Laura Vazquez and Mazelfreten Present Literary Performances at Avignon Festival

At the 80th Festival d'Avignon, the series 'Vive le Sujet !' presented its third installment, featuring two literary performances. Writer Laura Vazquez opened with 'Premier Millimètre' on July 22, 2026, at the Jardin de la Vierge du Lycée Saint Joseph. Dressed in black with fluorescent pink sneakers, she delivered a monologue about her gestures, impulses, and desires, using a snare drum to rhythm her texts. She described burning her hair and observing the effect, and stated that tensions 'accumulate' rather than being 'replaced.' Her performance was described as the opposite of a prayer, leaving the audience mesmerized. The second piece, 'La Pensée Continuera de Danser,' featured Mazelfreten leaders Laura Defretin and Brandon Masele, who had performed at the Paris 2024 Olympics. They invited philosopher Emmanuel Leclercq to discuss dance. Leclercq, a former priest candidate, proposed that movement is a kinesthetic thought and a true experience, addressing the dancer's lucid joy and vulnerability. Defretin and Masele danced calmly, offering a different side of their hip-hop personas. The performances ran from July 22 to 25, 2026, daily from 10:30 to 18:00.