The dancers performing at the European Parliament.
The European Parliament held a four-day conference at its headquarters in Strasburg on the Future of Europe. The conference ended on Monday with discussions about how the European Union (EU) can improve based on the suggestions of citizens. But the last 10 minutes of the session left everyone stumped.
To celebrate the closing of the conference, participants were treated to an interpretive dance performance intended as a moment of light entertainment. Instead, it became a painfully awkward moment.
Watch the video:
The video of the performance has been posted by Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), who look confused and uncomfortable as dancers perform a routine.
A narrator is heard saying in French “You have just arrived on the Moon... your hands become fish... You discover a new planet. Here, plants have taken power”, according to Daily Mail.
The dance was choreographed by French dancer Angelin Preljocaj.
“Beginning of the closing event of the Conference for the future of Europe under the sign of culture with the choreography "Danse l'Europe" by Angelin Preljocaj,” tweeted MEP Laurence Farreng.
Her tweet showing the dancers gliding and dramatically moving their hands has been viewed more than 2.5 million times.
Twitter users posted a barrage of comments on the video, linking it to the theme of the conference - future of Europe.
“If this is the future of Europe, you are in serious trouble,” a user tweeted.
“Absolutely ridiculous, glad we left,” another user commented, posting a sticker of the Union Jack which was a reference to Brexit.
“Ridiculous, obscene, indecent, I lose my words. Look at this ! We have been strangled, tied up, impoverished from Europe. pay taxes painfully to see that! What level ! Stupid!” one of the Twitter users posted.
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron, who spoke to the European Parliament on Monday, said that he was in favour of a new type of "political European community" that would allow countries outside the European Union, including Ukraine and Britain, to join the "European core values".
Macron called his re-election last month a signal that the French had wanted more Europe.