NICOLAS HUCHARD AND FRIENDS
Photography JESSICA MADAVO, Styling FERANMI ESO, Words STÉPHANE GABOUÉ
Nicolas wears JUSTINE JANOT bodysuit and necklace, MIISTA shoes.
IN THIS SPECIAL SECTION OF THE ISSUE, NATAAL GUEST EDITOR NICOLAS HUCHARD WELCOMES US INTO HIS WORLD AND CREATIVE COLLECTIVE IN PARIS
“IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO BE
AN ARTIST. YOU HAVE TO
USE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO EDUCATE PEOPLE”
Nicolas Huchard is a centrifugal figure on the Parisian cultural scene, having performed with musicians such as Aya Nakamura, Shay and Christine and the Queens, and collaborated with luxury brands including Off-White, Loewe and Jean Paul Gaultier. Plus, the dancer, choreographer and movement director’s good looks and athletic physique has made him a perfect photographer's subject, most recently for Vogue Portugal and GQ France. Yet as Nataal’s guest editor for the Movement Issue, he doesn't want the limelight to be directed towards him. Instead, he wants to seize this opportunity to give exposure to a new generation of Black artists in Paris including dancer/singer Lydie La Peste, singer/songwriter Thee Dian, musician Dani Bumba, painter Enfant Précoce, talent agent Jérémy Kouyaté, and model/visual artist Youssou Camara, among others [Meet the full line-up below]. “They mean a great deal me. I like the way they approach art,” says Huchard.
Although Huchard was born and raised in France, Africa is, in some way, where it all started. His parents both come from Senegal (one of them is half Cape Verdean), and the household was steeped in Senegalese culture through music, food, and the Wolof language. As a child, he also spent every summer in suburban Dakar, where he still has family. “There was a lot of dancing at home. My father was a music buff who made his own mixtapes,” he says. A kid of the 1980s, he also binged on music videos by Michael Jackson, Madonna and Prince and was making up dance routines from the age of six.
When Huchard was 16 he met the dancer Zacques, which kickstarted his career. “Zacques was then dancing for Billy Crawford [a French pop sensation in the early 2000s]. I was stunned to see such a young dancer – he showed me that it was possible to have a professional career at that age. Besides, we looked alike, so I thought, ‘If he can do it, so can I’.” Zacques invited him to attend his tutorials, a training that would later be completed through open classes at the Académie Internationale de la Danse in Paris as well as in Los Angeles and New York. While in school, he notably did a placement with Maurice Béjart's dance company, which was then working on ‘Ravel's Boléro’. “The dancers were around a table, and around them were chairs on which we [trainees] had to sit,” he remembers. “Béjart had a very exacting vision. He told me to make a move, and I was elated. 'Wow, he talked to me,' I thought. I'll never forget it.”
Clockwise from left: Dian wears COPERNI blazer and trousers, own jewellery, stylist’s own shoes and gloves. Jérémy wears ÉTUDES top and trousers, own glasses, stylist’s own shoes. Dani wears SHAYDN GIL shirt, stylist’s own trousers, own glasses, MAISON MARGIELA boots. Youssou wears MUGLER bodysuit and jeans, JUSTINE CLENQUET necklace and choker, ADIEU boots. Malik wears XULY.BëT bodysuit, CELINE skirt, own jewellery, PO CHIEH CHIU boots. Lydie wears CORMIO jacket, PO CHIEH CHIU jeans, own jewellery, NODALETO shoes. Enfant wears stylist’s own top and trousers, own jewellery and glasses, SHAYDN GIL shoes. Middle: Nicolas wears COPERNI top, stylist’s own shorts, MIISTA shoes.
At first, the prospect of a professional dance career concerned his parents but their fears subsided when Huchard got his first paid job dancing for French music star Matt Pokora. “From that moment on, I got their full support.” Since then, he hasn’t looked back. No doubt one of his career highs has been his collaboration with Madonna. When Huchard first auditioned to become a tour dancer, he was turned down. "I thought I did everything right. So, it was really tough, but it taught me how to do things differently," he confesses. He tried out again for the next opportunity, the ‘Madame X’ world tour, and was selected. The experience proved to be very rewarding. "There's always a message behind her choreography. It taught me that it's a privilege to be an artist. It gives you the chance to be heard, and you have to use it to educate people. When I work, I want to have a message. I want people to be inspired." You feel this calling through the work he does with La Diva Aux Pieds Nus (The Barefoot Divas), the all-women dance troupe he founded in 2018 committed to what the collective describe as ‘the social dance – crossing the lines between softness and power, between feminine and masculine, between continents and disciplines.’ [Meet La Diva Aux Pieds Nus below]. Yet when asked to describe his wider approach to dance and choreography, Huchard refuses to be pigeonholed. His practice compiles the myriad influences that have shaped his artistic vision. There is the energy of karate that he learnt as a child, but also batuka from Cape Verde, mbalax from Senegal and Congolese ndombolo. And although he loves Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly, and would have loved to work with Pina Bausch, he definitely considers himself a pop culture child. When I tell him that I see a tribal influence in his work, he says, “If by that you mean, spontaneous, raw, and energetic, then yes. It really is a part of me.”
These days his impressive CV speaks for itself with the artist having imagined influential choreographies spanning the worlds of fashion, cinema, advertisement and music. The magic really happens when he can call on his community to tell the story, such as in ‘Tajabone’, a short film for Nowness defined as, ‘a transcendental parade of Black French queer empowerment’. Equally impactful was his contribution to Ib Kamara’s Off-White’s SS23 show, a landmark moment for all involved and the fashion industry at large. And right now, he’s busy working on his next creation stemming from a personal place, which he hasn't named yet, but one that analyses how masculinity is evolving and being redefined. ''My friends and creative community are very important to me. It is essential to share ideas between us, which becomes my most important source of inspiration.''
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Visit NICOLAS HUCHARD
“SPONTANEOUS, RAW,
AND ENERGETIC – IT IS
ALL PART OF ME”
MEET NICOLAS HUCHARD’S CURATION OF PARISIAN CREATIVES WHO ARE SHAPING CULTURE
Behind the scenes
Dian wears OLIVIA PHILIBERT top, SHAYDN GILL skirt, TIM RUEHL shoes, stylist’s own socks.
