audience.

Tickets: 7,50€ to 20,50€

A school performance is scheduled at 14:15.

This performance is part of the companies touring within the HYPE OCC network.

A presentation in connection with L’Estive’s Block Party program.

Also to discover: 1+1=1 and 1+1=2, solos by Laura Defretin and Brandon Masele, 10 November at HYPE OCC Montpellier, Agora – Cité Internationale de la Danse.

Photo © Jonathan Lutumba

Bouziane Bouteldja and the Dans6T company take us back to the roots of hiphop: dances born from struggle, blending and transforming in the vast, global pool of street dance.

Together with his fellow dancers, Bouziane Bouteldja retraces the story of dances that emerged from social struggles or from the encounters and confrontations between different cultures — through movement and human connection. At the crossroads between lecture and performance, he invites us to embrace this vibrant heritage and dance together!

Bouziane Bouteldja combines his work as a dancer and choreographer with a strong civic commitment to human rights, inclusion, and fraternity.

Free entry

This performance is part of the works touring within the HYPE OCC network, in collaboration with the Réseau HipHop Occitanie and the Réseau Danse Occitanie.

A presentation in connection with L’Estive’s Block Party program.

All levels 

Registration recommended

Fee: 20€/10€*

*Reduced rate for Casa members

A unique concept drawing its energy and values from hiphop culture, All4House is part of the legacy of dancer and choreographer Ousmane “Babson” Sy (member of the Wanted Posse collective and founder of Paradox-Sal).

Open to everyone, it brings together dancers of all styles and levels around House music. Whether you’re a dancefloor regular or just curious to join the vibe, come share a moment of pure release — and cheer on the competitors in the friendly battles that light up the night!

Free entry

Photo © D.R.

Free entry 

 Photo © Paulo Chiabrando

Breaking, Popping, Locking, Freestyle, Afro, House…
So many dance styles practiced at La Casa — all sharing the same roots: from the East Coast to the West Coast of the United States — with diasporas as their fertile ground — they share a story born in the 1970s and carried by the same values of creativity, community, and freedom.

For HYPE OCC, the hiphop dance instructors join forces for an exceptional Bootcamp: five days of shared, intensive practice to dive deep into hiphop culture.

All levels, from age 7

Fee: 80€/50€*

*Reduced rate for Casa members

The promotion of a musical project is a key step in its development. It’s a process that can seem both opaque and yet fully accessible to any artist who takes the time to understand its principles.

This talk will cover essential notions such as the press kit and editorial line, while also exploring broader promotion strategies.

NewTone — a media platform and pre-label promotion agency supporting the development of French-speaking hiphop artists.

For artists 

By reservation

Free entry

Rooted in hiphop culture, Karim Kh – dancer, choreographer, film maker – shapes a distinctive choreographic language that he transposes to the screen. His films do not simply capture dance — they explore how the body itself can become cinematic material.

At the heart of his approach lies the dancers’ interpretation: their individuality, presence, and breath become the primary sources of emotion and narrative.

Through his play with storytelling, framing, light, and editing rhythm, Karim creates a hybrid form of writing where dance and cinema merge. Each film becomes a sensitive, poetic experience — inviting the viewer not only to watch movement, but to feel it, as a journey between the intimate and the universal.

L’Estive presents five short films by Karim Kh.

Duration: 13 minutes

Free entry

This presentation is part of the works circulating within the HYPE OCC network.

A presentation in connection with L’Estive’s Block Party program.

Also discover: Drink the Sea inside of me, a duet by Karim Kh and Johanna Faye, on Monday, 10 November 10, as part of the HYPE OCC program at the Agora, Cité Internationale de la Danse in Montpellier.

K.R.U.M.P — Kingdom Radically Uplifted Mighty Praise — is a movement born in the United States in the early 2000s, thanks to clown Tommy. Its pioneers include Tight Eyez and Big Mijo.

