How do we reclaim joy as a political strategy? For the first time, the festival joins forces with the biannual Zinneke parade, a large participative, surreal and typically Brussels procession consisting of 20 ‘zinnodes’ that cross the city. This year, one of these partial parades is being created by Brazilian choreographer and much-loved festival guest Lia Rodrigues, as the closing event of Kunstenfestivaldesarts 2024. Rodrigues has been building her own dance practice at the Centro de Artes da Maré (Rio de Janeiro) and in public spaces for decades. She sees dance as a possible link between artistic and non-artistic domains. For this parade, Rodrigues collaborated with members of her company, dance students and citizens who want to spread a message in the public space: people practising permaculture, mothers of young children, people with physical disabilities, etc. Can the participants of this heterogeneous group maintain their individuality while, at the same time, manifesting together and standing in solidarity, despite their different struggles? Using choreographic principles, Rodrigues creates a parade that reflects present-day Brussels while depicting the hope for a better future.

The Andantes zinnode starts from Rue du Marché aux Poulets at 15:00 on Saturday 1 June 2024. More info and map on the website of Zinneke Parade