A contribution by Aya Ouday, communication student at Erasmus University College in Brussels. As part of her studies, she followed a group of young people at the festival to report on their experience. On 11th May, Aya accompanied a group from Cité des Jeunes youth centre in Sint-Gillis as they participated in a workshop and attended a performance at the festival under the NoFilter project.

I got the opportunity to do something completely different with the kids from the youth centre (Maison de Jeunes). We took a group of 8-13-year-olds to Magec / The Desert by Radouan Mriziga, a dance performance. And believe me, this was not your typical Saturday afternoon activity with popcorn and a splash of colour. It was… intense. Quiet. Mysterious.

The performance took us on a journey through the desert – but without camels or sunstroke. Imagine: sand plains as stories, mountains as rhythms, silence as a message. Mriziga fused movement, light, and symbolism into a choreography that wasn't meant to be "understood" in a traditional sense – but one you could feel if you allowed yourself to listen without words.

And yes, that took some getting used to as I overheard whispers: "Why isn't anyone talking?" or "Is this it?" – and honestly? Fair enough. It wasn't a show filled with spectacle or a clear storyline. For some of the children, it simply wasn't their thing, and that's okay. Not every form of art clicks with everyone.

Yet, I did see something unfold beautifully. Whilst some squirmed impatiently in their seats, others watched in silence, in awe. And at the end, despite all the confusion, a few said they really "felt the vibes" and that the dance really touched them – even if they couldn't quite explain how. And that right there is the magic of art: you don't always have to understand it to be moved by it.

What struck me most was how open the children were to something new. Even if it sometimes came with a frown or giggle, they were present, they watched, and they felt – and that's what matters.

So no, it wasn't love at first sight for everyone. But it was a moment outside their comfort zone that they all shared together. And sometimes, just sometimes, that's exactly where real learning begins.