THEE DIAN
Singer and songwriter
Q: Share some good qualities and flaws you live well with.
A: Generous, meticulous. I am over-sensitive.
Q: How do you challenge the perception of the Black body and experience in your practice?
A: I grew up in Paris and Senegal and often found it hard to label myself. I don’t consider myself to be Black or White, I do not consider myself to be a man or a woman, I am not French or African. Yet the obsession with appearances and how a man and woman should look and behave reduced my interpretation of what I could become. As a result, my art practice steers away from portraying conventional beauty codes and focuses on ways I can perform my self-acceptance.
Q: What can you tell us about your community?
A: I am grateful to all the individuals who contributed to my being and I wish I could have reciprocated their attention more at times. We are all mirrors of each other and I want to reflect positive feelings and be supportive of others through cultivating my spirituality and openness. I worked in fashion and switched to music during the lockdown which was spellbinding.
Q: What do you hope individuals take away from experiencing your work?
A: I would like for people who come to see me perform or listen to my music to feel encouraged to improve their sense of self and the quality of their existence by choosing what brings balance and harmony in their life.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: I just signed with a major record company and look forward to fulfilling my vision thanks to the resources made available to me. It feels like a new beginning and I feel fortunate.
Q: Can you share some music that is meaningful to you?
A: ‘Some Unholy War’ by Amy Winehouse, ‘If You Wanna be My Lover’ by Grace Jones and ‘L’eau à la Bouche’ by Serge Gainsbourg.
LYDIE LA PESTE
Singer, performer, dancer and MC
Q: Share some good qualities and flaws you live well with.
A: Mindfulness and generosity. I get attached to people too quickly. I’m too empathic and let things get to me emotionally.
Q: How do you challenge the perception of the Black body and experience in your practice?
A: To exist and express oneself without being apologetic for the space I occupy. As a Black woman artist, I refuse to have negative connotations placed on me and my art. I accept that I am a political being just by existing and being visible, whether you like it or not.
Q: What can you tell us about your community?
A: My community is made of artist friends who grew up together and support each other. As we progress through the ranks, we still collaborate on each other's projects and share our successes. For example, I assisted Nic [Huchard] on Ib Kamara’ s first Off-White show. Together we are stronger.
Q: What do you hope individuals take away from experiencing your work?
A: I love it when people find some additional joy. I want to pass on strong and positive emotions. When they tell me ‘I love it, please continue what you are doing’, it’s so rewarding.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: Right now, I am working on my pregnancy! It makes me ask myself many questions on how to raise a human being who can be kind to himself and good to others. I am also writing a one woman show, which incorporates dance, singing and storytelling.
Q: Can you share some music that is meaningful to you?
A: ‘No Wahala’ by 1da Banton – a hymn to living life like you have no problems. That is my philosophy of daily life.
Lydie wears OLIVIA PHILIBERT top, LUDOVIC DE SAINT SERNIN dress,
own jewellery, stylist’s own socks, NODALETO shoes.
BROODOO RAMSES
DJ
Q: Share some good qualities and flaws you live well with.
A: Adaptable, empathetic, creative. A slow learner.
Q: How do you challenge the perception of the Black body and experience in your practice?
A: In the Black community I feel like sometimes we have a definitive way of seeing what is Black and not Black. As an artist, I love to ask what could be black, too. For example, some music genres. In my opinion, everything created by Black people is part of the Black culture.
Q: What do you hope individuals take away from experiencing your work?
A: During my set, I feel a lot of joy and adrenaline. I want people to feel the same. Also, the understanding that it doesn’t matter that you’re more a hip hop head or techno head because music is just about energy. My goal is to make people appreciate that we don’t have to be stuck in our ways, what we believe we like. We can be surprised by things that we didn’t know.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: I’m learning production. I want to see how I can bring my musical influences into something that is unique to me. I’m also working on some visual art projects and building IPs for different kinds of mediums like animation, video games and film.
Q: How do you visualise the future for Black creatives?
A: Everybody loves Black culture, everybody loves what we bring to the table but we don’t necessarily have what we should have. So, I just hope in the future that every creative in my community can have more agency and ownership of our art.
Q: Can you share some music that is meaningful to you?
A: ‘Never Givin’ Up’ by Aaliyah featuring Tavarius Polk. I’m loving listening to it when I come back home after a gig, a bit drunk. It’s so melancholic and romantic.
Behind the scenes
DANI BUMBA
Songwriter, producer and poet
Q: Share some good qualities and flaws you live well with.
A: Generous, passionate and determined. A perfectionist, which might make me spend more time than I need on details.
Q: How do you challenge the perception of the Black body and experience in your practice?
A: As a product of Congolese education and culture, my art is naturally infused by my African-ness. To create from my Blackness is my comfort zone without it being its ‘raison d’être’ or a challenge I consciously pursue.
Q: What can you tell us about your community?
A: I feel privileged to be part of a community of artists who address important issues. For example, in my performances I am keen to discuss men’s mental health. Here in Paris, we find strength in coming together despite not necessarily sharing the same philosophies and art practices. Our leitmotiv is, ‘Let love rule and express it’.
Q: What do you hope individuals take away from experiencing your work?
A: I hope that the public, especially Black men, are inspired to look deeper into their interiority and allow themselves to journey through their emotions to embrace their vulnerability and beauty.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: A single (Rosa Remix) is out now and I am working on my EP coming soon. I am also preparing a poetry anthology.
Q: Can you share some music that is meaningful to you?
A: Anything by Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson will always do!
Dani wears DOLCE & GABBANA vintage jacket,
stylist’s own trousers, own jewellery and glasses, ADIEU boots.
Enfant Précoce wears RENAISSANCE RENAISSANCE top,
SHAYDN GIL trousers, own jewellery, glasses and shoes.
ENFANT PRÉCOCE
Fine artist and dancer
Q: Share some good qualities and flaws you live well with.
