Welcome to the Shumka School of Dance
Established in 1989, the Shumka School of Dance has trained thousands of young dancers to achieve a broad dance-focused skill set, performance excellence, and a strong work ethic. With its inclusive atmosphere, the School is a welcoming and safe place for youth to establish and achieve their artistic dreams. It is also a place where they are given the tools and the experience to become future community leaders and builders.
The School provides Ukrainian regional, character, Royal Academy of Dance (R.A.D.) ballet, contemporary dance, and Shumka-style training to three years of age and up. Offering Canada’s only Ukrainian dance curriculum, students move through progressive training levels, choreography, and performance opportunities under high-level instruction. Most of Shumka’s professional productions incorporate School students as support or leading characters. The primary goal of Shumka School is to engage young people from all ethnic backgrounds in the performing arts. Whether a child’s interest in dance is purely recreational or based on a desire to reach a professional level, Shumka School gives students a strong foundation for building skills.
The School performs at community events, including festivals, special events, and at-care facilities. In addition to providing a valuable on-stage experience for the dancers, it is an opportunity to give back to the community. Each year, students perform twice on the stage of the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. The School promotes active and healthy lifestyles and often serves as a career development tool for dance teachers and choreographers. Its popular Junior Instructor program also trains future faculty while giving dedicated youth the ability to lead and inspire. Every summer, an array of camp offerings provides training and educational opportunities for students worldwide.More than 250 students are part of the Shumka School and its programs, many aspiring to be future members of the Ukrainian Shumka Dancers and contribute to the ongoing development of the art form.
See the welcome video:
Vision
We aspire to be a leading performing arts school, recognized for our commitment to creating and presenting Ukrainian dance that is traditionally accurate, superbly entertaining, and recognizably Shumka.
Mission
Shumka School of Dance exists to nurture well-rounded, ballet-trained Ukrainian dancers with high-performance levels. We offer a curriculum-based program centred around providing children, youth, and young adults with opportunities to grow and discover themselves.
