Established in Edmonton, Alberta in 1959, the Ukrainian Shumka Dancers is Canada’s only professional Ukrainian dance company. Shumka presents dance-theatre touring productions, as well as intimate concert repertoire across the country and around the world. Seen by millions on international television broadcasts, the company has presented command performances for Queens, Prime Ministers, and Presidents, and have performed alongside the likes of Andrea Bocelli, Julie Andrews and Ukrainian artists including Ruslana.  Along with Alberta Ballet and Edmonton Opera, Shumka is honoured to be a resident company of the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium.

More than 60 years of performance history has shaped Shumka’s signature music and dance style. While maintaining deep respect for their heritage, Shumka continually challenges conventional boundaries to define the experience of Ukrainian dance in the context of today’s society.

Shumka is based in the Shumka Dance Centre in downtown Edmonton. The Shumka Dance Centre acts as an arts hub in Edmonton's core, providing dance studio, office, storage, and meeting space for many local arts organizations.

Part of Shumka’s mandate is the creation of a centre of excellence in dance education to prepare the next generation of dancers in the art form.

The Shumka School of Dance trains over 250 young dancers using North America’s only syllabus for Ukrainian dance, in addition to contemporary movement and RAD ballet instruction. Students at the Shumka School of Dance are provided a supportive and welcoming environment to learn and grow skills in coordination, musicality, artistry, performance, and leadership.

Shumka and the Shumka School of Dance welcome diversity and inclusion as a cornerstone of our artistic expression. Our performances, performers, and students strive to express an ever-evolving Ukrainian dance experience in Canada. We warmly embrace those who join us regardless of gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, age, citizenship, or any other diverse characteristic. We are committed to listening and learning, as we acknowledge that there is always a chance to develop a deeper appreciation of others' experiences.