Meet Our Instructors

Kayla Devaux is not one who can say she has been dancing since she could move her feet, but she can say it took only one class for her to discover her new and long-standing passion for Ukrainian Dance. The journey began at the age of ten when she moved to Peace River, it continued in Grande Prairie, and it now fulfills her life as her career around the province.

She has been very fortunate to have studied dance in Ukraine four times, each experience being very different from the others. In 2007, she attended the Virsky Summer Camp in Kyiv, the following year her dance club traveled with Cobblestone Freeway participating in a variety of workshops, and in 2011 and 2015 she joined Cobblestone Freeway for the Ukrainian Dance Workshop Tours. She has participated in the Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s teacher training summer program, as well as numerous instructor workshops throughout Alberta and Saskatchewan each summer. Within these experiences, she has studied in depth Hutzel, Bukovynia, Pokuttia, Podillia, Poltava, Transcarpathian, Volyn, Boiko, Hopak tricks, Character Barre, and aspects such as creating an appropriate repertoire for all ages. She can hardly wait for her next learning experience.

Kayla has been teaching dancers of all ages for over 18 years across the province and is in her sixth year with Parkland Ukrainian Dancers Society. She follows the Shumka Syllabus in her studios and truly finds joy in teaching dance and creating choreography.

Kasia Podilsky is an award-winning Ukrainian dance instructor, choreographer, and Artistic Director with over 11 years of semi-professional and professional dance experience. A Cheremosh Ukrainian Dance Company alumna, she has performed across Canada, Ukraine, and Australia, bringing the beauty and energy of Ukrainian dance to audiences worldwide.

Trained extensively under renowned choreographer Mykola Kanevets, Kasia has mastered both traditional regional dances and contemporary interpretations. Since 2019, she has led the Fort McMurray Avrora Ukrainian Dancers, where she designs choreography for dancers of all ages, from preschoolers to adults, and develops large-scale, multi-class productions. She has also taught at the Verkhovyna School of Ukrainian Dance, the Cheremosh School of Dance, and the Parkland Ukrainian Dance Society, where she is excited to return to share her passion, artistry, and expertise with the community once again.

Her work has been recognized with multiple Best Choreography and Best Performance awards at prestigious festivals, as well as individual accolades for solo performances. Kasia’s background in Stage Management, combined with her creative vision, allows her to produce visually dynamic and culturally authentic performances that inspire both dancers and audiences alike.

Whether in the studio or on stage, Kasia is dedicated to nurturing technical skill, artistic expression, and a love for Ukrainian dance in every student she teaches.