On the streets of a working-class Abidjan neighbourhood, a whole lot of younger individuals collect each week after class to bounce the biama, a high-tempo combo of acrobatic twists, frenetic footwork and humorous facial expressions.
The craze has gripped Ivory Coast the place practically two thirds of the inhabitants is aged below 25 because it advanced from the nation’s standard coupe-decale dance music just a few years in the past.
In Yopougon, the district the place all of it started, so-called “biamasseurs” organise the outside occasions the place one DJ after one other takes to the stage, which is little greater than a vacant sandy piece of floor with some plastic chairs for spectators.
Dancers participate at no cost, whereas it prices between 1,000 and a couple of,000 CFA francs to look at.
From 5 pm, girls and boys of their teenagers don vibrant sportswear of jogging pants and T-shirts to carry out the high-energy strikes of the quick-pace avenue dance.
“Biama means enjoyable” in Nouchi, Ivorian slang, 29-year-old Junior Koffi, referred to as the “God of Battle”, who organises the Wednesday night occasions, advised AFP.
“It is danced to completely different rhythms, from zouk to zouglou and afrobeat,” he mentioned.
The music is usually a mixture of kinds created by arrangers, who take their inspiration from the dance steps.
“It is fairly a humorous dance,” mentioned “le Pere Rogodogo” , who was one of many first organisers of the common avenue gatherings.
Younger individuals “let their creativeness run free to create their strikes, dance with their eyes, pull faces”, he added.
– Created by chance –
Followers be part of Parfait Fidele Kposser, referred to as “Agbalais le Mystique” for dance observe on the street on the weekend.
On an August afternoon, 4 boys aged between 15 and 17, who name themselves the Daltons, labored on choreography with him as locals watched, some stopping to movie.
With the guidelines they earn dancing within the night they purchase garments and college provides in a metropolis with a value of dwelling that is among the highest in Africa.
Biama was created by chance in 2021 in a video gaming room when a jubilant younger man jumped up and began improvising dance strikes to have fun successful some cash, filmed by his pal.
At present, Karl Guei, whose nickname is “Kalomaman”, has two million TikTok subscribers, in keeping with tradition journalist Toussaint Konan.
Since then, the dance has taken Abidjan, the nation’s financial capital, and different cities by storm, with weekly occasions undeterred by the chance of the late-night noise disturbing close by residents, who generally do complain.
They function a springboard for newcomers and a showcase for the extra completed whose rising fame and recognition is amplified by social media.
– Dancing as a job, profession –
Movies by dancer and singer Dydy Yeman, one of many motion’s main figures, have racked up tens of tens of millions of views on YouTube.
The artist has already carried out outdoors of Ivory Coast, each elsewhere in Africa and Europe.
However his beginnings had been humble and he expressed “pleasure” in coming from Yopougon, the birthplace of biama, earlier than happening stage in entrance of 1000’s at a pageant within the modern neighbourhood of Cocody, the place entry costs had been significantly increased at between 10,000 and 15,000 CFA francs.
The gang, sporting fluorescent bracelets, their faces and T-shirts coated in paint, adopted the steps led by Yeman and sang alongside to the lyrics of his songs.
“Even once I’m sitting, my legs begin transferring,” Jean, 22, a first-year scholar, mentioned.
Curiosity prompted Maimouna Tinta, 19, who has simply graduated from highschool, to return “to see if what’s on TV is true”.
Biama even has its personal tv programme, a information bulletin concerning the dance broadcast on a non-public channel.
Sociologist Stephane Babo mentioned the development “totally deserves to exist” and will “final over time”.
“Past the fervour… there’s an entire financial aspect to it,” notably by creating jobs and even careers, he added.
“The dancers are paid in any case,” he mentioned, additionally pointing to different related companies such because the sale of clothes.
Arranger Elie-Michel Assie Diou sees “a market” within the biama motion’s success.
He mentioned his studio had recorded greater than round 50 artists in just some years.
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