Myriam Allard

Choreographer

©Marie-Andrée Lemire

Born in Quebec City to a Franco-Manitoban father and a Greek-British mother, Myriam Allard grew up in a household where music, dance, and openness to others were integral to everyday life. Her introduction to flamenco was transformative: in 1996, she left her native land for Spain, immersing herself in training under the tutelage of renowned masters for eight years. She commenced her professional journey on the traditional tablaos stages of Spain before embarking on diverse collaborations in Spain, France, the United States, and Japan, including joining Israel Galvan’s esteemed company.

Filled with her overseas experiences, she returned to Montreal in 2006 and co-founded La Otra Orilla with Hedi Graja – the other shore; a space for dialogue where creativity knows no bounds. Inseparable, they craft unbounded and poetic works: an unexpected blend of dance, singing, music, and theatre. Their creations engage audiences in Quebec and across Canada, as well as in the United States, Scotland, and Colombia, resonating wherever they go.

For Myriam Allard, the body knows everything. It is diverse, and it dances. Every gesture reflects her quest for transcendence, every play of tension seeks connection with the other. Drawing upon her profound mastery of flamenco codes, her dance breaks free from canonical aesthetic frameworks and develops a language within which the instinctive alternates with the refined: and from the depths spring forth a latent strength, a subdued tension.

Over the years, Myriam Allard has become a national reference within her field. She shifts between roles as choreographer, performer, artistic director, mentor, collaborator, teacher, and mother of two, tirelessly sharing her worldview by shedding more light with each reflection.