‘It’s like being on a love boat’: the dance trio embraced by Sam Smith and Madonna

‘Post-internet dance’ … (La)Horde’s Roommates is at Southbank Centre, London, in March. Photograph: Blandine Soulage

That thing about never meeting your idols? Not true, say (La)Horde. There was the time Madonna slid into their DMs, for a start. She started following the French dance collective on Instagram. “We wrote, ‘Oh la la, Madonna!’ just to test if she’d see it, and she responded: ‘Hey, hi, want to collaborate?’” Marine Brutti is laughing, still a little in disbelief, as she recalls choreographing the Celebration tour.

Then there was the film they made with Spike Jonze, the tours with Christine and the Queens and the time Sam Smith turned up backstage and they ended up making the Unholy video and live shows for 2023’s Gloria album. “Sam honestly is the best ever to work with,” raves Brutti. “The wittiest, funniest, most caring, protective person. It’s like being on a love boat,” she swoons. “I said to someone recently: work with your idols!”