Decolonising the Dancefloor: When the Party Becomes Political

With “Décoloniser le dancefloor”, performer, activist and voguer Habibitch turns the club and the stage into a space of critical reflection. Blending theory, personal testimony and dance, this lecture‑performance reveals how power, privilege and resistance play out on the dancefloor – and invites us to imagine nightlife as a decolonial, feminist and queer space.

In this performance‑talk, Habibitch starts from a simple observation: the dancefloor is never “just a party”. Who gets in, who feels safe enough to take space, whose bodies and dances are celebrated or exoticised – all of this is shaped by histories of racism, colonialism, sexism, queerphobia and class. Drawing on club cultures, ballroom, waacking and feminist of colour theory, she shows how nightlife can both reproduce domination and offer tools to resist it.

The piece questions the myth of the “neutral” or “inclusive” dancefloor. From door policies and “face control” to the way Black and Brown dance styles are appropriated, commodified and stripped of their political roots, “Décoloniser le dancefloor” connects the dots between everyday party practices and broader systems of oppression. At the same time, it highlights the role of queer and racialised communities in inventing spaces of joy, care and collective empowerment on and off the dancefloor.

On stage, theory is never dry. Habibitch uses her body, her dance and her voice to embody the questions she raises: how does a racialised, queer, often hyper‑sexualised body move in spaces not built for it? How do we navigate desire, vulnerability and danger in clubs? How can choreography make visible the invisible boundaries that separate “welcome” bodies from those perceived as “too much”, “out of place” or “undesirable”?

The performance also offers concrete tools for imagining other ways of partying. It invites audiences – club‑goers, organisers, DJs, venue managers and allies – to rethink codes of behaviour, music programming, spatial organisation, access and care. The goal is not to moralise nightlife, but to politicise joy: to see the dancefloor as a potential laboratory for decolonial, anti‑racist, queer and feminist futures, where pleasure, consent and safety are shared responsibilities.

For queer, racialised and marginalised audiences, “Décoloniser le dancefloor” can feel like a moment of recognition: someone is finally naming what many have felt in their bodies for years. For others, it may be an uncomfortable but necessary first step towards understanding that “fun” is not equally accessible to everyone. In both cases, the work insists that there is no such thing as “just a night out” when our bodies carry histories, territories and power relations onto the floor.

Useful links

Context on decolonising public and cultural spaces in Brussels: https://urban.brussels/

Event page on visit.brussels (practical info, date and tickets): https://www.visit.brussels/

Les Halles de Schaerbeek (venue, full programme and accessibility info): https://www.halles.be/

Habibitch – performances, workshops and talks (if available): search “Habibitch decoloniser le dancefloor” via your preferred browser

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