Peter has been with Shumka for more than two decades, embarking on his Ukrainian dance journey at the age of eight when he enrolled at the Shumka School of Dance. With dedication and unwavering commitment, he honed his skills as a student, eventually becoming a member of the Ukrainian Shumka Dancers in 2008. Peter has extensive training in Ukrainian folk,…
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He/Him Joshua Semchuk has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Alberta in theatre and film production, communications, operations, and administration, and a Masters of Organizational Leadership from Colorado State University. He is such a huge fan of the CFL and the Edmonton football club he has appeared on the fan podcast Eskimo Empire not once but 10 times.…
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Trinity set her sights on being a Shumka dancer when she was very young and realized her dream in 2001. Over the years she has seen the company change and grow and has been proud to be a significant part of that evolution. Trinity is responsible for the costuming needs and coordination for Shumka. She works with volunteers and seamstresses…
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Shelby has been a part of the Shumka School family for many years. When she was five, she saw Shumka perform at an outdoor venue and knew from that moment that her heart was drawn to Ukrainian dance. She started out with the dance school as a young dancer herself and came back when her girls joined the school in…
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She/Her Mara Palahniuk has been training in the styles of ballet and Ukrainian dance since she was three. Her love of dance has taken her all over the world including studies and performances with Alberta Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Joffrey Ballet in New York and the Royal Academy of Dance in London, England. However, she was always drawn to her…
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Michael Eeles has been involved with Shumka since 2011. Both of his brothers danced in the company at the time and he was involved with Shumka School as an instructor and Shumka Dance Camp Recreation Coordinator. The Shumka 60 Tour represents a full circle, as Michael was also involved in Shumka at 50. He plans to retire following this tour.…
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Katelyn Kuchta has been dancing her entire life and in 2014 she joined Shumka, which married her love for Ukrainian culture with her love for dance. Katelyn is very excited for the upcoming Shumka 60 performances, where she will have the opportunity to travel across Canada and share the amazing work of Shumka with thousands of audience members. Seeing the…
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“I always loved how Shumka took the base of Ukrainian dance and infused other genres to create these other incredible, magical storylines and themes. I think it’s important to find your cultural importance in contemporary society. Shumka does this very well.” Dave Ganert has been a very strong artistic influence in Shumka over many years. He joined the company in…
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Victor Lirette has been involved in Shumka since his oldest daughter joined the dance company. “All three of my daughters were Ukrainian dancers, and even though they went through other dance groups, Shumka was always the end goal. I helped out with a few things, but I was asked if I would sit on Shumka’s Board. I started out on…
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During his time in Shumka, George Chrunik wore many hats. He was a dancer, artistic committee member, and choreographer, just to name a few. He was also known as one of the jokesters of the company. “Touring was a very special time because we got to spend time together. And preparing for tours was something special too. Touring wasn’t always…
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