A: Joyful, reserved and patient. I am also an airhead!
Q: How do you challenge the perception of the Black body and experience in your practice?
A: To me, the Black body and experience is a sacred space often viewed as an enigma that is fetishised and feared. Historically and scientifically, Black is divine: we are the beginning of human civilization and we are still here. We should appreciate and celebrate this aspect of Blackness more often.
Q: What can you tell us about your community?
A: My uncle is my biggest inspiration. He continues to hone his craft and shares it with others despite no longer being very active in the art scene. He encouraged me to persevere even if it is not financially rewarding: the reward is to develop the ‘self’ that feels wholesome and not dictated by society’s definition of success. I have many friends who keep close to their authenticity and values. Sharing is at the heart of it: I grew up in Cameroon seeing my family organising meals to share with everyone in our village. I am grateful to all of them for instilling this virtue in me.
Q: What do you hope individuals take away from experiencing your work?
A: My paintings originate from my desire to share brightness and warmth to those who come in contact with them. Standing in front of a painting can trigger many questions but can also bring respite. I hope they feel at ‘home,’ as I do when I create my paintings.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: I am working on a series of surrealist paintings titled ‘Road to Paradise’, which depict the African experience in Europe. It’s a documentation of how Africans continue to build Europe without getting any recognition. I want to shine a light on these unsung yet dignified heroes who keep on building an ideal for their families.
Q: Can you share some music that is meaningful to you?
A: The ‘Sweet Motha’ playlist by Enfant Précoce on Spotify.
GLEN MBAN
Stylist and artistic director
Q: Share some good qualities and flaws you live well with.
A: Loyal, passionate and truthful. Indecisive
Q: How do you challenge the perception of the Black body and experience in your practice?
A: I felt comfortable growing in my Congolese culture and I always look to stay close to my community while opening up to newness and being inspired by other cultures. But I need my work to represent who I am and was cruelly made aware of this when I experienced ‘tokenism’ working with non-diverse teams.
Q: What can you tell us about your community?
A: My ‘ride or die’ is high-school friend Diamante Ka with whom I form the creative duo 4s10. I’m inspired by friends who dig deep to get their true sense of self. My mentors Ib Kamara and Nic [Huchard] have opened doors for me. I have a lot of admiration for Raya Martigny and for my boyfriend who has taught me to take my time and let ideas mature.
Q: What do you hope individuals take away from experiencing your work?
A: I am an image lover and beauty is at the centre of what I do. I hope it inspires others to know that if a boy like me can be a tastemaker, so can they. Everything is possible when we work for it and ask for help. It is crucial to include others in your path to self-realisation; more often than not people will be supportive of your dreams.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: I have just finished a shoot as artistic director with the photographer Gabriel Moses which I am pleased about. For now, I am letting myself be inspired by movies, music and my recent holidays.
Q: Can you share some music that is meaningful to you?
A: ‘Pearls’ by Sade for moderate melancholy. ‘Nigga What, Nigga Who’ by Jay-Z for power. ‘Me, Myself and I’ by Beyoncé and ‘Roga Roga’ by Bokoko to be enjoyed anytime of the day.
Jérémy wears ANN DEMEULEMEESTER full look,
own jewellery and glasses, PO CHIEH CHIU boots.
JÉRÉMY KOUYATÉ
Talent manager
Q: Share some good qualities and flaws you live well with.
A: Joyful, generous and funny. Too straightforward sometimes!
Q: How do you challenge the perception of the Black body and experience in your practice?
A: I give priority to individuals who have not had the chance to experience a management which is adapted to them. I stay loyal to the career goals of my clients by overseeing the selection of projects, the creative teams they are involved with and the events they are invited to attend, so they are not typecast into stereotypical roles.
Q: What can you tell us about your community?
A: We are very tight and support each other: we advise and motivate each other and share opportunities. So many of us are now reaching exciting heights in our careers and it brings me so much joy. On a personal level, my chosen family is indispensable: it is thanks to them that I walk with my head high and feel good on the daily.
Q: What do you hope individuals take away from experiencing your work?
A: Don’t try to blend in and realise that your uniqueness is your asset. I have often been the only black person in the room, the tallest, the loudest, and I tried to fit in but I got tired and decided to honour my true self. Do what comes natural to you, listen to yourself first. Saying that, it is important to respect others; there is nothing sexier than humility.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: In my line of work, there is stabilisation of representation, although post-BLM fatigue is palpable following an overuse of Black models and personalities by brands. There is less demand but as minorities we are organising ourselves to continue to build on the gains we made in terms of visibility in all industries. The future is bright.
Q: Can you share some music that is meaningful to you?
A: 'Diaraby Néné’ by Oumou Sangare reminds me of my childhood. I recently rediscovered this song and the emotion in her voice is so overwhelming.
Behind the scenes
KANTIS MOVEMENT
Break dancer, performer and visual artist
Q: Share some good qualities and flaws you live well with.
A: Curious, consistent, determined. Impatient.
Q: What can you tell us about your community?
A: My practice is really new, only three years old, so I haven’t had the chance to collaborate with my community yet. But we support each other through sending references to each other. It’s an exchange of inspiration between dancers, graphic designers and graffiti or tattoo artists for the moment.
Q: What do you hope individuals take away from experiencing your work?
A: I hope it pushes people to not be afraid of trying stupid things, and to not over-do things. I was afraid of how people would perceive my work. It’s so simple in its way, I just put ink on my shoes. It’s so childish. But I think beauty is in simple things. That is what I hope others can see and enjoy.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: I’m focussed on the mark, the steps, the forms and am developing my repertoire. I create a graphic system. I try to push it and add new glyphs. And I would like to develop the performative part of my art because it’s the core. I like to be challenged in front of a crowd.
Q: How do you visualise the future for Black creatives?
A: I think the African community is the present now. It’s not even the future. The Black renaissance movement is here and people are not ashamed of promoting their country. I think the future will be Africa. Raw. Just as it is.
Q: Can you share some music that is meaningful to you?
A: I’ve been listening to ‘Since I Have a Lover’, the new album by 6lack. I really love the last song ‘Night Ride Home’.
