Les Twins: From Hip-Hop Dance to Musical Stardom
Table of Contents
Les Twins are the French duo Laurent and Larry Bourgeois. These identical twin brothers have many talents, having worked as dancers, choreographers, models, and musicians. They started out as hip-hop dancers, honing their skills at an early age before winning the French equivalent of America’s Got Talent. The twins have worked with some of the biggest names in modern music, and they’ve also been involved with several high-profile advertising campaigns. Les Twins are now established artists in their own right, discovering a new musical style with their latest track, “Toxic.”
From stage to screen, from Beyoncé to “Toxic,” let’s review the long and constantly evolving career of Les Twins.
The early days
Laurent and Larry Bourgeois began their career in Sarcelles, France. In this northern Paris commune, they lived in a large extended family of nine children. The Bourgeois family were proud members of the Guadeloupean community, who migrated to France between 1963 and 1981 as part of the BUMIDOM program. This dynamic duo trained in hip-hop dance from a young age, first at home with their siblings and then with the local hip-hop community.
Les Twins connected with Abibou “Playmo” Kébe at the age of 10, with this legendary coach having trained hip-hop dancers since the early ’80s. They never received any formal dance training, creating their style by copying other breakers, lockers, and poppers on the local scene. Before long, the young brothers had developed their own distinct version of new style hip-hop dancing.
Even from this early age, Laurent and Larry Bourgeois had ambitions far beyond their local scene. They taught themselves classical ballet techniques and were performing in concerts and musicals before they entered their teens. When the boys were 17, they joined underground hip-hop competitions and won countless battles with their crew. They had recruited five additional members to form Criminalz Crew, and this talented team entertained crowds on the streets and in the clubs across Paris.
In 2007, just two years after forming the crew, they were dancing to sold-out audiences in the musical Pas de Quartier at France’s esteemed Avignon Festival. This was the start of something big, and just one year later, they were household names across France.
From Incroyable Talent to America
In 2008, Les Twins gained fame in the hip-hop community by defeating Joseph Go and Meech Onomo in the semi-finals of Juste Debout. While they couldn’t bring home the title on their first outing, the young duo really got people talking. Juste Debout is the largest street dance competition in the world, specializing in urban styles like popping, locking, house dance, and hip-hop new style. A few years later in 2011, they won this very same competition.
Like many young artists, Laurent and Larry Bourgeois entered the national conversation via reality TV. In 2008, Les Twins participated in the French version of America’s Got Talent — Incroyable Talent. It means “incredible talent” in English, and that’s exactly what the young brothers brought to the stage. They danced their way to the finals, earning 6th place and winning millions of new adoring fans.
The finale show was attended by Princess Stéphanie of Monaco and watched by more than 4 million people. Now in the spotlight, Les Twins were contracted to perform in the hip-hop comedy stage revue Twins. This production launched at Théâtre Trévise in Paris, and it was choreographed by their long-time coach, Mr. Playmo!
At just 22 years of age, Les Twins’ career was now in full swing. They headed to the United States in 2010 and gained lots of new fans in the traditional home of hip-hop. They performed at the World of Dance tour in San Diego, with a video of their show going viral on YouTube. They also made their US TV debut, with a celebrated spot on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. The time had come — Les Twins were ready to take on the world.
Big names and global fame
Six feet tall with striking looks and incredible moves, Les Twins were hard not to notice. After featuring on American TV and taking out the Hip-Hop New Style division at Juste Debout, big-name promoters had the brothers on their radar. Their world was about to change, with the boys asked to share the stage with the biggest artist on the planet: Beyoncé. This was primetime Beyoncé nonetheless, in the period following her incredible I Am… Sasha Fierce album.
Les Twins shared the stage with Bey at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards and Glastonbury Festival, along with the BET Awards and the Good Morning America Summer Concert Series. This was a massive achievement for the young dancers — and a long way from their small northern Paris commune. They were now famous on the world stage, and there was no going back. They joined Beyoncé on stage at the Revel Presents: Beyoncé Live concert series in Atlantic City, which sold out fast and got universal love from everyone who attended.
Along with playing the biggest stages in the world, the twins also joined Bey on the French television shows X Factor and Le Grand Journal. She was promoting her upcoming studio album, 4, at the time, and the boys were central to many of her dance routines. Les Twins also featured in her celebrated music videos as the only male dancers in the alternate version of “Run the World (Girls).”
Music video appearances have been a huge part of the twin’s career, with highlights including “Jealous” by Beyoncé, “Lips Are Movin” by Meghan Trainor, and “WTF (Where They From)” by Missy Elliott featuring Pharrell Williams. They have also featured on the big screen, with appearances on Men in Black: International, Cats, and the Beyoncé films Homecoming and Renaissance.
