Selma & Sofiane Ouissi

Brother and sister, choreographers, dancers and curators Selma and Sofiane Ouissi (Tunis, 1975 and 1972) have been creating and dancing together since the start of their careers. Graduates of the Conservatoire de Musique et de Danse de Tunis, the Centre National de Danse in Tunis and holders of a state dance diploma in France, they are now major figures in contemporary dance in the Arab world. Their personal creations include STOP... BOOM (2004) and Waçl (2007). Invited by Tate Modern to create a performance in 2014, the duo devised a choreographic piece broadcast online: Les Yeux d'Argos. Between 2015 and 2017, they wrote the protocol for Moindre Geste, which was shown at Kunstenfestivaldesarts, MSK Ghent and the Festival de Marseille. Alongside their personal research, Selma and Sofiane Ouissi founded the L'Art Rue association in 2007, dedicated to the production and dissemination of contemporary art in the public space in Tunisia. The resolutely multidisciplinary project is based around the Dream City contemporary art biennial, the Laaroussa popular space art factory in rural Tunisia, the Z.A.T. (Zone Artistique Temporaire) magazine, and a programme of support for young Tunisian artists, as well as a wide range of initiatives aimed at young audiences. Selma and Sofiane Ouissi are currently working with Nicolas Suburlati on their next creation, L'Opéra du Geste (2025).