Malik wears OLIVIA PHILIBERT jumper, stylist’s own trousers,
LUDOVIC DE SAINT SERNIN boots.
MALIK LE NOST
Choreographer
Q: Share some good qualities and flaws you live well with.
A: Creative, radiant and kind. Disorganised.
Q: How do you challenge the perception of the Black body and experience in your practice?
A: When I feel my body is being fetishised as a dancer, I tend to be more generous in my movement to widen the range of emotions it suscitates. I want to be valued for my skills and creativity.
Q: What can you tell us about your community?
A: I have been dancing with Lydie [La Peste] and Nic [Huchard] for the past 15 years. We have shared so many professional and personal adventures; we are always connected and inspire each other. What I loved about us is that despite being ambitious, we are not in competition but elevate each other. I am very proud of our long-standing friendship.
Q: What do you hope individuals take away from experiencing your work?
A: My mission is to move my audience through my dancing. When I feel down, I often remember the great feedback I get from members of the public; it definitely uplifts me.
Q: How do you visualise the future for Black creatives?
A: I hope that we are continuing to widen the path for Black creatives to have the same opportunities as others to showcase our beauty, intellect and craft.
Q: Can you share some music that is meaningful to you?
A: ‘Hyper ballad’ by Björk. It is such a wave of poetry, tragic and soft at the same time.
YOUSSOU CAMARA
Model and visual artist
Q: Share some good qualities and flaws you live well with.
A: Creative, funny and kind. I love to sleep.
Q: How do you challenge the perception of the Black body and experience in your practice?
A: Many people hold on to the idea that Black people are not refined. My art reflects the fact that I can be chic and ghetto and that I accept my multifaceted persona with pride. When I am on photoshoots, I like to accentuate my dark skin having felt very self-conscious about it in the past.
Q: What can you tell us about your community?
A: I love to show up for my community. When my good friend Thee [Dian] is performing, our crew like to turn up and make sure we bring the right mood to her event. It is about the energy of connecting and feeling good about it.
Q: What do you hope individuals take away from experiencing your work?
A: The message I embody is that there are no limits. I grew up in Senegal where there were many things I didn’t have access to, so not trying is not an option. My younger brother is my biggest fan and wants to become a model too. I love that my experience has inspired him. Our talent is our superpower as long as we work to master it.
Q: How do you visualise the future for Black creatives?
A: It’s important that creatives realise that inspiration is everywhere: a fold, the way someone says hello to you, how a sound can become a drawing and then a piece of clothing. There is no limit.
Q: Can you share some music that is meaningful to you?
A: ‘Sa lii Sa liéé’ by Coumba Gowlo. At a time when skin bleaching was the norm, she preserved her ebony complexion. She was fearlessly avant-garde and displayed a sexual energy that she was shunned for. But now she is a celebrated icon.
Youssou wears RENAISSANCE RENAISSANCE jacket, D'HEYGERE earring,
JUSTINE CLENQUET choker and necklace, STEVEN PASSARO shorts, stylist’s own shoes and socks.
LA DIVA AUX PIEDS NUS
NICOLAS HUCHARD’S ALL-WOMEN DANCE TROUPE HARNESS THEIR INNATE AGENCY TO REINVENT SOCIAL CODES
Established by Nicolas Huchard in 2018, La Diva Aux Pieds Nus (The Barefoot Divas) brings together a collective of Black women who share a belief in the power of dance to celebrate both the individuality and plurality of womanhood. Each performer is unique yet are all drawn together through an expression of their energies and strengths. This film and photography series by the Neighborhood.360 collective unfolds an urgent consciousness as La Diva Aux Pieds Nus break through the struggles of society to build a new and harmonious dawn.
NICOLAS HUCHARD AND FRIENDS CREDITS
Guest editing and creative direction NICOLAS HUCHARD, Creative consulting/talent agent RÉDA AIT CHÉGOU, Photography JESSICA MADAVO at Concrete Rep, Styling FERANMI ESO, Production FARAGO PROJECTS, Hair CHIAO CHENET at Bryant Artists, Make-up MAËLYS JALLALI at Bryant Artists, Nails SALOUA DERBALI, Set design IVIU TORRE, Photography assistance MARCO MARCHETTI, FREDERIC TROEHLER, Styling assistance IRYNA POLIESHCHUK, ENORCK DESRUISSEAUX, RAYAN SOUAIDI, Hair assistance SEPHORA MAKOSSO, Make-up assistance LOU BOIDIN, BTS BONI (PABLO), Production assistance BRUNO CLAIRE, GREGORY TURCHI, Post Production IMGN STUDIO, Words STÉPHANE GABOUÉ, PAULA DE ALMEIDA, CHLOÉ HIRSCHMAN, Cast BROODOO RAMSES, DANI BUMBA, ENFANT PRÉCOCE, GLEN MBAN, KANTIS MOVEMENT, JÉRÉMY KOUYATÉ, LYDIE LA PESTE, MALIK LE NOST, NICOLAS HUCHARD, THEE DIAN, YOUSSOU CAMARA
LA DIVA AUX PIEDS NUS CREDITS
Visit La Diva Aux Pieds Nus, Story copyright © Neighborhood.360, Choreography and concept NICOLAS HUCHARD, Direction, colour grading and editing SOPHIE TRACY MAY, DOP AURÉLIE CHANTELLY, Styling LIAM DEROUICHE, Make-up SWAN ARNAUD, MERCURE PERROT, Camera operation and editing SALOMÉ MESDESIRS, Make-up assistance MARTHA VINCENOT, Music SOPHIE T. May mix of Maya Angelou’s ‘Phenomenal Woman’ and High Pulp’s ‘Wax Hands’, Cast MAYVIS WILLIAM, STEPHYE THÉOUÉ, JULIE LAVENTURE, LEILA MIRETTI, SERENA FREIRA, ANNE FOTSO, MARIAM KAMAR, JULIE RILOS, ELODIE ANTONIO, LYDIE ALBERTO
NICOLAS HUCHARD
AND FRIENDS
Photography JESSICA MADAVO, Styling FERANMI ESO,
Words STÉPHANE GABOUÉ
Nicolas wears JUSTINE JANOT bodysuit and necklace,
MIISTA shoes.
