DANCE REFLECTIONS BY VAN CLEEF & ARPELS PRESENTS NÄSS BY FOUAD BOUSSOUF IN ABU DHABI
On October 30th, Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels and The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi present Näss (People) by choreographer Fouad Boussouf, the first of three performances supported by the program in Abu Dhabi this season.
What happens when the raw energy of 1970s Moroccan music meets the visceral pulse of contemporary hip hop? Drawing inspiration from the legendary Moroccan musical pioneers Nass el Ghiwane, Boussouf orchestrates a high-octane encounter between seven men, blending traditional North African rhythms with fierce, urban movement. Each dancer remains committed to his own style and strength, and together they build a hypnotic rite, a sacred commotion that bridges cultural heritage and unbridled modern expression.
Born in Morocco and raised in France from the age of seven, Fouad Boussouf discovered hip hop as a teenager and has since shaped a dance language of nonstop movement, rooted in its vocabulary yet deliberately without labels. He has directed Le Phare, Centre chorégraphique national du Havre Normandie, since 2022, the same year he was named Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
Näss continues a story that began nearly a century ago. Since the 1920s, Van Cleef & Arpels has nurtured a deep fascination with dance, a bond strengthened in the late 1940s when Claude Arpels met choreographer George Balanchine. Their shared passion for precious stones gave rise to the ballet Jewels, first presented in New York in 1967. In 2012, a new chapter opened with Benjamin Millepied, founder of L.A. Dance Project, and in 2020 the Maison reaffirmed its commitment with the creation of Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels. Guided by the values of creation, transmission and education, the program supports artists and institutions in sharing choreographic heritage and encouraging new works, with a network of 70 partners across 17 countries.
The season continues with I AM by Camille A. Brown & Dancers on January 21st, 2027, and Face aux murs by Cie Hors Surface on June 11th and 12th, 2027. The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi has partnered with Dance Reflections for five consecutive seasons.
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