June Eeles and her family have been involved in Shumka and the Shumka School for over 20 years. Even from day one, June knew she wanted to be part of the company. She started working for Shumka as a way to pay for her boys’ dance classes. Twenty years later, all three boys have been in the company, and June is still very much involved. “There hasn’t been a single day that this has felt like work.”

Each of them cherishes a different memory. Peter taught for many years and is now Principal of Shumka School of Dance. “The summer camps were probably some of my favourite memories. Now we have the responsibility of training the next generation, which is such an amazing experience.”

One of James’s most memorable performances was the end of the 50th Anniversary tour in Toronto. “I’ll never forget how emotional I got as the curtain rose for encore after the 50th Anniversary Hopak in Toronto. It was pretty cool to be up there with your best friends, the friends you’ll have forever, sharing your love for culture and for dance with the audience. It was unforgettable.”

Michael joined Shumka in 2011. He was an instructor at the school as well as a dancer in the company. “It was really special to teach kids at the summer camps and then see those kids join the school in the fall. Being a teacher helped me be a better dancer. In the company, Peter and I had the opportunity to be the Travelling Chumaky together. It was my first character role and it really helped me grow as a dancer and actor.”

“We’ve all had really different experiences in the company together, but we got to experience it together.”

Thank you June, Peter, James, and Michael.