IN THIS SPECIAL SECTION OF THE ISSUE,
NATAAL GUEST EDITOR NICOLAS
HUCHARD WELCOMES US INTO HIS
WORLD AND CREATIVE COLLECTIVE
IN PARIS
Nicolas Huchard is a centrifugal figure on the Parisian cultural scene, having performed with musicians such as Aya Nakamura, Shay and Christine and the Queens, and collaborated with luxury brands including Off-White, Loewe and Jean Paul Gaultier. Plus, the dancer, choreographer and movement director’s good looks and athletic physique has made him a perfect photographer's subject, most recently for Vogue Portugal and GQ France. Yet as Nataal’s guest editor for the Movement Issue, he doesn't want the limelight to be directed towards him. Instead, he wants to seize this opportunity to give exposure to a new generation of Black artists in Paris including dancer/singer Lydie La Peste, singer/songwriter Thee Dian, musician Dani Bumba, painter Enfant Précoce, talent agent Jérémy Kouyaté, and model/visual artist Youssou Camara, among others [Meet the full line-up below]. “They mean a great deal me. I like the way they approach art,” says Huchard.
Although Huchard was born and raised in France, Africa is, in some way, where it all started. His parents both come from Senegal (one of them is half Cape Verdean), and the household was steeped in Senegalese culture through music, food, and the Wolof language. As a child, he also spent every summer in suburban Dakar, where he still has family. “There was a lot of dancing at home. My father was a music buff who made his own mixtapes,” he says. A kid of the 1980s, he also binged on music videos by Michael Jackson, Madonna and Prince and was making up dance routines from the age of six.
“IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO BE AN ARTIST.
YOU HAVE TO USE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO EDUCATE PEOPLE”
When Huchard was 16 he met the dancer Zacques, which kickstarted his career. “Zacques was then dancing for Billy Crawford [a French pop sensation in the early 2000s]. I was stunned to see such a young dancer – he showed me that it was possible to have a professional career at that age. Besides, we looked alike, so I thought, ‘If he can do it, so can I’.” Zacques invited him to attend his tutorials, a training that would later be completed through open classes at the Académie Internationale de la Danse in Paris as well as in Los Angeles and New York. While in school, he notably did a placement with Maurice Béjart's dance company, which was then working on ‘Ravel's Boléro’. “The dancers were around a table, and around them were chairs on which we [trainees] had to sit,” he remembers. “Béjart had a very exacting vision. He told me to make a move, and I was elated. 'Wow, he talked to me,' I thought. I'll never forget it.”
Clockwise from left: Dian wears COPERNI blazer and trousers, own jewellery, stylist’s own shoes and gloves. Jérémy wears ÉTUDES top and trousers, own glasses, stylist’s own shoes. Dani wears SHAYDN GIL shirt, stylist’s own trousers, own glasses, MAISON MARGIELA boots. Youssou wears MUGLER bodysuit and jeans, JUSTINE CLENQUET necklace and choker, ADIEU boots. Malik wears XULY.BëT bodysuit, CELINE skirt, own jewellery, PO CHIEH CHIU boots. Lydie wears CORMIO jacket, PO CHIEH CHIU jeans, own jewellery, NODALETO shoes. Enfant wears stylist’s own top and trousers, own jewellery and glasses, SHAYDN GIL shoes. Middle: Nicolas wears COPERNI top, stylist’s own shorts, MIISTA shoes.
At first, the prospect of a professional dance career concerned his parents but their fears subsided when Huchard got his first paid job dancing for French music star Matt Pokora. “From that moment on, I got their full support.” Since then, he hasn’t looked back.
No doubt one of his career highs has been his collaboration with Madonna. When Huchard first auditioned to become a tour dancer, he was turned down. "I thought I did everything right. So, it was really tough, but it taught me how to do things differently," he confesses. He tried out again for the next opportunity, the ‘Madame X’ world tour, and was selected. The experience proved to be very rewarding. "There's always a message behind her choreography. It taught me that it's a privilege to be an artist. It gives you the chance to be heard, and you have to use it to educate people. When I work, I want to have a message. I want people to be inspired."
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“SPONTANEOUS, RAW, AND ENERGETIC – IT IS ALL PART OF ME”
You feel this calling through the work he does with La Diva Aux Pieds Nus (The Barefoot Divas), the all-women dance troupe he founded in 2018 committed to what the collective describe as ‘the social dance – crossing the lines between softness and power, between feminine and masculine, between continents and disciplines.’ [Meet La Diva Aux Pieds Nus below]. Yet when asked to describe his wider approach to dance and choreography, Huchard refuses to be pigeonholed. His practice compiles the myriad influences that have shaped his artistic vision. There is the energy of karate that he learnt as a child, but also batuka from Cape Verde, mbalax from Senegal and Congolese ndombolo. And although he loves Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly, and would have loved to work with Pina Bausch, he definitely considers himself a pop culture child. When I tell him that I see a tribal influence in his work, he says, “If by that you mean, spontaneous, raw, and energetic, then yes. It really is a part of me.”
These days his impressive CV speaks for itself with the artist having imagined influential choreographies spanning the worlds of fashion, cinema, advertisement and music. The magic really happens when he can call on his community to tell the story, such as in ‘Tajabone’, a short film for Nowness defined as, ‘a transcendental parade of Black French queer empowerment’. Equally impactful was his contribution to Ib Kamara’s Off-White’s SS23 show, a landmark moment for all involved and the fashion industry at large. And right now, he’s busy working on his next creation stemming from a personal place, which he hasn't named yet, but one that analyses how masculinity is evolving and being redefined. ''My friends and creative community are very important to me. It is essential to share ideas between us, which becomes my most important source of inspiration.''
