“I came to Edmonton from Innisfree, moved from the country and was playing football, trying to make a football team, when I heard about this thing called the Shumka Dancers. I tried out, I made Shumka, and Shumka got an engagement to go to Expo 67. So, I handed off my last football, and put on the boots and became a Shumka dancer. That Expo performance shaped us. We were this little Ukrainian dance group from Edmonton who primarily danced for Ukrainians. And then we went to Expo, and after our first performance, we had long, long lineups. These were not Ukrainian people, or Canadians of Ukrainian heritage. It made me realize that Ukrainian dance could be appreciated by many folks.” Gordon Gordey always realized the potential Shumka had to tell stories to audiences of many backgrounds. Gordon wore many hats in Shumka. Dancer, choreographer, grant-writer, CEO, Artistic Director… a do-er and a creator who helped the company in its development as a major dance company in Canada. His involvement in a variety of Shumka works included a Ukrainian version of the classic story Cinderella, a celebration of ancient Ukrainian rituals in Eve of Kupalo, and a relevant Ukrainian Canadian story (about internment camps) in Voices of the Silenced. Shumka was a vehicle for Gordon to express his artistic side through his culture and he has been thankful for the opportunities it gave him. And Shumka is grateful for his contribution to its history and growth. Thank you, Gordon.