She/Her Since she was a little girl watching from the audience, Leda Tarnawsky has aspired to be a Shumka Dancer. She began her dance training at the age of four and three years later, joined the Shumka School, where she discovered her love for Ukrainian dance. She successfully auditioned for Shumka in 2018 and has performed with the company in…

She/Her Dancing in the Shumka company is not only a dream come true for Danica Skitsko, but also a family affair as her brother Jacob is involved as well. Touring for Shumka’s 60th allows some of Danica and Jacob’s family members to see them perform for the first time, which is a long time coming. Danica has been dancing with…

She/Her Julianna Shukalek’s dance journey began at the age of 5 with the Shumka School of Dance. After having the opportunity to be a part of Shumka’s Nutcracker twice in the past, she knew one day she wanted to end up in Shumka. In June of 2019 she was accepted into the company and now is dancing alongside her sister…

She/Her Alyssa Shukalek was first introduced to Shumka as a student in the Shumka School where she danced for many years. She grew up watching various Shumka productions which never failed to amaze her to the point that she aspired to one day be a part of it. Alyssa has been a dancer in the company for two years now…

He/Him Being the middle child in a trio of brothers, family has always been a core value for Adam Samoil. In the past two years he has spent with the company, Adam has come to view and respect his colleagues as family. In his free time Adam enjoys pursuing rhetorical concepts and spending time working with his hands. The Shumka…

She/Her Growing up, Daria Podilsky’s involvement with the Ukrainian Youth Association CYM allowed her to share the customs, history, and language of her grandparents with the next generation of Ukrainian Canadians. Her hope to join a company that blended her passion for Ukrainian dance with ballet and contemporary styles is what led her to join Shumka three years ago. In…

He/Him Nicolas Pacholok began his dance education at the Shumka School of Dance, and upon graduation in 2016, he was offered an apprenticeship with the Ukrainian Shumka Dancers. Since then, Nicolas’ dance career with Shumka has included performances across Canada and the United States, dancing various roles in Shumka’s productions of Kobzar, Nutcracker, Ancestors & Elders, Mosquito’s Wedding, and Echoes of Hopak. Nicolas has had…