Visit NICOLAS HUCHARD
MEET NICOLAS HUCHARD’S CURATION OF PARISIAN CREATIVES WHO ARE SHAPING CULTURE
Behind the scenes
Dian wears OLIVIA PHILIBERT top, SHAYDN GILL skirt,
TIM RUEHL shoes, stylist’s own socks.
THEE DIAN
Singer and songwriter
Q: Share some good qualities and flaws you live well with.
A: Generous, meticulous. I am over-sensitive.
Q: How do you challenge the perception of the Black body and experience in your practice?
A: I grew up in Paris and Senegal and often found it hard to label myself. I don’t consider myself to be Black or White, I do not consider myself to be a man or a woman, I am not French or African. Yet the obsession with appearances and how a man and woman should look and behave reduced my interpretation of what I could become. As a result, my art practice steers away from portraying conventional beauty codes and focuses on ways I can perform my self-acceptance.
Q: What can you tell us about your community?
A: I am grateful to all the individuals who contributed to my being and I wish I could have reciprocated their attention more at times. We are all mirrors of each other and I want to reflect positive feelings and be supportive of others through cultivating my spirituality and openness. I worked in fashion and switched to music during the lockdown which was spellbinding.
Q: What do you hope individuals take away from experiencing your work?
A: I would like for people who come to see me perform or listen to my music to feel encouraged to improve their sense of self and the quality of their existence by choosing what brings balance and harmony in their life.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: I just signed with a major record company and look forward to fulfilling my vision thanks to the resources made available to me. It feels like a new beginning and I feel fortunate.
Q: Can you share some music that is meaningful to you?
A: ‘Some Unholy War’ by Amy Winehouse, ‘If You Wanna be My Lover’ by Grace Jones and ‘L’eau à la Bouche’ by Serge Gainsbourg.
Lydie wears OLIVIA PHILIBERT top, LUDOVIC DE SAINT SERNIN dress,
own jewellery, stylist’s own socks, NODALETO shoes.
LYDIE LA PESTE
Singer, performer, dancer and MC
Q: Share some good qualities and flaws you live well with.
A: Mindfulness and generosity. I get attached to people too quickly. I’m too empathic and let things get to me emotionally.
Q: How do you challenge the perception of the Black body and experience in your practice?
A: To exist and express oneself without being apologetic for the space I occupy. As a Black woman artist, I refuse to have negative connotations placed on me and my art. I accept that I am a political being just by existing and being visible, whether you like it or not.
Q: What can you tell us about your community?
A: My community is made of artist friends who grew up together and support each other. As we progress through the ranks, we still collaborate on each other's projects and share our successes. For example, I assisted Nic [Huchard] on Ib Kamara’ s first Off-White show. Together we are stronger.
Q: What do you hope individuals take away from experiencing your work?
A: I love it when people find some additional joy. I want to pass on strong and positive emotions. When they tell me ‘I love it, please continue what you are doing’, it’s so rewarding.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: Right now, I am working on my pregnancy! It makes me ask myself many questions on how to raise a human being who can be kind to himself and good to others. I am also writing a one woman show, which incorporates dance, singing and storytelling.
Q: Can you share some music that is meaningful to you?
A: ‘No Wahala’ by 1da Banton – a hymn to living life like you have no problems. That is my philosophy of daily life.
BROODOO RAMSES
DJ
Q: Share some good qualities and flaws you live well with.
A: Adaptable, empathetic, creative. A slow learner.
Q: How do you challenge the perception of the Black body and experience in your practice?
A: In the Black community I feel like sometimes we have a definitive way of seeing what is Black and not Black. As an artist, I love to ask what could be black, too. For example, some music genres. In my opinion, everything created by Black people is part of the Black culture.
Q: What do you hope individuals take away from experiencing your work?
A: During my set, I feel a lot of joy and adrenaline. I want people to feel the same. Also, the understanding that it doesn’t matter that you’re more a hip hop head or techno head because music is just about energy. My goal is to make people appreciate that we don’t have to be stuck in our ways, what we believe we like. We can be surprised by things that we didn’t know.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: I’m learning production. I want to see how I can bring my musical influences into something that is unique to me. I’m also working on some visual art projects and building IPs for different kinds of mediums like animation, video games and film.
Q: How do you visualise the future for Black creatives?
A: Everybody loves Black culture, everybody loves what we bring to the table but we don’t necessarily have what we should have. So, I just hope in the future that every creative in my community can have more agency and ownership of our art.
Q: Can you share some music that is meaningful to you?
A: ‘Never Givin’ Up’ by Aaliyah featuring Tavarius Polk. I’m loving listening to it when I come back home after a gig, a bit drunk. It’s so melancholic and romantic.
Behind the scenes
Dani wears DOLCE & GABBANA vintage jacket,
stylist’s own trousers, own jewellery and glasses, ADIEU boots.
DANI BUMBA
Songwriter, producer and poet
Q: Share some good qualities and flaws you live well with.
A: Generous, passionate and determined. A perfectionist, which might make me spend more time than I need on details.
Q: How do you challenge the perception of the Black body and experience in your practice?
A: As a product of Congolese education and culture, my art is naturally infused by my African-ness. To create from my Blackness is my comfort zone without it being its ‘raison d’être’ or a challenge I consciously pursue.
Q: What can you tell us about your community?
A: I feel privileged to be part of a community of artists who address important issues. For example, in my performances I am keen to discuss men’s mental health. Here in Paris, we find strength in coming together despite not necessarily sharing the same philosophies and art practices. Our leitmotiv is, ‘Let love rule and express it’.
Q: What do you hope individuals take away from experiencing your work?
A: I hope that the public, especially Black men, are inspired to look deeper into their interiority and allow themselves to journey through their emotions to embrace their vulnerability and beauty.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: A single (Rosa Remix) is out now and I am working on my EP coming soon. I am also preparing a poetry anthology.
Q: Can you share some music that is meaningful to you?
A: Anything by Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson will always do!
Enfant Précoce wears RENAISSANCE RENAISSANCE top,
SHAYDN GIL trousers, own jewellery, glasses and shoes.
ENFANT PRÉCOCE
Fine artist and dancer
Q: Share some good qualities and flaws you live well with.
