TEMPÉO | Afro-house-themed Evening

Afro-house is taking over the Place des Arts Esplanade under some of the genre’s biggest names, with none other than BadKass leading the house dance workshop, followed by singer-songwriter Aiza, and the Moonshine collective bringing the music. A subgenre of house music originating in South Africa in the late 1990s, Afro-house combines traditional African rhythms, electronic grooves, and percussive sound.

Let this musical fusion work its magic on a night where Afro-house is sure to get your whole body all shook up.

Dancing, from 6 p.m.: BadKass

BadKass is the stage name used by Kassandra Boivin-Cénélia, a street dance and urban choreography artist who gained widespread recognition by competing on reality dance show Révolution and hosting World of Dance. She is currently working on refining her technique and developing her own signature choreographic style.

She began dancing at Party Time Studio – Québec’s first hip-hop and breakdance school, founded in 1995 – at the age of three. Today, she teaches there and also works as a choreographer. Founder of the dance troupe BAD, Kassandra has also earned national recognition by participating in major TV productions such as Star Académie and Révolution.

Music, from 7 p.m.: Aiza

Listening to Aiza, the queen of Afrobop herself, is sure to get your toes a-tappin'. Famous for delivering high-energy, unforgettable performances, this Montréal-born, Toronto-based singer-songwriter creates a musical world that blends soul, Afro-pop, and R&B.

Her debut album, Sovereignty (2023), has racked up over 2.5 million streams on digital platforms, with several tracks spending 28 weeks on Canadian radio airplay charts. Her songs have also been featured on a number of popular TV series, including Never Have I Ever, Ginny & Georgia, and Love Island.

More recently, Aiza was selected for the NEXT Class program, launched by the Recording Academy’s LA Chapter, which supports the music industry's rising stars, future leaders, and change-makers.

DJ set, from 8:30 p.m.: Moonshine

Next up, Moonshine co-founders Pierre Kwenders and San Farafina will take the stage to keep the crowd dancing ‘til they can’t dance no more. Founded in 2014 by Pierre Kwenders, the collective is known for producing some truly memorable international events in such far-flung cities as Lisbon, Paris, Kinshasa, and New York as well as Montréal. Today, the collective has established itself as a must-see act on Québec's electronic music scene. Moonshine is breaking up its international tour to treat tonight’s audiences to an unforgettable evening set to their driving Afro-diasporic electronic sounds.