Hip Hop Never Stop Festival

Hip Hop Never Stop Festival: The Celebration of Urban Cultures in Saint-Martin-d'Hères

Since its creation in 2017, the Hip Hop Never Stop Festival has established itself as a major event on the hip-hop scene in the Grenoble metropolitan area. Supported by Saint-Martin-d'Hères en Scène and co-directed by the company Citadanse, founded in 2007 by Hachemi Manaa and Sylvain Nlend, this festival embodies the values of openness, diversity, and creativity that characterize hip-hop culture.

Strong Territorial Roots

Saint-Martin-d'Hères and the Grenoble metropolitan area have a rich history with hip-hop culture, notably thanks to emblematic figures like choreographer Bouba Landrille Tchouda. The festival is part of this lineage by offering a space where novices and experts can express their talent and share their passion for urban dances. Over the years, it has become a multidisciplinary celebration of urban cultures, radiating far beyond the commune's borders.

A Rich and Multidisciplinary Program

Each edition of the Hip Hop Never Stop Festival unfolds an ambitious program over three to four weeks, mixing hip-hop dance performances, breaking battles, concerts, street art exhibitions, masterclasses, and participatory workshops. The biggest French and international hip-hop dance companies perform on the festival's stages, offering bold creations that push the boundaries of the genre.

Exceptional Dance Performances

Each year, the festival invites renowned companies that present choreographic pieces blending hip-hop, contemporary dance, and other influences. Among the artists hosted over the editions, we find Kader Attou (Compagnie Accrorap), the company Zahrbat, the company Mehdia, Carmel Loanga, the company Free Styles, as well as international collectives bringing together dancers from Bolivia, Cyprus, Italy, and Greece.

Battles and Competitions

Battles are a highlight of the festival. These spectacular and friendly choreographic duels pit dancers and teams against each other in various formats (3 vs 3, open battles). The closing battle, a true unifying event, brings together amateurs and professionals in an electrifying atmosphere.

Masterclasses and Workshops

The festival offers a significant participatory component with masterclasses in house dance, breaking, freestyle football, and other urban disciplines. Parent-child workshops allow families to discover hip-hop dance together, while intensive courses like the Hip Hop Camp offer teenagers a complete immersion into the world of urban dance.

A Festival Open to All

True to the hip-hop spirit, the festival places a central emphasis on transmission and accessibility. Approximately 1,400 students from Saint-Martin-d'Hères public schools benefit from dedicated school sessions each year. Open stages allow amateurs to perform every evening, creating a unique link between established artists and emerging dancers.

Metropolitan Reach

The Hip Hop Never Stop Festival spreads throughout the Grenoble metropolitan area thanks to a network of partner venues: L'Heure bleue and Espace culturel René Proby in Saint-Martin-d'Hères, MC2 and Grand Théâtre in Grenoble, L'Amphi in Pont-de-Claix, La Rampe in Échirolles, L'Odyssée in Eybens, L'Ilyade in Seyssinet-Pariset, as well as stage spaces on the university campus. This territorial network strengthens the festival's roots and allows it to reach a large and diverse audience.