Peter has been with the Shumka family for more than 20 years. He first started Ukrainian dance at the age of eight, when he entered the Shumka School of Dance and continued as a student for seven years. He is now a retired member of the Ukrainian Shumka Dancers. Peter has been an instructor with Shumka School since 2006, teaching…

Shane Gibson is a former member and past President of the Ukrainian Shumka Dancers, with whom he danced for more than 14 years. During his involvement with Shumka, he toured extensively throughout Canada, the United States and China as a cast member of Absolutely Shumka, Cobbler’s Princess and Cinderella. Shane has received training in Character Ballet, Jazz, Modern, and Musical…

Nikolai began his dance career at the Shumka School of Dance when he was three years old. He decided to take the next step in his dance career by enrolling in the Intensive Division when it was first created in 2014. This marked the beginning of more rigorous Ukrainian, R.A.D. Ballet, and contemporary dance training. Along with this, Nikolai expanded…

Ukrainian Shumka Dancers, Creative Director ARAD Teaching Diploma AISTD Teaching Diploma, National Branch ISDSA, Examiner Silver Swans Licensee Tasha Orysiuk is a highly respected and accomplished dance educator, adjudicator and choreographer in Canada, having trained extensively in various disciplines under internationally renowned artists in Canada, the United States, England, and Ukraine during her dance career. Over the years, Tasha achieved…

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. Through the school, she participated in regional dance workshops in Ukraine, further deepening her connection to…