Simik Komaksiutiksak is a contemporary dancer, circus artist, director and choreographer originally from Kangiqliniq (Rankin Inlet), NU, currently based in Montreal, QC. Komaksiutiksak’s interest in dance began at an early age when they took their first dance class. Much of their dance training was in Ottawa, ON, where they spent most of their childhood.
In 2021 Komaksiutiksak moved to Montreal to perform in Sky Dancers, a multidisciplinary touring show directed by Indigenous choreographer Barbara Diabo that explores the Quebec bridge disaster in 1907, which resulted in the deaths of 33 workers from the Mohawk community. After working on the show, Komaksiutiksak realized that Montreal offered many opportunities to collaborate with other Indigenous dancers and be mentored by experienced Indigenous artists, so they moved permanently and established a strong artistic community in the city. “A lot of my career happened because of support from my mentors,” they say.[1]
Komaksiutiksak’s inspiration comes from their experience growing up and living as an Inuk in the city. Their choreography is centred around healing through movement—dance, stretching and meditation. “Dance has always been a way for me to express my feelings,” they say. “It’s always been a good outlet for me to connect emotionally.” They also draw inspiration from the Indigenous artists around them, as well as Inuit singers. They have performed alongside Elisapie in her music video Qimatsilunga (I Want to Break Free) (2023) and Beatrice Deer in her music video THE STORM (2021), highlighting the connections within the music and performance industries.
In 2025, Komaksiutiksak made their directorial debut with their show Anxiety, which premiered at Montréal, arts interculturels. The performance featured Komaksiutiksak dancing alongside other Indigenous artists and delved into generational trauma experienced by Indigenous and racialized communities. “It was always a dream of mine to direct and present a theatre show,” said Komaksiutiksak, who had been developing the performance since 2022.
In addition to performing, a large part of Komaksiutiksak’s practice is teaching. They teach dance in Montreal through the Watershed Dance Program with Native Montreal, a program designed for Indigenous youth. They are the guest artist lead at the Arctic Rose Foundation, where they teach dance and other art forms to youth in Kangiqliniq and other northern Inuit communities. “Knowing the communities and knowing how little access there is to mental health services such as dance classes and drama classes really pushes me to continue to keep directing and to continue to keep teaching and choreographing,” Komaksiutiksak says. They are currently focused on directing and teaching, hoping to build more dance programs in Montreal and across the North.