Lasseindra Xclusive Lanvin

Mathieu Buard

To begin, I’d like to ask you to tell us a bit about where Lasseindra Nina comes from — or rather, where the House of Ninja comes from?

Lasseindra

Well, I’m no longer Ninja! It’s Lasseindra Xclusive Lanvin now. We’ve changed our name, changed our house.

Mathieu Buard

And how do you change houses? What does this new house express — in terms of movement, desire, the body?

Lasseindra

It’s a mix of personal evolution and life experience. It depends on each person, but for me, it’s part of a transition. This new house has different expectations — it’s younger, more in tune with the times, more anchored in the present.

It’s not necessarily about a new hybrid of movements, it’s more about a new way of thinking. A different philosophy. At the core, the dance remains the same — but it's embodied by different people, with new energies and new approaches to transmission.

Mathieu Buard

And is that what we find in the workshops you’re offering for Chaillot Expérience — like the ones you’ve done at the Pompidou Center?

Lasseindra

The workshops I lead are, to me, like body therapy — and also therapy of the mind. It’s a way to give people back their agency.

Mathieu Buard

The right to be there. To be present.

Lasseindra

To simply be present, yes. Because the lives we lead today — they crush us. The weight of it all: politics above all, image, social pressure. We all wear masks, in one way or another.

Mathieu Buard

It’s like playing a role, but without the laugh track. We perform our own bodies.

Lasseindra

We are ourselves — and we learn to accept that. Accept who we are, what we can or cannot do. And that’s okay.

In these workshops, the body language we use isn’t really suited for young children. I prefer to work with teenagers, from 15 and up. That way, we can go deeper, without self-censorship. I’m not into censorship. It’s not even about sensuality or sexuality — it’s more about language, about life experience. Some things can only be expressed from a certain age onward.

Mathieu Buard

So what’s the starting point in a workshop, concretely?

Lasseindra

There’s always a warm-up, of course. But in truth, everything starts with the music. Music is the beginning of it all.

Mathieu Buard

The heart of the workshop.

Lasseindra

The heart of everything. Music carries the mind, guides it. It sets the direction.

The sound is still house music, but a specific kind — ballroom house. During the workshops, you might also hear R’n’B, some contemporary tracks… But the sound world stays close to deep house and ballroom.

Mathieu Buard

And you mentioned there will be a ball at Chaillot this year?

Lasseindra

Yes, this year. It’s going to be a ball that reflects what’s happening right now. I don’t have a title yet, so I won’t reveal it, but it’s rooted in current political concerns. We’re facing struggles, the rollback of rights — especially for LGBT communities, Black communities, and others. Rights that were so hard-won are being swept away with a flick of the hand. It shows just how fragile everything is. And in that context, we need spaces where we can breathe, play, let go — even if just for a moment. We need refuge.

Mathieu Buard

And that’s also something you try to recreate in your workshops.

Lasseindra

Yes, but in the workshops, we begin by giving people tools — symbolic weapons — to defend themselves in society. But that doesn’t mean we always need to be in fight mode.

Mathieu Buard

And how do you approach style — clothing, costume, fashion — in the workshops or in performance?

Lasseindra

I don’t address it directly, but I always say that clothing matters. It’s not about following trends — it’s about fashion sense, elegance. In Paris, we’re supposed to know how to dress. It’s cultural. And style can help you feel elevated. That can come through clothes, makeup, a lot of things.

Mathieu Buard

And in your performances, that plays a role too, right? Especially since you carry “Lanvin” in your name.

Lasseindra

Of course. Lanvin is one of the first French couture houses, founded by a woman. Its logo evokes a maternal figure — there’s that sense of care, of being held together.

Mathieu Buard

And do we see a “Lanvin” style on stage? Those flowing fabrics, that flattering, fluid design that moves with the body?

Lasseindra

There’s a bit of everything. We’re not boxed into one aesthetic. But yes, it flows through.

Mathieu Buard

And Chamanik, the piece you performed at Chaillot — could you tell us more about that?

Lasseindra

Chamanik is a ritual. I’m from South America, so there’s a deep connection to those traditions. The performance brings together various ancestral spiritualities: indigenous shamanism, but also candomblé, santería, voodoo. This blend is very present in South America, especially in Brazil — a mix of African and native cultures. The piece is a cleansing ritual — to purify the audience’s soul, their spirit.

Mathieu Buard

There’s a real sense of offering, in what you’re saying.

Lasseindra

Yes. We offer a service. That’s our role. It’s a very specific kind of ritual — meant to purify the space. We all carry pain, invisible wounds. We need to release them.

Mathieu Buard

And the audience is invited to see what the shaman sees.

Lasseindra

Exactly — there’s a reversal. The audience sees what the shaman sees when they call on the spirits.

Mathieu Buard

How many of you are on stage?

Lasseindra

There are five dancers, including a real priestess trained in candomblé. We also pay tribute to Erzulie — one of the voodoo patron saints, who’s often associated with the LGBT community.