She/Her

Mikalina Rylance has been performing for as long as she can remember—she took her first dance class at age two and hasn’t looked back since. Over the years, she’s trained extensively in styles including ballet, jazz, tap, hip-hop, ballroom, contemporary, Ukrainian, German, and more.

After graduating, Mikalina moved to Toronto to train at Conteur Dance Academy, where her dedication and versatility helped launch her professional dance career. She went on to perform with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line and later joined Step One Dance Company, part of Holland America Line, completing four international contracts and serving as Dance Captain, where she led stage installations and supported production development onboard.

During the pandemic, Mikalina returned to Edmonton and reconnected with her cultural roots by joining the Ukrainian Shumka Dancers—a company she continues to perform with today. Being part of Shumka has deepened her love for Ukrainian dance and allowed her to celebrate and share her heritage through powerful storytelling on stage.

In addition to her stage work, Mikalina has performed for luxury brands such as Hermès Canada and has recently expanded into film and television. She has appeared in a Hallmark movie and in a project with ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok.

Mikalina is also an experienced adjudicator, having judged at Candance and several other competitions across Canada. She continues to share her passion with the world and is excited to see what the future holds!