Photo: Emily Cooper / Artists of Ballet Kelowna
About Ballet Kelowna
Founded in 2002, Ballet Kelowna has evolved into a pivotal force within Canada’s dance landscape, championing the creation and presentation of contemporary ballet works by Canadian choreographers that resonate with diverse audiences from coast to coast. Ballet Kelowna has performed at The Banff Centre for the Arts, Toronto’s Fall for Dance North Festival, and Beijing’s China International Performing Arts Expo, and has toured to over 85 communities from Prince Rupert, BC, to St. John’s, Newfoundland. Led by Artistic Director and CEO Simone Orlando, Ballet Kelowna was named the 2024 Artistic Company of the Year by the BC Live Performance Network.
Available Touring Repertoire for 2026/27:
Vividus: Full of Life (Mixed Repertory Program)
Choreography: Alysa Pires, Cameron sinkʷə Fraser-Monroe, and Guillaume Côté
Music: Hilary Hahn & Hauscka, Jeremy Dutcher, and Camille Saint-Saëns
Macbeth (Full-Length Production)
Choreography: Alysa Pires
Composer: Adam Sakiyama
Visual Design: Jane Everett
Cikilaxʷm: Controlled Burn (Full-Length Production)
Choreography: Cameron sinkʷə Fraser-Monroe
Composer: Cris Derksen
Projection and Lighting Design: Andy Moro
Costume Design: Asa Benally
For all booking inquiries, please email Simone Orlando at ad.ceo@balletkelowna.ca
“We have nothing but positive things to say about the warmth, professionalism and visionary leadership that [Ballet Kelowna] has exhibited over the past few years under Simone’s leadership.”
Vividus: Full of Life
Mixed Repertory Program
Photo: RMCPhotoworks.com / Artists of Ballet Kelowna in Guillaume Côté’s Le Carnaval des Animaux
The Vividus: Full of Life program features a dynamic collection of signature works from Ballet Kelowna’s contemporary ballet repertoire. With Alysa Pires’ striking Vestiges, Cameron sinkʷə Fraser-Monroe’s compelling taqəš [tawKESH], and Guillaume Côté’s vibrant Le Carnaval des Animaux, this high-energy program from Canada’s leading dancemakers promises to delight, inspire, and bring audiences to their feet.
Vestiges | Alysa Pires
PHOTO: Dave Mai | DANCER: Riku Hirakoba
Award-winning choreographer Alysa Pires constructs a striking commentary on the search for true connection and meaning amid disorder. Set to the cinematic melodies of violinist Hilary Hahn and composer Hauschka, Vestiges highlights the virtuosity of Pires’ bold and lively choreography.
TAQƏŠ | Cameron sinkʷə Fraser-Monroe
PHOTO: ABIGAIL sawchuk | THE ARTISTS OF BALLET KELOWNA
Cameron sinkʷə Fraser-Monroe brings his classical ballet training, knowledge of traditional Coast Salish, Grass, and Hoop Dance, and experience as a contemporary dancer to taqəš [tawKESH], which means “to return something” in Ayajuthem, the language belonging to the Homalco, Klahoose, K’omoks and Tla’amin Nations. Set to several songs by Polaris Prize-winning composer and singer Jeremy Dutcher, taqəš follows the traditional story “Raven Returns the Water,” centred around ῤoho (raven) and walθ (frog).
Le Carnaval Des Animaux | Guillaume Côté
PHOTO: RMCPhotoworks.com | THE ARTISTS OF BALLET KELOWNA
Guillaume Côté, former Principal Dancer and Chorographic Associate with The National Ballet of Canada, applies his fresh, artistic vision to a jovial rendition of Camille Saint-Saëns’ Le Carnaval des Animaux, regarded as one of the French composer’s best-known works. Full of whimsical ornamentation, this upbeat ensemble piece pushes the limits of contemporary ballet and promises to delight audiences with its exuberant energy of frolicking and fun.
“Fantastic show . . . it was truly spectacular.”
Macbeth
Full-Length Production
Photo: Abigail Sawchuk / Dancers: Desirée Bortolusi and Valentin Chou
Alysa Pires’ wildly successful theatrical ballet, Macbeth, explores the dark side of human nature. The timeless themes of ambition, power, and corruption that characterize William Shakespeare’s iconic tragedy infuse this high-stakes piece with drama and suspense. An original score of toil and trouble by Canadian composer Adam Sakiyama and stunning visuals by Okanagan artist Jane Everett set the scene for an exploration of psychological decay.
Praised for her “clarity and consistency in aesthetic” (The Globe and Mail), Pires brings her signature athleticism and theatricality to this contemporary retelling of Macbeth, exploring the dark side of human nature. Featuring the full company of dancers, the demanding 100-minute ballet will showcase Ballet Kelowna’s full breadth of technical and artistic prowess, featuring complex pointe work, unconventional groupings, and cinematic staging, bringing the multilayered Shakespearean work to life through deeply expressive movement.
