Kayla Devaux

Kayla Devaux is not one who can say that she has been dancing since she could move her feet, but she can say that it took only one class for her to discover her new and long standing passion with 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 along with 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 over eighteen years around the province, currently teaching in Red Deer (10 years), Parkland (3 years), and now the Verkhovyna School of dance in Edmonton. She follows the Shumka Syllabus in her studios and truly finds joy in teaching dance and creating choreography. 

To be part of the continuity of our culture and heritage, Kayla is the current President of the Alberta Ukrainian Dance Association, serving her eighth (8) year on the board. 

Matthew Borys

Instructor

Growing up Matthew started dancing In Sherwood Park with Shumka School of Dance and later joined Shumka in the summer of 2015, Matthew has performed throughout Canada and the United States with various productions, including Traveling Chumaky. Kobzar. Clara’s Dream (Ukrainian Nut Cracker a collaboration with Virsky and Kyiv Ballet and Edmonton City Ballet). Mosquitoes’ Wedding. Ancestors and Elders. Shumka on Tourer. Shumka Emerge.

Matthew has also danced at special performances with the renowned singer Ruslana, and at the Governor General Awards, both held in Edmonton Alberta.

Matthew has been teaching in various capacities since 2014 and has had the opportunity to teach with various schools, camps, and workshops such as Shumka School of Dance, and Jube School over the years! One of his most recent projects was being one of 6 directors for Shumkas Emerging Artists serious in Cameras for the summer of 2021 

Matthew has also attended several dancer instructor workshops from both AUDA and UDIC as well as being a certified teacher with Shumka  Syllabus Academy.

He enjoys teaching dance to all ages and experiences. It brings him joy to see the dancers enjoy learning both about dance and the traditional and historical aspects of Ukrainian culture and seeing it still alive and thriving today!

Currently he continues to perform as a dancer with Shumka as well as sits on the dancer artistic committee for the 2022-2023 season In addition  Matthew sits on the board of directors with the Alberta Ukrainian Dance Association for the current 2023 season.