(LA)HORDE is a French artistic collective founded in 2013 by Marine Brutti, Jonathan Debrouwer, and Arthur Harel. Since 2019, they have served as the artistic directors of the Ballet National de Marseille, which they have transformed into a center for innovative and inclusive contemporary dance. Their work spans choreography, cinema, installation, and digital art, constantly exploring the role of the body in society and its interaction with digital culture.
Their first major work, *TO DA BONE* (2017), explored jumpstyle and other online dance phenomena, highlighting how digital communities generate new forms of collective expression. This research laid the foundation for their concept of “post-Internet dance,” which questions the influence of online platforms on physical movement and identity. In 2020, (LA)HORDE presented *Room With A View* at Théâtre du Châtelet, in collaboration with electronic musician Rone. Commissioned by the Châtelet, the work tackled themes of ecological collapse and social upheaval. Although its first run was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the performance returned to the Châtelet in September 2022 to sold-out audiences, confirming its critical success. It was later presented at NYU’s Skirball Center in New York in October 2023. Their most recent creation, *Age of Content* (2024), investigates the saturation of digital imagery and its impact on perception and reality. Premiered in Paris at Théâtre du Châtelet, it was revived in 2025 at Sadler’s Wells in London as part of the Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels festival and continues its international tour. In 2024, (LA)HORDE collaborated with theater director Ivo van Hove on *I Want Absolute Beauty*, a musical theatre production starring actress Sandra Hüller and featuring songs by PJ Harvey. Premiered at the Ruhrtriennale Festival in Bochum on August 16, 2024, under van Hove’s artistic direction, the piece added a new dimension to their repertoire.
Beyond the stage, (LA)HORDE also engages with the contemporary art world through collaborations with institutions such as New Galerie in Paris. Their exhibition *Heureux sous son ombre* at the Bass Museum of Art in Miami (October 16, 2024 – April 27, 2025) exemplifies their interdisciplinary approach, featuring the video installation *Bondy* (2017) and newly commissioned sculptures that explore community and spatial dynamics. Across their diverse projects, (LA)HORDE continues to redefine contemporary dance through inclusivity, digital culture, and the transformative power of collective movement. Their influence extends far beyond the performing arts. In 2023–2024, (LA)HORDE served as choreographic directors for Madonna’s *Celebration* tour, translating their movement language into a new pop spectacle. They also created stage and video works for Sam Smith, collaborated with Gilles Lellouche on the film *Amour Ouf*, and partnered with several major brands (Hermès, Burberry, Alpine), notably Chanel, for dance performances during the Cruise 24/25 fashion shows in Marseille and Hong Kong – infusing haute couture with subversive expressivity.
In 2025, a new chapter begins: *Room With A View* will be presented at the Sónar Festival in Barcelona, marking the first large-scale choreographic work ever programmed at this globally recognised festival for electronic music and digital arts. *Age of Content* will also be staged at Théâtre de la Ville in Paris in spring 2025. Meanwhile, (LA)HORDE continues to develop new large-scale productions, reaffirming their commitment to queer, feminist, and post-Internet aesthetics while expanding the boundaries of dance today.
