Debbie Koziak-Koper 

Debbie Koziak-Koper began her dance training at the young age of three with St. Basil’s Parish in Edmonton, and then spent many years under the tutelage of Chester Kuc in the UNF Dance School & Junior Cheremosh. Her performing career culminated with the renowned Ukrainian Cheremosh Dance Ensemble under the direction of Rick Wacko. She has benefited from the opportunity to take Ukrainian, Character & Ballet classes from numerous other instructor/choreographers as well - most notably Maria Mitrache- Bokor, Roma Pryma Bohachevsky and Nikolai Zukovin. Her teaching career began independently, then progressed to St. Basil’s with the Ukrainian Cultural Association. In 1983 she took over the instruction of Stony Plain Ukrainian Dancers which then became Parkland Ukrainian Dancers as it is known today. In the past 37 years with PUDS Debbie has taught over 474 dancers aged three to adult. She has adjudicated at the Vegreville Pysanka Festival twice. Debbie graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Education degree and is currently the Assistant Manager of Chateau Louis Hotel & Conference Centre.