Beyoncé was a central figure in the career trajectory of Les Twins, but she wasn’t the only big-name collaborator. Around the same time, the twins were star dancers on Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour by Cirque du Soleil. They also performed with rapper Big Sean for Kanye West’s Fall 2012 fashion show and with Missy Elliott and Timbaland at Hennessy’s Wild Rabbit campaign launch. The brothers worked with Missy Elliott again at the Beats on the Beach event in Abu Dhabi and teamed up with both Beyoncé and Jay-Z on their On the Run Tour in 2015.
Authentic dance style
The unique dance moves of Les Twins draw from multiple dance styles. While unmistakably hip-hop, their precise timing and pure skill share many elements with modern choreography. They helped to popularize an updated form of freestyle hip-hop, a genre that became known as “new style hip-hop.” This energetic, commercial style placed a strong emphasis on isolations and musicality, along with precision movements and shared gestures. The brothers get inspiration from everywhere, mentioning Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee alongside Michael Jackson and Jim Carrey.
As the twins developed their moves over time, they created an authentic style that they called “twins-style.” Being identical twins with shared passions and stories, they had an amazing ability to anticipate and finish each other’s moves. This unique quality is what really catapulted them into fame, with the brothers working together with an incredible synergy. While the dance moves of new style hip-hop are all about disjunction, Les Twins add a beautiful sense of fluidity to the jerk.
Beyond the world of dance
Laurent and Larry Bourgeois are talented individuals with great looks and a unique brand identity. Dance and hip-hop will always be central to their careers, but they also like to explore new and exciting career paths. Among other things, the duo have worked as models, choreographers, designers, producers, and creative directors. This is an impressive CV by any measure, and it shows just how versatile the brothers really are.
As models, the twins are signed with NEXT Model Management in Paris. They’ve walked the runway at Paris Fashion Week for Jean Paul Gaultier and featured in advertising campaigns for Benetton, Givenchy, H&M, Adidas, Emporio Armani, Vouge, Hennessy, Jordan, 25 Magazine, Beats by Dre, and Hewlett-Packard. The twins have a striking look that’s instantly recognizable, and they continue working as professional models across the world.
Looking good may be second nature to Les Twins, but dance is what really inspires them. Along with busting moves themselves, they have started to work as professional choreographers and creative directors in the performance world. Among other things, they choreographed Luka and Jenalyn’s performance at the 2018 Blackpool Music Festival and the music video for “Bumpa” by KING & Jason Derulo. Les Twins also teach their unique moves, working with thousands of people at dance workshops around the world.
Embracing the world of music
Not content with their successful careers as dancers, models, and choreographers, Les Twins recently became musicians themselves. This is a significant shift for the brothers, who chose to embrace the brighter spotlight in the center of the stage. Les Twins just released the single “Toxic,” which comes after a string of sporadic releases over recent years.
They released their first track, “What Happened,” in 2017, followed by “Stranger” and “Mirror” in 2021 and “Streets of (L.A.)” in 2022. The brothers have also worked with other artists, collaborating with Kida on “Prima Donna” and Jason Cerda on “Pa’mi.” Most of this music was self-released on social media, with the twins experimenting with a variety of sounds and genres.
For example, the track “Stranger” from 2021 has a familiar dance-pop sound inspired by the Weeknd and similar artists. Full of auto-tuned vocals and electro grooves, it sounds great but doesn’t really distinguish the brothers. Les Twins continued trying on new genres for size, with “Streets of (L.A.)” presenting a much rawer sound inspired by slow southern hip-hop. “Pa’mi” with Jason Cerda showcased yet another side of their sound, blending vibey hip-hop with smooth R&B and pop sounds.
The new “Toxic” era
The latest release by Les Twins sees them embrace an entirely new musical genre. “Toxic” is somewhat surprising from a musical perspective, given the duo’s previous releases and hip-hop dance background. It starts with a mellow rock guitar lick before a hypnotic percussion line brings in the groove. This is a great track, and it might be the start of something big for Laurent and Larry Bourgeois.
Their smooth vocals work perfectly with this minimal pop/rock sound, and their considered lyrics seem to align with the mood of the genre. As the song builds, the vocals rise in prominence, and the hypnotic feel breaks through with an ecstatic vibe. There’s even a guitar solo 3/4 of the way through, which is definitely a surprise.
“Toxic” also features a great music video, with FNTYLS listed as the track’s executive producer and video director. The music video highlights the live rock instrumentation, with the twins on stage alongside a drummer and guitar player. Post-production for “Toxic” was done by Sara Adjaho, Ailebert, and Raphaël Bortolotti; and the final sound is catchy and polished.
For many years now, Les Twins have been an undeniable force in the world of hip-hop dance. From reality TV screens in France to some of the biggest concert halls in the world, they have entertained the masses with their sharp moves and distinctive choreography. If you love the unique energy and stage presence of Laurent and Larry Bourgeois, you should definitely check out their music. “Toxic” is the start of a brand-new phase for the duo, and you should definitely be paying attention.