They grew up in South Central Los Angeles and belong to a community with its own codes: absolute respect for one another, hierarchical families, and members who are chosen only after epic battles. Not only does the “master” select their “children,” but the entire family must be convinced by the dancer’s performance before welcoming them in.

With Krump Get Off, director Romain Cieutat offers a sensitive and nuanced look at this culture. His camera disappears into the movement — and into our gaze as viewers — revealing an intimacy that resonates through every gesture and every breath.

We follow the journeys of four dancers: Staël Isaya-Wa aka Wrecker, Émilie Ouedraogo aka Lady Madskillz (Wounded), Germain Zambi aka Jr Sniper, and Alexandre Moreau aka CYBORG, as they compete at the 10th Illest Battle at La Villette (2023) — where the best krumpers from around the world vie for the ultimate title.

Duration: 52 minutes

Free entry

This presentation is part of the works circulating within the HYPE OCC network.

In connection with L’Estive’s Block Party program.

Also discover: the duet Sonance by Twin Sniper and Anaïs “Silent” Mauri on 6 November, as part of the HYPE OCC program at the Pôle Chorégraphique Bernard Glandier in Montpellier.

Bouziane Bouteldja presents a choreographic project exploring the history of dances that have served social and political struggles around the world — and those born from encounters between peoples.

From Flamenco to Pantsula, through Voguing and Bboying/Bgirling (“Breaking”), this dance-conference is a journey through struggles — with the body as its medium.

Single ticket price: 5€

This presentation is part of the works circulating within the HYPE OCC network, in collaboration with the HipHop Occitanie Network and the Danse Occitanie Network.

Photo © Pamela Perschke

Over two rehearsal sessions prior to the performance, around twenty dancers from various styles join Company Dans6T to explore the dances featured in the dance-conference. On the day of the performance, they all join Bouziane Bouteldja on stage to tell the story of struggles through dance.

Advanced level

Free, upon registration

Photo © Pamela Perschke

For rappers and singers with regular practice.
A time for exchange around personal journeys and freestyle techniques.

Advanced level | Registration recommended

Fee: 20€/10€*

*Reduced rate for Casa members.

Photo © Tomhgn

The Casa Open Mic is back for the festival!

A session hosted by Tino and curated by Charly Cut.

EKLOZ
Raw energy and magnetic presence — Ekloz stands out as a natural force. With six projects already released and his latest single Degun les Sèche, she brings a nuanced and vibrant voice to the French rap scene. Her music navigates across trap, electro, cloud, and experimental sounds.

JESTER SHF
Jester SHF blends sharp rhymes with airy melodies over UK-inspired beats. Having lived in London for eight years, the rapper — signed to Maison Blanca — stands out through a musical identity shaped by his dual culture.

Free entry 

At 40, dancer Virgile Dagneaux observes his body changing. How do you mourn your youth when it represents the prime of your working instrument? What remains after years of practice — and how do you enter a new relationship with your own creation? A poetic and humorous solo performance — like a fall forward!

Virgile Dagneaux has built his life around movement since the age of eight. After twenty years of academic and contemporary training, exploring rhythm, percussive body work, as well as tours and cracks along the way… the body transforms, and new limitations arise.

The artist chooses to celebrate this new chapter with an intimate solo, performed close to the audience, free from conventional expectations.

Virgile Dagneaux began dancing at the age of eight with tap dance, before exploring classical, contemporary, jazz, and hiphop styles. In 2015, he founded Company Virgule. Since 2023, he has been creating works for non-traditional spaces — finding new ways to dance everywhere.

Free entry

Suitable to all audiences

This presentation is part of the works circulating within the HYPE OCC network, in collaboration with the HipHop Occitanie Network and the Danse Occitanie Network.

Performance in connection with L’Estive’s Block Party program.

Photo © D.R.

Ulysse Zangs, musician and composer, and Chris Fargeot, bgirl and choreographer, invite you to join them for a high-vibration performance blending binary rhythms and footwork!

