10 Questions with Cirque du Soleil’s Audrey Labeau
Meet Audrey Labeau – A French banquine, hand-to-hand flyer currently working in the Cirque du Soleil show O in Las Vegas for the new act called “Island.”
Before her career in performance nine years ago, Audrey was a 10-meter diver on the French National team. During her spare time, Audrey enjoys exploring nature, hiking, and spending time outside. Let’s get to know Audrey a bit better in 10 questions!
I’m very curious about your journey to flying with Cirque du Soleil in the ‘O’ show! From what I’ve learned, you seem to have had a love for being airborne from early on. More specifically, flying through the air into water. Can you tell me a little about how you got into sports and diving?
Audrey: My mum was a sports acrobatics coach and my dad a trampoline coach, so since I was really young I’ve been living in an acrobatic environment. That’s how I started with acrosport first until 16 years old. My acro partners quit and there were no other porters available.
I always loved watching diving on TV and it was also an Olympic sport. My dream was to go to the Olympic Games one day. So I contacted the diving coach at the national center and explained my situation. They offered me a position at the National Training Center and gave me one year to prove I could make it to a national and international level. It was a lot of training and work but I made it. I stayed at the national center and I gradually made a lot of progress.
You competed extensively in your diving career, including the Olympic Games in 2008 and 2012! Give us a bit of insight about what it was like competing at that level, and which competition remains the most memorable to you and why?
Audrey: The most memorable competition is the Olympic Games in Beijing. It was my first Olympics, I had been dreaming about that for so many years and I was finally there. I was living the dream. I will never forget the Olympic Village where you can just meet so many talented and famous athletes; the French team and the Olympic spirit.
What was the transition like from diving to flying and how did you turn flying into a career?
Audrey: I stopped my diving career after the Olympics in London. I had the opportunity to be a coach at the National Center, and felt that was an opportunity I couldn’t miss. But I realised pretty quickly that I was missing the adrenaline, the training… After visiting some of my friends working on Cirque du Soleil shows in Las Vegas, I knew straight away that I wanted to perform as well. I started the process of auditioning and I got my first contract pretty quickly for The House Of Dancing Water in Macau.
3 reasons why you enjoy your job as a flyer in the “O” Show with Cirque du Soleil?
I really love my position at O, it’s the only show in the world where you can do an act with hand to hand, banquine and diving at the same time. I can do all the things I love the most at the same time.
Can you let us in on any Cirque du Soleil secrets (hehe😉) or maybe tell us about a stunt that was particularly difficult and how you were able to nail it in the end?
Audrey: The banquine act I’m currently doing at O is pretty challenging. We are on a barge on the water so it’s moving and we are going back and forth in water in between hand-to-hand, banquine tricks. Everything is way harder than on a gym floor with a dry body! For example, you are upside down doing hand-to-hand with your porter and you can see the water dripping from your costume to his face 🙂
It takes a while to get used to it. I always try to not focus on that and just on what I have to do. But it’s not always easy 🙂
3 of the biggest challenges you’ve had to overcome in your flying career?
Audrey: The first challenge I had was to change my status of “diver” and become also a “banquine flyer.” I had to train a lot, and prove that I could also be a banquine/hand-to-hand flyer.
It’s also really challenging to get injured.
“When you are a circus artist, your body is your work tool and when it’s not at 100%, it affects your whole life.”
I got a spinal fusion a few years ago, and before my surgery, my nerves were really damaged and my right tricep wasn’t working. Doctors were not sure my strength would come back after the surgery. It was really stressful and challenging. I wasn’t sure I could ever perform again.
You also dabbled in TV and Film before starting your flying career. Was this ever another career path? Do you see yourself ever going back to the screen?
Audrey: I dabbled in some films and was a diving coach on a TV reality show a few years ago. I really enjoyed it but I enjoy what I’m doing now even more! I don’t see myself going back to the screen now but maybe I will think about it if an opportunity comes.
What advice do you have for someone with aspirations of flying with Circle du Soleil?
Audrey: Sometimes the process to finally get a position in a Cirque du Soleil show can be long. You need to stay motivated, keep training, audition when you can, and never lose hope.
If you had 20 seconds to talk with your 17-year-old self, what would you tell her?
“Be patient, trust the process :)”
Fast forward five years, what is Audrey Labeau doing?
Audrey: In five years, I would like to still live in Las Vegas and still work in the circus and performing industry.
This article was originally published on TheatreArtLife.com. Written by TheatreArtLife Content Producer Megan Gill.
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