Passionate, professional and fearsomely ambitious, Maqamat Dance House only opened its doors at the start of September, but it has already made waves in Beirut’s cultural scene. Omar Rajeh and Mia Habis have been running a dance school, the BIPOD international dance festival and other related projects for years – but the permanent Hamra performance venue for contemporary dance is new. It’s worth the wait; the hall is high-spec and sparkling, audiences sit on benches with individual cushions and the shows have been carefully selected from professionals around the world.

Following their sell-out first month, October sees five different shows. Artistic Director Omar Rajeh performs his intensely dramatic solo show, fresh from its week-long stint in Canada. Other shows are by Ali Shahrour, Luc Dunberry, Marlon Barrios Solano and Thierry Smits. They are all internationally-renowned dancers and choreographers from Lebanon, Berlin, Venezuela and Belgium and are leading workshops during their Beirut residencies. Make sure you stick around for the lively post-show discussions and drinks. But consider booking well in advance, because performances so far have been packed to the rafters. And finally, don’t come wrapped up too warm – they’re not big on air-conditioning.