Break — from breakbeat — originally refers to the musical moment when the percussion takes over. Break is also the term used by bboys and bgirls to describe their dance form, more precisely known as bboying or bgirling.

Because these two forms share the same roots — though too often separated — the duo offers a performance dedicated to both break and breakbeat. It’s a sonic, energetic, and historical journey through the evolution of break: How has this rhythm changed over time? Where does it live today?

With the pulse of live drums and a playful, expressive body, the artists travel through eras and styles, spreading their vibes all the way to the audience!

Free entry

Suitable to all audiences

Performance presented in connection with L’Estive’s Block Party program.

Photo © D.R.

In a context marked by growing social and territorial inequalities, the questioning of public cultural funding, and the challenges faced by social policies in addressing the needs of the most vulnerable, cultural actors are emerging as figures of resistance.

Through their commitment, they reject the idea that culture should become a privilege reserved for a few, and instead reaffirm its essential role in building a fairer and more inclusive society. On the ground, they create spaces for expression, social connection, and both individual and collective transformation — despite budget constraints, lack of public support, institutional resistance, and sometimes contradictory policy expectations.

Two meetings were held in Montpellier between 2024 and 2025, bringing together professionals from the cultural and social sectors, as well as institutions — first on a local scale, then for an international exchange (Germany, Burkina Faso, France, Sweden).

On 31 October and 7 November, as part of the HYPE OCC festival, the next meeting will take the form of two afternoon working sessions focused on themes collectively defined in advance. We will meet both in person and online, in different spaces (in Montpellier and virtual rooms), to deepen discussions and potentially spark future collaborations.

These meetings will again be bilingual (French/English).

This cycle of exchanges is open to all professionals engaged or interested in the topic. It aims to generate concrete pathways for collaboration, to strengthen ties between culture and social work, and to co-create inclusive projects that foster civic engagement and collective responsibility.

Free entry upon inscription (here)

Photo © Dirk Korell

Adelaïde Desseauve, aka Mulunesh, will share her journey as a dancer, with a focus on krump — unveiling its codes and historical context.

This introduction to the fundamentals of krump will serve as a starting point to explore dance collectively within the group.

Level: Intermediate / Advanced dancers

Fee: 5€/person, reservation by email at reservation@parvis.net 

This workshop is part of the artists circulating within the HYPE OCC network.

Workshop presented in connection with the FEST-NOV! festival.

Photo © Grégoire Perrier

Following her previous piece Leçons de Ténèbres (Lessons of Darkness), the encounter with dancer Adélaïde Desseauve, aka Mulunesh, led Betty Tchomanga to continue her dialogue with Krump — its history, its energy, and its power to turn dance into discourse, to transform violence.

This portrait is a dialogue between Adélaïde and Mulunesh, approaching history through absence and loss.
How do dynamics of domination and discrimination resurface through a transnational and transracial adoption journey?
How does the experience of discrimination inscribe itself in certain bodies?
How do we construct ourselves when memory fades?
And how can we rebuild a history from silence?

Fee: full 12€, reduced 6€, under 26 y/o 6€, subscribers 8€.

Reservation here.

This performance is part of the works circulating within the HYPE OCC network,

Performance in connection with the FEST-NOV! festival.

Photo © Grégoire Perrier

Pass Pass is the new creation by Francky Corcoy, scheduled for 2026, blending breakdance (B-boying, B-girling), musical composition, and text.

Through a dramaturgy rooted in storytelling and the musicality of movement, the piece explores the question of transmission within hiphop dance — that of an artist choosing to pass the torch. Two performers — Maëlys Escare and Timothée Allal — embody the relationship between the apprentice and the mentor, between inheritance and emancipation, in a staging that combines energy, emotion, and technical precision.

Anchored in the choreographer’s personal journey, this creation extends the intimate work initiated with GROS, a piece about difference and self-esteem. Today, Corcoy steps back from the stage to question the idea of transmission, driven by the desire to pass on knowledge and passion through other bodies.