A: Joyful, reserved and patient. I am also an airhead!
Q: How do you challenge the perception of the Black body and experience in your practice?
A: To me, the Black body and experience is a sacred space often viewed as an enigma that is fetishised and feared. Historically and scientifically, Black is divine: we are the beginning of human civilization and we are still here. We should appreciate and celebrate this aspect of Blackness more often.
Q: What can you tell us about your community?
A: My uncle is my biggest inspiration. He continues to hone his craft and shares it with others despite no longer being very active in the art scene. He encouraged me to persevere even if it is not financially rewarding: the reward is to develop the ‘self’ that feels wholesome and not dictated by society’s definition of success. I have many friends who keep close to their authenticity and values. Sharing is at the heart of it: I grew up in Cameroon seeing my family organising meals to share with everyone in our village. I am grateful to all of them for instilling this virtue in me.
Q: What do you hope individuals take away from experiencing your work?
A: My paintings originate from my desire to share brightness and warmth to those who come in contact with them. Standing in front of a painting can trigger many questions but can also bring respite. I hope they feel at ‘home,’ as I do when I create my paintings.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: I am working on a series of surrealist paintings titled ‘Road to Paradise’, which depict the African experience in Europe. It’s a documentation of how Africans continue to build Europe without getting any recognition. I want to shine a light on these unsung yet dignified heroes who keep on building an ideal for their families.
Q: Can you share some music that is meaningful to you?
A: The ‘Sweet Motha’ playlist by Enfant Précoce on Spotify.
GLEN MBAN
Stylist and artistic director
Q: Share some good qualities and flaws you live well with.
A: Loyal, passionate and truthful. Indecisive
Q: How do you challenge the perception of the Black body and experience in your practice?
A: I felt comfortable growing in my Congolese culture and I always look to stay close to my community while opening up to newness and being inspired by other cultures. But I need my work to represent who I am and was cruelly made aware of this when I experienced ‘tokenism’ working with non-diverse teams.
Q: What can you tell us about your community?
A: My ‘ride or die’ is high-school friend Diamante Ka with whom I form the creative duo 4s10. I’m inspired by friends who dig deep to get their true sense of self. My mentors Ib Kamara and Nic [Huchard] have opened doors for me. I have a lot of admiration for Raya Martigny and for my boyfriend who has taught me to take my time and let ideas mature.
Q: What do you hope individuals take away from experiencing your work?
A: I am an image lover and beauty is at the centre of what I do. I hope it inspires others to know that if a boy like me can be a tastemaker, so can they. Everything is possible when we work for it and ask for help. It is crucial to include others in your path to self-realisation; more often than not people will be supportive of your dreams.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: I have just finished a shoot as artistic director with the photographer Gabriel Moses which I am pleased about. For now, I am letting myself be inspired by movies, music and my recent holidays.
Q: Can you share some music that is meaningful to you?
A: ‘Pearls’ by Sade for moderate melancholy. ‘Nigga What, Nigga Who’ by Jay-Z for power. ‘Me, Myself and I’ by Beyoncé and ‘Roga Roga’ by Bokoko to be enjoyed anytime of the day.
Jérémy wears ANN DEMEULEMEESTER full look,
own jewellery and glasses, PO CHIEH CHIU boots.
JÉRÉMY KOUYATÉ
Talent manager
Q: Share some good qualities and flaws you live well with.
A: Joyful, generous and funny. Too straightforward sometimes!
Q: How do you challenge the perception of the Black body and experience in your practice?
A: I give priority to individuals who have not had the chance to experience a management which is adapted to them. I stay loyal to the career goals of my clients by overseeing the selection of projects, the creative teams they are involved with and the events they are invited to attend, so they are not typecast into stereotypical roles.
Q: What can you tell us about your community?
A: We are very tight and support each other: we advise and motivate each other and share opportunities. So many of us are now reaching exciting heights in our careers and it brings me so much joy. On a personal level, my chosen family is indispensable: it is thanks to them that I walk with my head high and feel good on the daily.
Q: What do you hope individuals take away from experiencing your work?
A: Don’t try to blend in and realise that your uniqueness is your asset. I have often been the only black person in the room, the tallest, the loudest, and I tried to fit in but I got tired and decided to honour my true self. Do what comes natural to you, listen to yourself first. Saying that, it is important to respect others; there is nothing sexier than humility.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: In my line of work, there is stabilisation of representation, although post-BLM fatigue is palpable following an overuse of Black models and personalities by brands. There is less demand but as minorities we are organising ourselves to continue to build on the gains we made in terms of visibility in all industries. The future is bright.
Q: Can you share some music that is meaningful to you?
A: 'Diaraby Néné’ by Oumou Sangare reminds me of my childhood. I recently rediscovered this song and the emotion in her voice is so overwhelming.
Behind the scenes
KANTIS MOVEMENT
Break dancer, performer and visual artist
Q: Share some good qualities and flaws you live well with.
A: Curious, consistent, determined. Impatient.
Q: What can you tell us about your community?
A: My practice is really new, only three years old, so I haven’t had the chance to collaborate with my community yet. But we support each other through sending references to each other. It’s an exchange of inspiration between dancers, graphic designers and graffiti or tattoo artists for the moment.
Q: What do you hope individuals take away from experiencing your work?
A: I hope it pushes people to not be afraid of trying stupid things, and to not over-do things. I was afraid of how people would perceive my work. It’s so simple in its way, I just put ink on my shoes. It’s so childish. But I think beauty is in simple things. That is what I hope others can see and enjoy.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: I’m focussed on the mark, the steps, the forms and am developing my repertoire. I create a graphic system. I try to push it and add new glyphs. And I would like to develop the performative part of my art because it’s the core. I like to be challenged in front of a crowd.
Q: How do you visualise the future for Black creatives?
A: I think the African community is the present now. It’s not even the future. The Black renaissance movement is here and people are not ashamed of promoting their country. I think the future will be Africa. Raw. Just as it is.
Q: Can you share some music that is meaningful to you?
A: I’ve been listening to ‘Since I Have a Lover’, the new album by 6lack. I really love the last song ‘Night Ride Home’.
