Steel-Craft Door Products Ltd. has always had a special place in the heart of the Shumka community. Founder Art Mihalcheon always found ways of continued support for Shumka over the years, and his daughter and current owner Kim Mihalcheon continues that support today. From generous financial donations and ticket purchases for Shumka’s many productions, to storing merch, shipping props and…

When Barry Bilinsky got a call inviting him to research and co-direct Shumka’s Ancestors and Elders, he didn’t know what he was in for. With a theatre background, Barry’s expertise is in acting, not Ukrainian or Powwow dance. “When we first started, I felt like everyone was an expert, where I didn’t really know what I was doing. But later…

The first time Natalka Beaudoin (Stus) saw Shumka’s Hopak, she was brought to tears by the dancing and knew she had to be part of that magic. “It’s the perfect combination of visual spectacle, emotive music, and the dancers’ exuberance. Any one of those things can get you, but when you put all three together, it’s killer. And that’s the…

From working behind the scenes as a lighting technician at the Jube, Jeff Osterlin has experienced a side of Shumka not many people get to see. He worked his first Red Boots & Bubbly fundraiser in 2004, and got to know many of the dancers in Snow White and the Seven Gnomes of Christmas in 2006. He has been a…

Between being President of the Cappies’ Edmonton chapter and working at the citadel, Diana Stevenson has seen many plays and shows. For her, Shumka has given new opportunities in the performing arts. “Before I saw a production, Shumka meant something different to me. Before, it was people with their hands on their hips doing some dance moves. After, I realized…

When Shelley Borowski joined Shumka, the group had just returned from a tour and the buzz was still fresh. Her first performance at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary helped her start her Shumka career on a high note, which just kept going up from there. Shelley fell in love with dance, which eventually led her to become more involved…

“It was an easy sell. Lexus Edmonton supports so many of the arts in Edmonton, so it was a no-brainer when I was approached to sponsor Shumka. We needed to be involved in this first-class organization and it was the perfect way to give back to the community.” Growing up in Edmonton, Bruce always had friends in the Ukrainian community.…

Joshua Semchuk has been involved in Shumka for years, even before he was part of the company. Growing up, he watched his parents (Orest and Jennifer Semchuk) dedicate their time to Shumka. He was one of the first students at Shumka School of Dance in 1989 and danced in the company for a short time. After going to school for…

Amongst all the siblings, the Eshenko family spent 49 years dancing in Shumka. Toby was an original member of the group in 1959. “Not everyone knew what Shumka meant, but we joined anyway. All we did was practice and practice, and we would have some shows here and there.” After meeting his wife, he retired from the company. Both his…

Leda Tarnawsky started dancing at the age of 4, and joined the Shumka School in grade 2. She grew up watching Shumka and attended many performances. After graduating from the School, Leda auditioned for the company and has been a current dancer for 2 years, learning and performing the dances she grew up watching. Leda is also passionate about teaching…