Some careers follow a straight line. Fanny Qoindet’s traces a dance. From her early years on stage with The House of Dancing Water to touring the world as Associate Director of Fashion Freak Show, her path has been choreographed by curiosity, not convention. When an injury shifted her trajectory, Fanny didn’t step back—she stepped up, moving behind the scenes to shape stories, performances, and entire worlds.
In our conversation, Fanny opens up about directing in high-pressure touring environments, adapting large-scale productions across wildly different spaces, and why individuality—not perfection—is the soul of great performance. She also shares the unvarnished truth about founding her own company, creating Ecumos in a shifting funding landscape, and how impending motherhood is not a pause but an expansion of her creative life.
This is a story about movement, authorship, and building work on your own terms. Full episode drops next week—stay tuned.
How did you transition from being a performer to becoming a choreographer and director?
Fanny Coindet::
The transition happened quite naturally for me because I started choreographing at the same time I was performing. I created my first show at 19, and even as a performer, I was always involved in making small acts, assisting choreographers, or creating movement for fashion shows.
The true turning point came when I tore my ligaments. The person managing Fashion Freak Show wanted to move on, and I was asked to step into a leadership role. Overnight, I was managing this massive show, which required me to shift from performing to directing and production oversight.
I’d been preparing for that moment without fully realizing it—years of choreographing while performing made the transition fluid. I’ve always found it healthy to have multiple creative lanes open, so I never felt boxed in as “just a performer.”
What is Fashion Freak Show, and what is your role in it?
Fanny Coindet::
Fashion Freak Show is the brainchild of Jean-Paul Gaultier—a cabaret-style musical that celebrates his extraordinary career. It’s a hybrid spectacle blending fashion, concert, and performance. I joined as a dancer when the show launched around 2018–2019.
I then became dance captain, which was already an intense role because the cast was small and the show had to keep running even through injuries and changes. Later, I transitioned into assistant director and then associate director.
My responsibilities expanded to adapting the show for different spaces—London’s Roundhouse, arenas in Brisbane, charming theaters in Italy, and modern venues like Tokyo’s Theatre Orb. The show is never the same twice: the shape, catwalk, and set adapt to the venue, and the performers bring their unique personalities. That individuality is the heartbeat of the show, and my role is to maintain that spirit while keeping the production moving.
How do dance and circus intersect in your work, and how do you approach creating for circus artists?
Fanny Coindet:
The intersection is becoming more fluid. Young artists today are often strong dancers and acrobats at the same time. When I worked with students at École nationale de cirque de Rosny-sous-Bois, I noticed how easily they merged the two vocabularies.
When I create for circus, I come at it from a dance perspective. I’m interested in body language rather than just technical tricks. Once, working in a small theater with low ceilings, I used a trapeze at a very low height. Some artists initially resisted because they couldn’t do their full technical repertoire. But by shifting the entry point and using the apparatus differently, we found new poetry in their movement.
I love pushing artists to set technique aside momentarily to discover something unique. Once that foundation is built, they can reintroduce their skills in a way that feels personal rather than formulaic. That’s where true artistic identity emerges.
What have you learned since starting your own company and creating your first work, Ecumos?
Fanny Coindet:
One word: paperwork! Starting my company in 2023 taught me how much time the business side consumes. I spend far more time at the computer than in the studio. But it also taught me the power of self-initiative—things only happen if I make them happen.
Ecumos was born after the pandemic, when I decided to stop waiting for opportunities and create my own. I entered a choreographic contest in Paris just to take that first step, even without expectations. That process helped me overcome doubt, and we ended up winning two artistic residencies in beautiful spaces in the South of France.
Getting funding as a first-time choreographer is difficult, but I decided not to wait five years. Instead, I produced the piece myself, focusing on making it tourable and festival-ready. It’s been a lesson in resourcefulness, patience, and understanding every layer of production from concept to touring logistics.
How do you approach visibility, casting, and future plans as both an artist and a producer?
Fanny Coindet:
I used to be skeptical about social media. It felt too personal and invasive. But I’ve since realized it’s a professional tool—visibility equals credibility today. Younger artists are incredibly skilled at self-promotion, and I had to catch up and approach it with a business mindset.
When casting for big productions like Fashion Freak Show, I rely heavily on Instagram to find performers with strong personalities and clear personal brands. Traditional auditions often don’t work for this show because it needs individuality, not ensemble molds.
For my own company, it’s different. I choose people I connect with deeply—artistically and spiritually. It’s about trust and creative intimacy. That’s a luxury of working small-scale.
As for the future, I plan to keep building my company slowly, create collaborative projects, continue teaching and freelancing, and tour with Fashion Freak Show. I’m also preparing to become a mother, which I see as a creative expansion, not an obstacle. I imagine having my baby in the studio and integrating family life with artistic work.
Key Takeaways
Transition through curiosity: Fanny’s move from performer to director was gradual and built on years of creative multitasking.
Adaptation as art: Fashion Freak Show thrives because it adapts to performers and spaces, not the other way around.
Dance + circus fusion: Approaching apparatus work through movement can unlock new poetic possibilities for circus artists.
Business is part of artistry: Running a company means paperwork, funding challenges, and resourcefulness—but also creative independence.
Visibility matters: Social media and personal branding play a critical role in casting and opportunity creation in today’s performance world.
Featured Image: Jean Paul Gaultier Fashion Freak Show | Photo credit @ Mark Senior