Bassam Abou Diab began his career as an actor and dancer of dabke, the traditional Arab folk dance. After obtaining a degree in acting from the University of Lebanon, he turned his attention to contemporary dance, exploring in particular the interplay between movement, Arab religious rituals and physical theatre. He completed a master’s degree in acting and worked as an actor for several years, developing a performative approach that combines theatre and dance. He joined the Maqamat Dance Company, performing in numerous shows and taking part in the annual intensive dance programme ‘Takween’, which enabled him to collaborate with internationally renowned choreographers. During this period, he created the show Phalastinian Karma for the Accademia Nazionale in Rome and collaborated with European choreographers on productions in Lebanon and Europe. Drawing on his research into rituals and traditional movements, he choreographed two major works: The Siege in Italy and Home in New York. Bassam created, choreographed and danced in the shows Not Connected and Of What I Remember, and his creations Under the Flesh, Eternal and Pina My Love have toured internationally, cementing his presence on the global contemporary dance scene.
He also leads workshops and classes in traditional dance, contemporary dabke, contemporary dance and physical rituals, sharing his unique approach and performative research. In 2021, he founded the Beirut Physical Lab, an organisation dedicated to supporting emerging artists in the fields of contemporary dance and physical theatre, promoting training, new works, research and artistic collaborations at both local and international levels.