For this third edition, we join Abu, one of the faces of our The Words campaign, at the CENTQUATRE - an artistic and cultural center in the 19th arrondissement of Paris & Abu's favorite venue - where he expresses himself through his body and mind.
At the age of 25, this young dancer and model aspires to conquer the Parisian art scene. Originally from the south of France, he left his sunny hometown a few years ago to turn his passion into a profession.

With great success, Abu became a member of the famous dance company "La Marche Bleue" a year ago.
He likes to fuse breakdance, contemporary dance and electro, confirming his artistic versatility.

For Abu, the personalized embroidery "corps et âme" (« body and soul ») was an obvious choice. Indeed, they both consider them to be her daily working tools.
Every day, Abu tames his body, apprehends it and assesses its limits, a constant exploration that influences his dancing. He sees dance as a naked revelation of self, where soul and emotion take center stage.

His relationship with words was originally very complex. Due to dyslexia and a history of shyness, Abu spoke very little as a child. He would rather dance in front of a hundred people than talk to a stranger. Dance and his surroundings helped him gain confidence and discover the power of words to make meaningful connections with others. Abu also uses words as a means of freezing his artistic ideas in his telephone. Words then become a means of expressing his creativity.

Abu & Maison Labiche share common values such as the importance of words and simplicity. This is what he also tries to convey in his dancing. Simple movements can sometimes say much more and convey more emotion than complex ones.

ABU'S WORDS

  • Word of the day?

    Happy. I'm happy to be here today.

  • The author of your favorite words?

    Lunatic. A rap group.

  • Your favorite quote or words?

    A Lunatic quote: ""No time for regrets, mistakes belong only to ourselves, born to bring my share of progress."

  • A word in song?

    Ces gens-là by Jacques Brel.

  • The word that defines you?

    Bubble. Because I'm often in my bubble.

  • The word that changed your life?

    Leave. I've often been told to leave my province and live my dreams.

  • The word that comforts you?

    Be good. That's the word my father used to say to me when I was a child, when I left home. He still says it to me on the phone today...

  • The word that inspires you?

    Music As a dancer, it's my main inspiration.

  • A word of love / A kind word?

    Compassion. It's a pillar of love.

  • The word that annoys you?

    Laziness.

  • The word that revolts you?

    Injustice

  • The most beautiful word?

    Family.

  • The last word?

    Thank you!

Abu’s Wardrobe