Thomas Couetdic Workshop Report

One of the conclusion tasks for the second phase of the Parcours Project was to write a report to the Funarte Award Commission. I thought it was interesting to post the text we sent them in here. A short review about the practice and the workshop. Nice reading.

"Lisses is the birthplace of the Parkour and it's also considered the Mecca for the traceurs around the world, often visited by those who search for a stronger contact with the real spirit of the discipline.

And the first person in the world to do "the pilgrimage" was Thomas Couetdic, resident of Tours, a little city 200km away from Lisses. That was in 2001, right after the first big report of Parkour in Europe, an interview with David Belle for the TF1 TV Channel.

Thomas travelled by train from one city to the other, he was 17 years-old, two years older than David Belle when he decided to dedicate himself to the discipline. At this time, Thomas was just an enthusiast, with limited background in sports, and today, at 23, he's a global icon. He has inspired many beginners and others traceurs through his abilities, posture and character.

A general panorama of Lisses. The period that Thomas was making his initial trips to Lisses, is considered the beginning of the end of the golden age for David Belle's hard trainings and his group at that moment, The Original Traceurs. On the streets the "Big Guys" were identified as: David Belle, Kazuma, Stephane Vigroux and others. And the "Small Guys" were: Johann Vigroux, Seb Guodot and Mike. Those are the prodigies Thomas was counting for his learning.

Our contact with the pure Parkour was extremely valuable to understand the French's abilities. The physical training and conditioning are very intense. Initially, the physical qualities of the practising must overcome the technique. It's necessary to become very strong to take the impact that come with the moves. On a second moment, an equilibrium between the practice pillars is established: physical-strength, mental-strength, spirit and discipline. We have experienced this balance on the workshop. The long daily physical training was harsh, also inspiring. Analysing the moves and behaviour of the original traceurs once more, it's possible to realize how these events were valuable. If we take as true the saying, "to create art, we must suffer", then all the subscribers finished this journey as great artists, proudly.

The relation between this work with the development of a language for these moves and the act scene is essential. Learning the origin of the activity it's possible to understand the creation of each move, and the intention behind each proposal. Art was made, even before the artistic speech."

Hard trainings,

Bruno Rachacuca.