McKeely Borger grew up in Regina and is living her dream of dancing. (Nigel Maxwell/paNOW)

By Nigel Maxwell

love of dance

Ballet Kelowna wows Sask. audiences, homegrown talent returns

Nov 20, 2025 | 11:58 AM

Just hours before making her professional debut on a Saskatchewan stage, a massive smile fills McKeely Borger’s face as she talks about living her dream.

The 32-year-old, who grew up in Regina, was among the featured dancers in Wednesday night’s Ballet Kelowna performance at the EA Rawlinson Centre in Prince Albert. The show also marked the company’s first time in Saskatchewan.

“It’s quite overwhelming, and I think more meaningful than I can actually properly articulate right now,” Borger said.

After graduating from Sheldon Williams Collegiate in 2010, Borger moved to New York when she was 17. Recruited at a Moose Jaw dance festival, she received a full scholarship to Adelphi University and has since performed on stages across the U.S., France and Canada, including Disney Paris, Ballet Palm Beach, Coastal City Ballet in Vancouver and Boston Ballet.

“I think from the age of 12, I knew I wanted to do it,” she said. “I feel so lucky. I’ll be 33 next week and I haven’t had to grow up yet.”

Climate Action Ripple Effect

CARE program re-branded to boost project impacts, reach

5h ago

Capital Project List

Over $39.5M in Greater Vernon capital projects planned for 2026

8h ago

Parking Permits

Vernon's parking pass to be sold through HotSpot in 2026

16h ago

The Cowboy Act Suite and Other Works features Cameron Fraser-Monroe’s compelling Indigenous story taqəš, Guillaume Côté’s mesmerizing Bolero, and Fraser-Monroe’s satirical The Cowboy Act Suite, which explores the dichotomy between “Cowboys and Indians” in a sort of role reversal and is set to music by Mohawk singer/songwriter Tom Wilson.

Borger, who identifies as Métis, was very proud to be a part of the show.

“I am getting to do that 360 connection of my love of dance, and also my identity is a piece of that as well.”

Borger’s character “Molly” is a photographer assigned to take photos of some real Cowboys. (Nigel Maxwell/paNOW)

Ballet Kelowna’s upcoming tour includes a stop in Lloydminster Saturday night at the Vic Juba Theatre.

Border, who also teaches dance in Kelowna, and held a workshop on Tuesday at the Prince Albert Dance Company, explained one of the more challenging aspects of the job she loves is the jam-packed schedule and the travel that includes planes, trains and automobiles.

“Our instrument is our bodies, and we are bunched up in vehicles and then to get off and find our grounding and stretch out and be available to have presence on the stage.”

—

nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @nigelmaxwell