“Pires is a magician who seamlessly crafts a fresh, badass, impossibly electric story.”
“Gifted dancers, brilliant choreography, sensational music, amazing visual, lighting and projection designs, talented set builders, dramatic costumes and standing ovations both evenings, thank you Ballet Kelowna….Macbeth was spectacular!”
Synopsis
PROLOGUE
Three Witches haunt a forest scene. They stir their cauldrons and summon images of a fierce warrior (Macbeth) and his ambitious wife (Lady Macbeth), a loyal friend (Banquo) and his young daughter (Fleance), a beloved King (King Duncan) and his heir (Mal), and lastly, a traitor (Cawdor).
Fair is foul, and foul is fair.
ACT 1
King Duncan is joined by his most trusted advisors, Cawdor, Macbeth, and Banquo, in devising their military strategy against invading armies. Though the group is initially unable to find a solution, they ultimately prevail with a winning idea from an unlikely source – Lady Macbeth. A traitorous Cawdor escorts King Duncan to the site of a would-be ambush only to find the tables have been turned on him. Cawdor’s treason has been revealed and King Duncan condemns him to death.
Enroute to join their forces, Macbeth and Banquo encounter the Three Witches. They predict Macbeth’s ascension to the role of Cawdor and ultimately of King.
All hail Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!
When the Witches are immediately proven right, Lady Macbeth’s ambition bubbles over and she convinces her husband to take matters into their own hands by killing King Duncan in order to overtake the throne.
Look like the innocent flower,
But be the serpent under’t.
King Duncan and his daughter, Mal, are honoured guests at Macbeth’s castle as they celebrate Macbeth’s promotion. Lady Macbeth must convince Macbeth to follow through with their plan.
Screw your courage to the sticking place,
and we’ll not fail.
The next day, Mal is reeling from the horrifying discovery of her father’s murder. Convinced by Lady Macbeth that her safety is at risk, Mal flees. Banquo begins to question his friend, as once again the Witches’ predictions come true.
ACT 2
Bolstered by his newfound power, Macbeth commands an obedient army. He seeks to stamp out any dissension, even when it comes from his oldest friend, Banquo. Banquo attempts to leave with his daughter Fleance, but they are waylaid by Macbeth’s thugs. While Banquo is killed, Fleance escapes. With Macbeth’s nerves on edge, his party is crashed by an unwelcome visitor – Banquo’s ghost. Lady Macbeth attempts to calm her husband, but Macbeth’s paranoia becomes all-consuming.
Full of scorpions is my mind.
A grieving Mal is met by a kindred spirit, Fleance, who inspires her to return to claim what is hers – the throne. Macbeth seeks out the Witches to help ease his mind. Their new set of predictions convince Macbeth of his invincibility, but all is not as it seems.
By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.
Lady Macbeth feels the weight of their actions and is overcome with guilt. Mal and Fleance gather an army while Macbeth and Lady Macbeth both fall further into madness. Lady Macbeth succumbs to her guilt.
Out, damned spot; out, I say.
What once made Macbeth feel invincible now reveals his true vulnerability. Macbeth is defeated by Mal, who assumes the throne as Queen.
“Whatever [your] plans are for this weekend... CHANGE THEM & go see this show - Macbeth. . . . I’ve never seen a ballet before [and] it was not at all what I expected. It is like a trip through Hunter S. Thompson’s mind but with phenomenally beautiful dancing and a musical score that was a raw edgy mix of dance [with] splashes of classical & heavy rock & serious bass. . . . This isn’t a pink tutu harpsichord production, it’s next level.”
The commissioning of Macbeth was made possible through the generosity of Leadership Giving Donors Dr. Adrian Bak and Patricia Ainslie.
Cikilaxʷm: Controlled Burn
Full-Length Production (Premiere May 2026)
Cameron sinkʷə Fraser-Monroe returns with his newest work for the company, Cikilaxʷm: Controlled Burn, a full-length narrative ballet that blazes across time and tradition and is set to original commissioned music by Cree cellist and composer Cris Derksen. Projections by Euro/Omushkego Cree artist Andy Moro will bring to life sterile cities and scorched forests, while costumes by Navajo/Cherokee designer Asa Benally layer each character with rich histories.
Set in a dystopian future where wildfire season has no end, a young Indigenous firefighter’s beliefs are challenged when he meets Mothkʷ, a fierce protector of ancestral knowledge who carries out cultural burns.
The word cikilaxʷm [tseeLAHkwum] means “prescribed fire” in nsyilxcən, the language belonging to the syilx (Okanagan) People. It relates to traditional burning practices that nourish the land and community, bringing healing and rejuvenation.
“This is not a tale of apocalypse, but of perseverance. Of memory that survives and endures. Of land that remembers how to heal.”
“Cameron’s artistry has resonated strongly with our community in the past, and Cikilaxʷm’s combination of powerful storytelling, Indigenous-led creative leadership, and collaboration with renowned artists such as Cris Derksen, Andy Moro, and Asa Benally ensures a work of profound artistic and cultural significance.”