Malik wears OLIVIA PHILIBERT jumper, stylist’s own trousers,
LUDOVIC DE SAINT SERNIN boots.
MALIK LE NOST
Choreographer
Q: Share some good qualities and flaws you live well with.
A: Creative, radiant and kind. Disorganised.
Q: How do you challenge the perception of the Black body and experience in your practice?
A: When I feel my body is being fetishised as a dancer, I tend to be more generous in my movement to widen the range of emotions it suscitates. I want to be valued for my skills and creativity.
Q: What can you tell us about your community?
A: I have been dancing with Lydie [La Peste] and Nic [Huchard] for the past 15 years. We have shared so many professional and personal adventures; we are always connected and inspire each other. What I loved about us is that despite being ambitious, we are not in competition but elevate each other. I am very proud of our long-standing friendship.
Q: What do you hope individuals take away from experiencing your work?
A: My mission is to move my audience through my dancing. When I feel down, I often remember the great feedback I get from members of the public; it definitely uplifts me.
Q: How do you visualise the future for Black creatives?
A: I hope that we are continuing to widen the path for Black creatives to have the same opportunities as others to showcase our beauty, intellect and craft.
Q: Can you share some music that is meaningful to you?
A: ‘Hyper ballad’ by Björk. It is such a wave of poetry, tragic and soft at the same time.
Youssou wears RENAISSANCE RENAISSANCE jacket,
D'HEYGERE earring, JUSTINE CLENQUET choker and necklace,
STEVEN PASSARO shorts, stylist’s own shoes and socks.
YOUSSOU CAMARA
Model and visual artist
Q: Share some good qualities and flaws you live well with.
A: Creative, funny and kind. I love to sleep.
Q: How do you challenge the perception of the Black body and experience in your practice?
A: Many people hold on to the idea that Black people are not refined. My art reflects the fact that I can be chic and ghetto and that I accept my multifaceted persona with pride. When I am on photoshoots, I like to accentuate my dark skin having felt very self-conscious about it in the past.
Q: What can you tell us about your community?
A: I love to show up for my community. When my good friend Thee [Dian] is performing, our crew like to turn up and make sure we bring the right mood to her event. It is about the energy of connecting and feeling good about it.
Q: What do you hope individuals take away from experiencing your work?
A: The message I embody is that there are no limits. I grew up in Senegal where there were many things I didn’t have access to, so not trying is not an option. My younger brother is my biggest fan and wants to become a model too. I love that my experience has inspired him. Our talent is our superpower as long as we work to master it.
Q: How do you visualise the future for Black creatives?
A: It’s important that creatives realise that inspiration is everywhere: a fold, the way someone says hello to you, how a sound can become a drawing and then a piece of clothing. There is no limit.
Q: Can you share some music that is meaningful to you?
A: ‘Sa lii Sa liéé’ by Coumba Gowlo. At a time when skin bleaching was the norm, she preserved her ebony complexion. She was fearlessly avant-garde and displayed a sexual energy that she was shunned for. But now she is a celebrated icon.
LA DIVA AUX PIEDS NUS
NICOLAS HUCHARD’S ALL-WOMEN DANCE TROUPE HARNESS THEIR INNATE AGENCY TO REINVENT SOCIAL CODES
Established by Nicolas Huchard in 2018, La Diva Aux Pieds Nus (The Barefoot Divas) brings together a collective of Black women who share a belief in the power of dance to celebrate both the individuality and plurality of womanhood. Each performer is unique yet are all drawn together through an expression of their energies and strengths. This film and photography series by the Neighborhood.360 collective unfolds an urgent consciousness as La Diva Aux Pieds Nus break through the struggles of society to build a new and harmonious dawn.
LA DIVA AUX PIEDS NUS VIDEO
NICOLAS HUCHARD AND FRIENDS CREDITS
Guest editing and creative direction NICOLAS HUCHARD, Consulting creative/talent agent RÉDA AIT CHÉGOU, Photography JESSICA MADAVO at Concrete Rep, Styling FERANMI ESO, Production FARAGO PROJECTS, Hair CHIAO CHENET at Bryant Artists, Make-up MAËLYS JALLALI at Bryant Artists, Nails SALOUA DERBALI, Set design IVIU TORRE, Photography assistance MARCO MARCHETTI, FREDERIC TROEHLER, Styling assistance IRYNA POLIESHCHUK, ENORCK DESRUISSEAUX, RAYAN SOUAIDI, Hair assistance SEPHORA MAKOSSO, Make-up assistance LOU BOIDIN, BTS BONI (PABLO), Production assistance BRUNO CLAIRE, GREGORY TURCHI, Post Production IMGN STUDIO, Words STÉPHANE GABOUÉ, PAULA DE ALMEIDA, CHLOÉ HIRSCHMAN, Cast BROODOO RAMSES, DANI BUMBA, ENFANT PRÉCOCE, GLEN MBAN, KANTIS MOVEMENT, JÉRÉMY KOUYATÉ, LYDIE LA PESTE, MALIK LE NOST, NICOLAS HUCHARD, THEE DIAN, YOUSSOU CAMARA
LA DIVA AUX PIEDS NUS CREDITS
Visit La Diva Aux Pieds Nus, Story copyright © Neighborhood.360, Choreography and concept NICOLAS HUCHARD, Direction, colour grading and editing SOPHIE TRACY MAY, DOP AURÉLIE CHANTELLY, Styling LIAM DEROUICHE, Make-up SWAN ARNAUD, MERCURE PERROT, Camera operation and editing SALOMÉ MESDESIRS, Make-up assistance MARTHA VINCENOT, Music SOPHIE T. May mix of Maya Angelou’s ‘Phenomenal Woman’ and High Pulp’s ‘Wax Hands’, Cast MAYVIS WILLIAM, STEPHYE THÉOUÉ, JULIE LAVENTURE, LEILA MIRETTI, SERENA FREIRA, ANNE FOTSO, MARIAM KAMAR, JULIE RILOS, ELODIE ANTONIO, LYDIE ALBERTO
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