Black Love is a new short film by Gladys Gambie and Black Artist Management (BAM) that immerses us in the sheer abandon and communal energy of dance. The work sees Gambie, one of France’s most esteemed choreographers, line up BAM dancers Ablaye Diop and Mounia Nassangar alongside a cast of talented performers. Together they not only remind us of the self-expression that comes from cutting up the dancefloor, but what makes the Paris scene so unique.

“The idea was to make a film with the dancers who we really love. The focus was on the 1990s as a seminal period for clubbing but giving it the feel of today,” Gambie explains of the concept she built with BAM founder Barbara Blanchard. “We wanted to mix Mounia's waacking with Ablaye's electro dance and some hype dance flashbacks to create a dreamlike moment through dance. Also, it was very important for me to talk about the sorority and the Black community so that’s why the use of braided hairstyles was really important. I wanted to make some connection between all the girls who had braids as a silver thread.”

Shot in a Paris club under construction near La Villette, this high octane short brings us up close to the cast, each one given their moment to shine. “Mounia is stunning. She’s tall, sculptural, bald and gorgeous,” Gambie says of her lead woman. “I also love the ‘sexy moment’ in the film when people are dancing together and we can see their bodies. This is exactly the way I feel when I go to a club - the bodies connect and people are excited to watch and emulate the best dancer there.”

Gambie originally made her name as a dancer with the Alvin Ailey Company in New York before developing a career as a choreographer, movement director and artistic director for stage, TV and cinema. She also became a singer and performed with Cassius and Salif Keita. With Black Love, she unites her passions. “I’ve always tried to find many ways to express myself and many ways to understand what art is,” she reflects. “In France there are not a lot of women choreographers, but now, the new generation is coming through and having more fun. It’s exciting to make new things and keep doing what I love.”

Mounia Nassangar is among the new generation shaking up Paris and is a member of Ma Dame Paris, a collective promoting the culture of waacking. “It’s a dance style originally formed in LA by queer men from the African American and Latinx community. The protagonists were fighting homophobia and xenophobia but in clubs it was just about having fun and releasing,” Nassangar explains. Through her moves, and the wider unity of dance expressed in Black Love, she proves that the Paris dancefloor reigns. “We have something genuine and different from every other scene. That ‘je ne sais quoi’ that makes the French flair and is so hard to define. Something simple yet flawless and full of vibes. I hope that people will feel the French love and that they'll share it with us!”

With BAM, Barbara Blanchard is bringing together talents from across the creative industries who express the world she wants to see. To her it’s more than an agency that representing talent. It’s a call to action. “We believe in the power of creativity to lead the change. The industry is global so it is important to have diverse voices and not just the ones of the happy few,” she asserts. “BAM is shifting the narrative by creating a platform for multidisciplinary professionals and industry outsiders. The idea is to disrupt the status quo, break boundaries and build bridges between different sectors.”

Only launched in December 2020, BAM is already making serious waves at home and abroad. “Our initiative is unprecedented in France where, despite its cultural exception of multiculturalism that made its reputation and strength through history, everything related to diversity and inclusion is still very touchy,” she reflects. “For us, the term ‘Black’ goes way beyond skin colour. Black is the colour of excellence, of the loner, the outsider, the free spirit. France is a melting pot and we are proud to be part of it. Our hope is to show there are no limits to what we can achieve if we work together hand in hand with our differences.”

As for Black Love, this is just a taste of what makes BAM’s roster so vital. “Dance is a universal language. It is a way to communicate, a rebellious act and a form of resilience. Dance has always had a huge importance in Black culture and has become predominant in popular culture, making choreography and movement direction so important today. That is why Gladys and Mounia are such special additions to BAM. Their craft is outstanding and they are two inspiring and strong women in a world mostly ruled by men.”