Canada’s Ukrainian Shumka Dancers and contemporary dance artist/presenter, Brian Webb, truly have something to dance about! Both companies are being inducted into the Dance Collection Danse Canadian Dance Hall of Fame. They are the first local dance artists to receive this prestigious national honour.
Shumka and Brian Webb’s BWDC are community players. They champion arts and culture believing each one of us has a unique story to tell. “Every person who feels the beat of their heart knows what dancing is,” says Webb. For decades, their stories have been told through dance that is an expression of cultural heritage, dance that breaks boundaries, and dancing that is alive in the here and now.
This year, Shumka is celebrating its 65th anniversary, and BWDC is entering its 47th year. How time flies when you’re dancing… and neither company is slowing down!
Their presence is felt on the local, national and international stage. On the heels of the world premiere of UKRAINKA, Shumka toured with the National Ballet of Ukraine to 18 venues across the United States including the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and New York City Center. At the same time, Webb’s most recent dance, Joshua Tree, had its world premiere in Bangalore, India, where it represented Canada at Attakkalari’s Centre for Movement Arts and New Technology’s International Festival of Contemporary Dance.
Both companies are extremely thankful for the people and places they call home: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. “Our local, regional and national communities have offered us support for many years and given us the opportunity to dance with total freedom to be who we are,” says Webb. “We acknowledge our donors and the private sector, along with our boards, committees, and collaborators who so generously support our efforts. They keep our boots moving and enable us to do what we do that much better,” adds Shumka Artistic Director Tasha Orysiuk.
In November, both Shumka and Webb will be officially inducted into the Canadian Dance Hall of Fame in a ceremony at the Metropolitan Entertainment Centre in Winnipeg — a celebration to mark their years of artistic commitment and creativity.
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