Boucan! Loud moves against invisibility in postcolonial France
In the late 2000s, young French black people, practicing different African popular dance genres, use the term boucan (loud noise) to describe forms of bodily expressivity that are mostly inaudible. Boucan, to them, is predominantly visual and is produced through ingenuity, boldness and flamboyance in competitive performances relying on dance, appearance and conspicuous consumption, taking place in public spaces. This article looks at the ways in which both sonic and visual ‘noises’ are used to negotiate presence and circulation in urban spaces that are only virtually open to all.