The piece reflects on the cycle of giving, artistic lineage, and self-reinvention through others, supported by an original score from the legendary Frank2Louise and a poetic text by Caroline Stella — a constant dialogue between dance, speech, and music.

The performance will be followed by a Q&A.

TICKETS

This presentation is part of the works circulating within the HYPE OCC network, in collaboration with the HipHop Occitanie Network, and benefits from creation support by the HYPE OCC network.

Photo © Cie Influences

Sonance is the first creation by Anaïs Mauri and Germain Zambi, an emblematic duo from the krump scene.

Born respectively in Italy and Congo before settling in France at the age of ten, they transform their natural shyness into an embodied intensity where revolt and love intertwine.

Through raw physicality and deep mutual listening, Sonance explores a central question: how do those who do not speak make themselves heard?
It is a work about silent complicity, shared vibration between two beings, and the inner music that emerges from trust and collective movement.

Together, Anaïs and Germain offer with Sonance a dance of listening and resonance — a silent dialogue between two bodies that understand each other beyond words.

The performance will be followed by a Q&A.

TICKETS

Also to discover: the documentary film Krump Get Off, featuring a portrait of Germain Zambi, on 9 November as part of the HYPE OCC program at Cinéma Utopia in Montpellier.

Photo © Pow.roussely

For HYPE OCC, Germain Zambi, aka Twin Sniper, leads a krump masterclass designed for dancers with solid experience — not necessarily in krump.

He guides participants toward body awareness, energy flow, groove, storytelling, and the krump session experience.

Twin Sniper (interview in French here) is a versatile krump dancer. He discovered hiphop in 2012 through various workshops. In 2019, he joined choreographer David Drouard’s company D.A.D.R Cie for the creation of MU, later collaborating with Délit de Façade in 2020. In 2021, he took part in Dead Trees Give No Shelter, a creation by double bassist Florentin Ginot and choreographer Soa Ratsifandrihana. With Anaïs Mauri aka Silent, he presents the work-in-progress duet Sonance the day before.

TICKETS

Also to discover:

His introductory krump workshop, 8 November

Sonance, duet by Twin Sniper and Anaïs “Silent” Mauri, 6 November at the Pôle Chorégraphique Bernard Glandier

His portrait in Romain Cieutat’s documentary Krump Get Off, 9 November at Cinéma Utopia

Photo © D.R.

Interested in Krump and want to give it a try? Germain Zambi, aka Twin Sniper, offers an introductory workshop open to anyone curious to experience this visceral, emotional, powerful, and deeply expressive dance.

He will cover the foundations of krump, its history, and its different spaces: lab, session, and battle.

This workshop is also part of the #JeSuis program, led by camin aktion since 2020.

Twin Sniper (interview in French here) is a versatile krump dancer. He discovered hiphop in 2012 through various workshops. In 2019, he joined choreographer David Drouard’s company D.A.D.R Cie for the creation of MU, later collaborating with Délit de Façade in 2020. In 2021, he took part in Dead Trees Give No Shelter, a creation by double bassist Florentin Ginot and choreographer Soa Ratsifandrihana. With Anaïs Mauri aka Silent, he presents the work-in-progress duet Sonance the day before.

TICKETS

Also to discover:

His krump masterclass, 9 November

Sonance, duet by Twin Sniper and Anaïs “Silent” Mauri, 6 November at the Pôle Chorégraphique Bernard Glandier

His portrait in Romain Cieutat’s documentary Krump Get Off, 9 November at Cinéma Utopia

Photo © Laura Bousquet

Rooted in hiphop culture, Karim Kh – dancer, choreographer, film maker – shapes a distinctive choreographic language that he transposes to the screen. His films do not simply capture dance — they explore how the body itself can become cinematic material.

At the heart of his approach lies the dancers’ interpretation: their individuality, presence, and breath become the primary sources of emotion and narrative.

