The unexpected dance

Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, has grown from 1.5 million to over 2 million inhabitants in less than a decade.

Between population growth and the massive rural exodus of young people, the city could reach 6 million inhabitants by 2030. This process of urbanization, with its extremely rapid demographic and spatial growth, poses multiple development challenges. The city’s growth is accompanied by poverty, difficulties in accessing employment, decent housing, and basic services. Poverty and inequalities lead to phenomena of intolerance and isolation, exacerbating insecurity and the risk of social crisis, all of which hinder development.

Meanwhile, dance, a central part of Burkinabe culture, whether in its traditional forms or the most demanding contemporary creations, has been declining for several years.

In Ouagadougou, the adoption of new lifestyles reduces the time devoted to traditional dance, and religious and social pressures are giving way to less demonstrative forms of expression. The deteriorating security situation, the terrorist threat, and the lack of infrastructure—spaces for training, creation, or distribution—are undermining the possibility of providing artistic education and access to culture for all. Dance is no longer a priority for public authorities or the population. Yet, it remains a powerful vehicle for encounters and social cohesion, crucial to promoting in this context of urban development.