I Am YEG Arts: Audrey Boccara

Best known on stage as ​“The Aerial Ballerina”, Audrey Boccara blends an extensive ballet background with the grace and strength of aerial artistry. As a professional dancer, circus artist, choreographer, film director and coach, she is motivated by the exploration of movement, expression, and storytelling. In this week’s I Am YEG Arts feature, we chat with Audrey about the leap she took to merge her background in classical dance to the aerial arts, what it was like to step into the role of film director for several dance projects, and what motivates her to teach the next generation of dancers.

Tell us about your connection to Edmonton and why you’ve made it your home. 

I arrived in Edmonton seven years ago and started with Ballet Edmonton (formerly City Ballet) as a full company member. I went from Ballet Edmonton to dancing with the Ukrainian Shumka dancers, and during that time, I got the opportunity to perform in soloist roles and as a company member. I also got to coach a lot of dance. Right off the bat, when I first arrived here, I got to teach at three different schools and be an emerging choreographer with both Ballet Edmonton and the Ukrainian Shumka dancers. 

Following that, during COVID times, I had some friends who were involved in the circus arts that strongly recommended I try the aerial arts. I was very indecisive, but I applied for an [Individual & Collectives Stream 2 mentorship grant] with the EAC and I got lucky. I’m very grateful that I got the grant as it kickstarted my circus career. 

How did you make the transition to aerial arts? How has merging disciplines opened new doors for you creatively? 

When I got the grant, I kickstarted very intensely. Over four months I had about 100 hours with my mentor. I went from being a professional dancer to what felt like a full-on gymnast because I had all this strength that I had to acquire as fast as possible as I was discovering my number one favorite apparatus, which is the aerial hoop. So, bruises came along and a lot of blisters on the hands, but it really opened that door to a different art form. It helped me transition from the dance world to the circus world, which is very different. The circus world is more gymnastics, and you have to be a strong athlete in the upper body, even more so I find than dancers. 

As an individual and as an artist, [the aerial arts] opened new opportunities to express myself. It really felt like it was becoming my thing and I got to really embrace that as a performer. It was very easy for me to express myself because I have a strong dance background, so I can translate that into aerial arts. 

I would say it opened many opportunities in Edmonton, whether it’s theatre shows or private events, festivals, birthdays, weddings, etc. People were calling me the aerial ballerina and I started using that as my artist name, my brand, and that’s how it all started. 

You mentioned that in Canada, as opposed to your native France, we are more open to embracing new ideas and new art forms. Have you had the opportunity to take your show outside of Edmonton and collaborate across the country? 

My roots are with the Paris Opera Ballet School and the National Conservatory in Paris, so I have a strong educational background in classical dance. When I made the transition from classical dance, my main goal was to work on ballets turned circus/​aerial. I’ve performed mostly in Edmonton and Calgary, and I’ve done some contracts in California/​Napa Valley. But as a circus artist I do want to expand. I have this idea of presenting my works outside [of Alberta] in Vancouver, Montréal, Toronto and more. I am not limiting myself; I have big goals and dreams. 

It was a huge transition coming from dance companies to take the leap into being a circus artist full-time. It was a little bit scary going into the unknown and taking the risk. But I’m training almost every day as an aerialist and I’m at a level now where I can say yes, accept projects and not be too scared. I’ve had the opportunity to train in Edmonton, Calgary, Montréal and in Miami with some Cirque de Soleil artists, and the feedback was really good. It’s just a question of continuing to work hard and get my strength up and keep exploring. I don’t have a specific goal in mind right now, I’m really open to many different projects. 

In addition to your work as a dancer, you’ve had the opportunity to participate in film projects, such as Alberta Ballet’s dance film project Papillons, Shumka: Emerge in 2022, and Mile Zero Dance’s Reeling: Dance on Screen Festival in 2023. Tell us about those experiences.

Those were fantastic experiences. I got my first step through the door with Shumka Emerge in 2022. I choreographed the dance and directed it as well. It’s such a different perspective on what’s important to represent to the audience. I had many opportunities to do close-ups and different styles of shots and guide the audience into something very specific that is important to the story.

In my first film experience with Shumka I presented a very traditional style of dance, and the next one was with the Alberta Ballet in 2023 where I also got to choreograph and co-direct. We did the choreography very quickly; within like three days. Once I have the music, especially when working with professional dancers, I feel very comfortable, and the creativity flows very naturally. Alberta Ballet was even more interesting in the way that my partner, Tamara Lessard, really guided me through different aspects of directing a film that was next level. I got to be more of an assistant director, and I learned so much and I was able to give more feedback and share my vision as a choreographer, rather than just as a film director.

The third film I got to do was The Acrylic Dancer. This one was a challenging project in the sense that I felt like I was doing everything. I was really like, directing-directing and I was in charge of the whole story. Once Mile Zero Dance decided to support the project and I got the funding, I had to dance, choreograph, find the costumes, create the makeup, and build the whole team. And I didn’t have much time on my hands; I only had a few months because I was also working with Alberta Ballet at the same time on the film Papillon. The Acrylic Dancer was all about combining as many art forms as possible, so, I had music, dance, aerial arts, visual art with stop motion acrylic painting going on me without the use of CGI. That was an interesting challenge. I feel that as an artist, you want to do everything, forge your whole project, but you have to learn to delegate. You have a team and you have to let them do their work and trust the process.