Through his play with storytelling, framing, light, and editing rhythm, Karim creates a hybrid form of writing where dance and cinema merge. Each film becomes a sensitive, poetic experience — inviting the viewer not only to watch movement, but to feel it, as a journey between the intimate and the universal.

HYPE OCC, in partnership with Cinéma Utopia, presents 9 short films by Karim Kh.

Duration: approx. 25 minutes

The screening will be followed by a talk with the filmmaker.

On-site tickets: full price 7€, under 14: 5€

Also to discover: the duet Drink the Sea Inside of Me by Karim Kh and Johanna Faye, on Monday, 10 November, as part of the HYPE OCC program at the Agora, Cité Internationale de la Danse in Montpellier.

This film program is part of the works circulating within the HYPE OCC network.

K.R.U.M.P — Kingdom Radically Uplifted Mighty Praise — is a movement born in the United States in the early 2000s, thanks to clown Tommy. Its pioneers include Tight Eyez and Big Mijo.

They grew up in South Central Los Angeles and belong to a community with its own codes: absolute respect for one another, hierarchical families, and members who are chosen only after epic battles. Not only does the “master” select their “children,” but the entire family must be convinced by the dancer’s performance before welcoming them in.

With Krump Get Off, director Romain Cieutat offers a sensitive and nuanced look at this culture. His camera disappears into the movement — and into our gaze as viewers — revealing an intimacy that resonates through every gesture and every breath.

We follow the journeys of four dancers: Staël Isaya-Wa aka Wrecker, Émilie Ouedraogo aka Lady Madskillz (Wounded), Germain Zambi aka Jr Sniper, and Alexandre Moreau aka CYBORG, as they compete at the 10th Illest Battle at La Villette (2023) — where the best krumpers from around the world vie for the ultimate title.

Duration: 52 minutes

HYPE OCC, in partnership with Cinéma Utopia, presents this documentary for its first screening in the Hérault county.

The screeing will be followed by a discussion with Germain Zambi, aka Twin Sniper, one of the documentary’s protagonists.

Also to discover:

The duet Sonance by Twin Sniper and Anaïs “Silent” Mauri, on 6 November as part of the HYPE OCC program at the Pôle Chorégraphique Bernard Glandier.

Twin Sniper’s Krump masterclass (7 November) and Krump discovery workshop (8 November). 

This presentation is part of the works circulating within the HYPE OCC network.

1+1=1, a solo by Laura “Nala” Defretin – Mazel Freten, was born from an intimate need to reconnect with herself after the birth of her daughter.

This solo explores self-rediscovery, bodily transformation, and the symbiotic bond between mother and child. Laura questions identity, motherhood, and resilience. Through her approach, she reaches out to audiences often distant from theatre spaces — especially women whose family responsibilities can keep them away — to create a direct, sensitive, and deeply human connection, where dance becomes a gesture of sharing and closeness.

This evening features two intimately connected solos by Laura “Nala” Defretin and Brandon Malboneige Masele, from the renowned Mazel Freten company, which is making waves on major stages and at the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games, with their blend of Electro dance and hybrid hiphop.

The evening will be followed by a Q&A.

TICKETS

Also to discover: Rave Lucid by Mazel Freten, on October 14 at the Block Party – L’Estive, Scène nationale de Foix et de l’Ariège.

This performance is part of the companies touring within the HYPE OCC network.

Photo © Edouard Brane

1+1=2 is a solo by Brandon Malboneige Masele – Mazel Freten. Through a dance that combines the elegance of electro with the vitality of his Congolese roots, the artist explores his hybrid identity and pays tribute to the richness of his dual heritage.

This dialogue between movement and music becomes an act of love and transmission toward his children — a sensitive celebration of diversity and the beauty born from belonging to two cultures.

This evening features two intimately connected solos by Laura “Nala” Defretin and Brandon Malboneige Masele, from the renowned Mazel Freten company, which is making waves on major stages and at the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games, with their blend of Electro dance and hybrid hiphop.

The evening will be followed by a Q&A.

