Thibault LAC
Dancer

Thibault received a grant to help him participate in the Green Factory event organized by the Centre National de la Danse.

What is your artistic background ?
I started dancing at the age of 10, without ever really thinking that I would make it my profession. Later on, I even started studying architecture, in parallel with the dance classes I was taking at the Bordeaux Conservatory. Even though I lacked confidence, thanks to the initiative of a close friend I was accepted at PARTS, in Brussels. I learned a lot there, as much about the practice of dance as about me as a person. After this training, I started working as a dancer with young choreographers such as Noé Soulier, Eleanor Bauer, Daniel Linehan, before meeting the American choreographer Trajal Harrell. This encounter gave rise to a long-term artistic collaboration, the richest of my career. It continues to nourish me today. Always interested in exchanging with other artists, I was able to work with Ligia Lewis, Mathilde Monnier and Daniel Jeanneteau, among others. In order to push these exchanges further, I now also devote myself to a more personal choreographic practice, through collaborative projects that allow me to provoke new encounters.

How do you view your profession today ?
The current context is interesting because despite all the great alternatives of sharing and broadcasting, online and on social networks, we understand that living the experience of the show and the "live" performance, in flesh and blood, is irreplaceable. Despite the precariousness of the lifestyle that is often associated with it, I find that the performing arts have received, through this global situation, a true reminder of their fragile but incredibly precious nature.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years ? In 10 years ?
In all honesty, this is a bit of a difficult time to think forward. But I hope to be able to continue to practice dance and to continue to be surprised by the experiences and opportunities that come my way. My conception of dance and artistic work is very social, made up of encounters and exchanges, and I hope to be able to continue to set up opportunities for sharing and dialogue. Both with other choreographic artists, but also with artists from other fields, visual arts or cinema. Finally, the crucial exchange is the one that takes place with the public and the spectators. We must find it at all costs!

Interview conducted in 2020
Photography credit : Kamila K. Stanley