These three films gave me a different perspective on how we perceive dance and movements. It was a wonderful experience. It taught me a lot and I feel ready for more.

As a dance coach and an instructor at MacEwan University, tell us about the work you do to inspire the next generation of artists. What is your favourite part of being a mentor and educator?

I’m currently teaching at MacEwan University for their BFA Musical Theatre program. I oversee both years of ballet that they do alongside jazz, tap, hip hop and more. I started three years ago, and I’ve been loving the process of coaching university students. I love that they’re so driven and they have a true purpose. And for me, one of the most interesting things as a teacher is to see their faces brighten up when they get a move and they realize they’re improving. It builds their confidence, and you can tell they’re proud of themselves, and you’re also proud of them. It’s a win-win situation getting to share my knowledge with them and break down the ​“why’s” of the moves. I get to give them an idea of the evolution, and why we start at the barre, building the center work, and then show them videos of ballets and professional dancing on stage and let them know that if this is your goal, you need to do those first steps and then practice a lot. This course is more about building their technique, so we’re not doing too much choreography, and I feel that ballet specifically requires many years before you can get to choreography. We have different levels of dancers coming in – some with years of dance and then some students coming in with zero. It’s quite interesting and it’s a bit of a challenge, and I love a good challenge.

Edmonton really opened my career as a dance coach. I’ve also studied coaching for circus and feel like my experience as a dance coach and choreographer naturally allows me to be comfortable as a circus coach too. I want to explore more of that.

Tell us what you’re currently working on or hoping to explore next.

Right now, I’m working on developing a one woman show. I’m looking to expand my White Swan aerial hoop act that I presented last summer at the Alberta Circus Arts Festival here in Edmonton. I actually just got a grant from the EAC to pursue this work. I love how the EAC has been so supportive of my circus career because I am not sure if I would have taken the leap without the first grant I received three to four years ago. [Now] I get to actually develop a one woman show, which I’ve never done. It’s very scary, challenging, exciting, and thrilling all at once. Right now, I’m working on different aspects, like the theatre aspect and writing a script. I want this one-woman show to present Swan Lake, the narrative, but in a funny way. It’s going to be wonderful to have this Swan Lake that is comedic, with aerial arts alongside ballet.

I’m also building acts on different apparatuses. I’m thinking of implementing silks and loop straps to represent different characters of the story. There’s a lot out there; it’s really carte blanche. I have all the freedom and it’s fantastic. I feel like it’s also allowing me to gain some new skills. I’ve never really done acting or theatre. Even though dance has a lot of pantomime and storytelling, it is quite different when it’s time to use your voice rather than your moves. So, I’ve been taking voice lessons, singing lessons, and clown workshops. Being part of this community I’ve met so many circus artists, and within the circus arts there’s also flow, juggling, and fire dancing, and I’m starting to touch on all of that too. The possibilities are endless. I would love to present one, my one-woman show at the Edmonton Fringe, potentially in 2026.

I’m also excited to go and work on some projects that are outside of Edmonton in different provinces or different countries and bring back knowledge. I know many, many people want to learn here in Edmonton. I want to explore more of Quebec because I know there’s so much circus out there, and I want to bring some of those people to Edmonton.

I also really want to keep working as a choreographer. I’m going to make more time and more space to be more of a choreographer, as I really, really want to pursue that as well. I hope to keep growing the aerial ballerina brand. Give me projects. Give me ideas. Contact me and let’s make art!

About Audrey Boccara

Originally from France, Audrey started her professional training in 2007 at the Paris Opera Ballet School. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Classical Dance & Choreography from Paris’ National Superior Conservatory for Music & Dance and has also studied at the Ballet Academy of Munich, the Royal Ballet School in London, and St. Petersburg’s Eifman Ballet.

In 2014, Audrey arrived in Canada to join Ballet Eddy Toussaint de Montréal. In 2015, she was invited to dance with the Atlantic Ballet of Canada and toured with them — for two seasons — all over Canada and across Europe. In 2017, Audrey was invited to join Ballet Edmonton — which gave her an opportunity to expand her repertoire in both ballet and contemporary. That same year, she also performed as the Sugar Plum Fairy in Shumka’s production of Nutcracker.

In 2021, Audrey began to merge the disciplines of ballet and aerial dance. Since then, she has developed a diverse range of acts that blend circus arts with dance, such as White Swan or Carmen. Her work has been featured with notable companies such as Cirque de La Nuit, Mile Zero Dance, Fruit Loop, Cirque de la Lune, and SkirtsAFire. She has gained recognition as ​“The Aerial Ballerina” captivating audiences at a variety of events with her unique performances.

While dancing remains Audrey’s first passion, she loves to invent and choreograph new works. Audrey is passionate about teaching, mentoring, and coaching dancers of all ages and abilities. Bringing the beauty and power of dance to socially vulnerable youth is something that is particularly important to her.