Choreographer and artistic director Fouad Boussouf traces his path from listening to hip-hop and regional Arab music in the French suburbs to directing a national choreographic center. Influenced by North African heritage, contemporary dance, and circus arts, he explores how non-verbal expression allows him to address social commentary, immigration, and spiritual identity through movement. Boussouf offers insights into his creative process and key productions, including his tribute to Oum Kalthoum and his acclaimed high-energy show Näss. The discussion examines how instinctive rhythm, Gnawa culture, and raw physical fatigue drive authentic performance on stage.
Choreographer and artistic director Fouad Boussouf traces his path from listening to hip-hop and regional Arab music in the French suburbs to directing a national choreographic center. Influenced by North African heritage, contemporary dance, and circus arts, he explores how non-verbal expression allows him to address social commentary, immigration, and spiritual identity through movement. Boussouf offers insights into his creative process and key productions, including his tribute to Oum Kalthoum and his acclaimed high-energy show Näss. The discussion examines how instinctive rhythm, Gnawa culture, and raw physical fatigue drive authentic performance on stage.
00:00 Introduction
00:32 Dual Musical Roots
01:40 Hip-Hop Influences and Pop Icons
03:55 Childhood Cassettes and French Suburbs
08:12 Early Training from Circus to Dance
10:19 Nostalgic Breakthroughs
14:41 Overcoming Expectations
18:44 Touring and First Projects
27:34 Paying Tribute to Oum Kalthoum
35:56 Popularizing Gnawa Culture
41:48 The Origins and Themes of Näss
Fouad Boussouf is a Moroccan-French choreographer, artistic director of Compagnie Massala, and since January 2022, director of Le Phare — Centre chorégraphique national du Havre Normandie. Born in a village near Moulay Idriss, Morocco, he moved to France at age seven and began hip hop as a teenager. He studied social sciences at the University of Paris XII, earned a DESS degree on hip hop, and founded Compagnie Massala at 27. His work is hybrid, without labels, and grounded in the hip hop movement vocabulary while drawing on Mediterranean, North African, and Arab musical and spiritual traditions. His works include Näss (People) (2018), Oüm (2020, an homage to Oum Kalthoum), After Fêu (2023), and Vïa (2023, created for the Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève). He was honored with the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres by the French government in 2022. Näss (People) receives its UAE Premiere at the NYUAD Arts Center on October 30, 2026.
Connect with Fouad Boussouf 👉 https://www.lephare-ccn.fr