TICKETS

Also to discover: Rave Lucid by Mazel Freten, on October 14 at the Block Party – L’Estive, Scène nationale de Foix et de l’Ariège.

This performance is part of the companies touring within the HYPE OCC network.

Photo © Yosra Farrouj

Drawing on the idea of the body as a site where the traces of its history are preserved, three women attempt to deconstruct what their environment has inscribed within them — the belief that, to survive, they must become what people in the housing projects call “bonhommes” (real guys). Between the desire to be oneself and the need to adapt, building oneself as a woman reflects both protection strategies and the search for individuality.

In this second creation Hidden Project, Sarah Cerneaux explores the camouflage strategies of women from marginalized urban areas (labelled in France as “Z.U.S.” — Zones Urbaines Sensibles). This process consists of blending into a hostile environment by consciously or unconsciously adopting the appearance, language, and behavior of the “oppressor.” A theme that resonates deeply with her own personal experience.

For HYPE OCC, the choreographer and her dancers are invited to an in-situ exploration of this approach — Hidden++, imagined as a distinct and evolving form. She has carte blanche to anchor this piece within both the outdoor and indoor spaces of the Agora.

Sarah Cerneaux began her dance training at the James Carlès Centre in Toulouse at age 20. In 2004, she moved to Paris and continued learning with teachers such as Corinne Lanselle, Carolyn Carlson, Julien Hamilton, and Junior Almeida, one of the French pioneers of hiphop dance culture.

Since then, she has worked with Abou Lagraa, Vincent Mantsoé, David Drouard, and Maryse Delente, among others. In 2014, she began a collaboration with Liz Roche Company (Dublin) as a performer and joined the Akram Khan Company the same year for a revival of Kaash.
After returning to France in 2017, she worked with Amala Dianor Company and decided to develop her own choreographic language.
She later founded Company La Face B and created the solo Either Way.

The performance is followed by a Q&A.

TICKETS

HYPE OCC presents a short version — an extension of Sarah Cerneaux’s creation — as part of camin aktion’s commitment within the Réseau Danse Occitanie.
In the same dynamic, Cie La Face B is hosted in residency at the Pôle Chorégraphique Bernard Glandier and the Agora, Cité Internationale de la Danse.
HIDDEN will be presented in its full version during Mouvements sur la Ville on 4 December.

Photo © La Face B

Tired of the same old battles? Never tried one but never found the right vibe? Sure you’ve got musicality — and ready to test it?

STOP EVERYTHING!
Save the date.

Hiphop, house, popping, afro, krump, dancehall, contemporary, ballet, jazz, breaking, locking, popping, electro, traditional, salsa… Come as YOU move.

4 live musicians creating the sound on the spot.
No playlist. Just pure, organic, unpredictable music.

Because it’s YOUR moment.
Because you’ll push your limits with dancers from totally different worlds.
Because the rush of a battle is something you have to live.
Because… LIVE MUSICIANS!!!

Program:
17:00 – Doors open for everyone who wants to join in: dancers, amateurs… you!

18:00 – Let’s jam! Pre-selections in cyphers. You dance, you vibe, you shine, you share. You get picked for the battle.

19:30 – 16 selected dancers, paired up by random draw.

Then… quarter-finals… semi-finals… and the grand finale!

And as a bonus: surprise showcases (just saying… Wontanara, ring a bell? You’ll be dancing before the night’s over!)

With us: DJ @marinarabita to keep the groove alive between battles, and your host — the one and only MC @bk.

Prizes: €500 for the winning duo, plus 3 hours of individual coaching for the four finalists, and show tickets for performances at Agora, Cité Internationale de la Danse.

How much?
Dancers: pay what you can, consciously.
Audience: 8€ presale / 12€ at the door.

TICKETS (AUDIENCE)

REGISTRATION FOR PARTICIPATING DANCERS

(Otherwise… you could stay home and watch Miss France on TV. Your call.)

Photo © Ilja Tulit