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 began her dance training at the age of three, specializing in ballet and Ukrainian dance. Her passion for dance has led her to study and perform internationally, including with prestigious institutions such as the Alberta Ballet, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, the Joffrey Ballet in New York, and the Royal Academy of Dance in London. Throughout her career,…
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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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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…
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“Shumka was the highest calibre of Ukrainian dance and I wanted to be a part of that. Some of my favourite memories were from the 2004 China tour and the 2007 China/Ukraine tour. I got to share parts of those tours with my parents, so that was really special. Preparing for shows is a lot of hard work, but it’s…
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