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Meet Yohana Bayekula: Bozar's Young Ambassador for Performances

Hello everyone! I'm Yohana Bayekula, 24 years old, and I've been dancing since the age of 7. I've been so fortunate to perform on stage several times.

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Bozar Young Ambassadors

With a deep love for dance and theatre, I frequented various cultural venues, including Bozar, from a young age. Being intrigued by the project, I wanted to contribute to finding ways of communicating and sharing art differently.

Being a Young Ambassador, to me, means literally encouraging young people to engage with culture, especially in performance arts like dance, theatre, slam, rap, etc. I see my role as a link and encouragement for people to feel involved and inspired by the emotions communicated by artists on stage.

Performance must first build within the community. You can't create outside and expect people to come to you. You need to talk to people, speak about people, and make them feel involved. As Young Ambassadors, we play a crucial role as bridges, making performances accessible to a broader audience.

Five shows that left a mark on me? My Body, My Archive by Congolese choreographer Faustin Linyekula at Bozar last year, a profound exploration of heritage and body. Ronin's performance Chikara in 2019, a dance collective from Brussels, also at Bozar. Anton Chekov's Vania in 2016, directed by Christophe Sermet. Some Like It Hot, the musical on Broadway, a mesmerizing experience of course, and Blake David's dance spectacle Melanin Migration: Brothers in Arms in 2023. As for upcoming Bozar projects, I'm unfamiliar with a lot of the specific works but excited to see what unfolds, especially given the intriguing themes this year.I hope to get closer to the artists we promote, fostering deeper connections.

To potential future Young Ambassadors: You must genuinely love culture, find personal satisfaction in how you perceive things, and have a consideration and love for art. It's not just about experiencing culture but also about sharing it. We’ve been so lucky to end up in a wonderful group of six. Our exchanges are dear to me and help me to understand what works and what people want to see from us.

Finally, I love Brussels. I dream of more culture in this city, representing its richness, and providing more space for various arts. I look forward to showcasing Brussels to a broader audience. Whether it's the youth or the old guard, every community deserves representation.