La Trêve(s), Switch, Itinéraire d'un danseur grassouillet and La constellation consternée: his company, Illico, asserts a statement of strong theatricalness, of demanding dance. La jeune fille et la mort, for seven interpreters and a quartet live, is another step in Thomas Lebrun’s career. The ultimate romantic lied (Der Tod und das Mädchen), which gave its name to the show, is a clever mix of candour and dark visions drawing its origins from Greek mythology: the rape of Persephone, the daughter of the goddess Demeter, by the god of the Underworld, in other words Death. Beyond this, the myth narrates the cycle of the seasons and was a source of inspiration for artists at all times. Thomas Lebrun explains: “While preserving the distance that history has had to face with the lyricism of the time and while finding the place in what contemporary choreographic art produces, I would like to scour today’s romanticism with an eclectic team of artists”. From Anthony Cazaux to Odile Azagury and Christine Gérard, from Corinne Lopez to Raphaël Cottin, from Christian Ubl to Anne-Sophie Lancelin, it is another choreographic constellation across generations that is taking shape. Romanticism according to Thomas Lebrun is timeless: his maiden will “see, accept, dare, resist, commit”. And we will accompany her. 

Source: Philippe Noisette

Thomas Lebrun has danced for Bernard Glandier, Daniel Larrieu, Christine Bastin, Christine Jouve and Pascal Montrouge, and founded the Illico company in 1998, after composing the solo “Cache Ta Joie!“. Based in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France, he was first of all an associated artist at Vivat, Armentières (2003-2005) before taking on a similar role in 2006 at Danse à Lille CDC (Centre for Choreographic Development). “On prendra bien le temps d'y être”, “(La) Trêves” “Les Soirées What You Want?”, “Switch”, “Itinéraire d'un danseur grassouillet” and now “La Constellation Consternée” are all works that are also aesthetic worlds which are explored, allying demanding and precise dance with an assertive theatricality.

Thomas Lebrun has also composed a number of pieces in collaboration, notably with the Swiss choreographer Foofwa d'Imobilité (“Le Show” / “Un Twomen Show”) and the French choreographer Cécile Loyer (Que tál!), and makes training and teaching a priority. She teaches at the CND (National Dance Centre) in Pantin and Lyon, Ménagerie de Verre, La Rochelle Conservatoire, Balletéatro de Porto, etc.

He has also choreographed for foreign companies, such as the Liaonning National Ballet in China, Grupo Tapias in Brazil (a solo and, in 2009, a quintet for the Year of France in Brazil) and for Loreta Juodkaité, the Lithuanian dancer

in the 2009 edition of the New Baltic Dance Festival in Vilnius et for FranceDanse Vilnius managed by  CulturesFrance (Vilnius, European cultural capital 2009).

In 2012, Thomas Lebrun becomes the new artistic director for the Centre chorégraphique national de Tours.

Further information

CCN Tours

Last update : May 2011

Author, filmmaker and video artist Charles Picq (1952-2012) entered working life in the 70s through theatre and photography. A- fter resuming his studies (Maîtrise de Linguistique - Lyon ii, Maîtrise des sciences et Techniques de la Communication - grenoble iii), he then focused on video, first in the field of fine arts at the espace Lyonnais d'art Contemporain (ELAC) and with the group « Frigo », and then in dance.
   On creation of the Maison de la Danse in Lyon in 1980, he was asked to undertake a video documentation project that he has continued ever since. During the ‘80s, a decade marked in France by the explosion of contemporary dance and the development of video, he met numerous artists such as andy Degroat, Dominique Bagouet, Carolyn Carlson, régine Chopinot, susanne Linke, Joëlle Bouvier and regis Obadia, Michel Kelemenis. He worked in the creative field with installations and on-stage video, as well as in television with recorded shows, entertainment and documentaries.

His work with Dominique Bagouet (80-90) was a unique encounter. He documents his creativity, assisting with Le Crawl de Lucien and co-directing with his films Tant Mieux, Tant Mieux and 10 anges. in the 90s he became director of video development for the Maison de la Danse and worked, with the support of guy Darmet and his team, in the growing space of theatre video through several initiatives:
       - He founded a video library of dance films with free public access. This was a first for France. Continuing the video documentation of theatre performances, he organised their management and storage.
       - He promoted the creation of a video-bar and projection room, both dedicated to welcoming school pupils.
       - He started «présentations de saisons» in pictures.
       - He oversaw the DVD publication of Le tour du monde en 80 danses, a pocket video library produced by the Maison de la Danse for the educational sector.

       - He launched the series “scènes d'écran” for television and online. He undertook the video library's digital conversion and created Numeridanse.

His main documentaries are: enchaînement, Planète Bagouet, Montpellier le saut de l'ange, Carolyn Carlson, a woman of many faces, grand ecart, Mama africa, C'est pas facile, Lyon, le pas de deux d'une ville, Le Défilé, Un rêve de cirque.

He has also produced theatre films: Song, Vu d'ici (Carolyn Carlson), Tant Mieux, Tant Mieux, 10 anges, Necesito and So schnell, (Dominique Bagouet), Im bade wannen, Flut and Wandelung (Susanne Linke), Le Cabaret Latin (Karine Saporta), La danse du temps (Régine Chopinot), Nuit Blanche (Abou Lagraa), Le Témoin (Claude Brumachon), Corps est graphique (Käfig), Seule et WMD (Françoise et Dominique Dupuy), La Veillée des abysses (James Thiérrée), Agwa (Mourad Merzouki), Fuenteovejuna (Antonio Gades), Blue Lady revistied (Carolyn Carlson).

Source: Maison de la Danse de Lyon