Cikilaxʷm: Controlled Burn
May 1 + 2, 2026 / Kelowna Community Theatre
Friday at 7:30 PM / Saturday at 1:30 PM and 7:30 PM
Choreography: Cameron sinkʷə Fraser-Monroe
Composer: Cris Derksen
Production Design: Andy Moro and Rylee Block
Costume Design: Asa Benally
syilx Cultural Advisors: Tara Montgomery and Elliot Tonasket
tla’amin Cultural Advisors: Betty Wilson and Elsie Paul
“This is not a tale of apocalypse, but of perseverance.
Of memory that survives and endures.
Of land that remembers how to heal.”
- Cameron sinkʷə Fraser-Monroe
Cameron sinkʷə Fraser-Monroe returns with his newest work for the company, Cikilaxʷm: Controlled Burn, a full-length narrative contemporary 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 [tseekiLAHkwum] 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.
Thanks to the generous support of Odlum Brown, Ballet Kelowna will offer 150 accessible “Pay-What-You-Wish” seats at each of the three performances of Cikilaxʷm: Controlled Burn.
The “Pay-What-You-Wish” ticket type can be accessed by selecting a seat in section C when purchasing your tickets on theboxoffice.ca.
All My Relations $18 Ticket
Ballet Kelowna would like to extend an invitation to the Indigenous community, welcoming all to our performance with open arms. We walk this journey together and wish to nourish and support those who walk with us.
To purchase All My Relations tickets, head to theboxoffice.ca, choose your showtime and seat (sections A, B, and Accessible Seating), and select the 'Indigenous Ticket' option for any eligible guests!
This ticket price is reserved for all Indigenous community members. This $18 ticket is inclusive of all taxes and fees.
Art can move us in unexpected ways.
Maybe a moment in the performance touched something tender. Maybe you left feeling grateful, restless, or quietly undone – without quite knowing why.
That is part of what art does. And we care about how you are after.
We have a page that offers ways to take care of yourself, places to turn for support, and people to reach out to.
You are not alone. You don’t have to figure things out by yourself.
Co-Produced By:
Commissioning Partner:
Pay-What-You-Wish Seat Sponsor:
Performance Sponsor:
Wine Sponsor:
Other Partners Include: BC Arts Council’s Arts Impact Program, Deux Mille Foundation, The Hamber Foundation, and Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund.
