Last season, you could already spot him as an intern in a choreography by Davide Bellotta in Normality No More | Schubert’s Winterreise Revisited – the coproduction with Ragazze Quartet and Via Berlin. At theatre festival De Parade this summer, we saw him with Mariko Shimoda in the duet Slipping Under by Niek Wagenaar. Thomas’s internship ended, but thanks to the contributions of the Friends of Conny Janssen Danst, the company can offer him an additional contract.
This season, Thomas Fauc will be dancing in INSTINCT. We asked him a few questions about the first rehearsals for this performance, which Conny Janssen is creating together with Patricia van Deutekom.
How did you experience the first rehearsals for INSTINCT?
The first rehearsals for INSTINCT were strong and inspiring. The topic of the performance – our instinctive responses to threat – opened many possibilities, and it was a stimulating challenge to shift between choreographers, exploring different qualities and sensitivities. At the same time, I was struggling between finding my place within this new project and keeping some distance, as I wasn’t completely sure yet if I would actually take part in it. Still, I kept pushing, proposing ideas, and feeding my own way of moving to share my authenticity and identity within the process.
The topic of the performance - our instinctive responses to threat - opened many possibilities, and it was a stimulating challenge to shift between choreographers, exploring different qualities and sensitivities. Thomas about the first rehearsals of INSTINCT
How did Conny Janssen and Patricia van Deutekom start to create the choreography with you and the other dancers?
They each came with a clear idea of the piece and worked separately with the group. One week we worked with Conny Janssen and the next with Patricia van Deutekom. Usually, they started from an idea and developed it in the moment by mixing, twisting, and adding variations. For example, with Patricia we created a solo using her method and the qualities of a previous choreography, while with Conny we learned three different phrases that she later mixed and transformed into one.
These first weeks of rehearsing were a great start to get to know each of them and their own way of approaching movement. I’m curious to see what new inspiration and ideas they will share when we meet again in November!
INSTINCT premieres on Friday, February 20, 2026, at Theater Rotterdam, featuring Thomas Fauc and thirteen other dancers. The performance will then be touring until June 2026.