We proudly present …

In connection with their recent exhibition The Spirit of Beads: Sharing our Stories, Ukrainian Museum of Canada: Ontario Branch and Native Canadian Centre of Toronto present the exclusive Toronto premiere screening of Ukrainian Shumka Dancers’ Ancestors & Elders and accompanying documentary Dancing on Eggshells. The film screenings will be followed by a panel discussion with co-directors Barry Bilinsky and Joseph Hoffman and moderated by documentary co-director Leslie Sereda.

Please join us on Sunday March 7 at 2:30pm EST. This event will be conducted virtually through Zoom. Tickets are $10.00. Please register via the Zoom link below.  

 Part 1:  Dancing on Eggshells - The Making of Shumka's Ancestors & Elders

A documentary on the making of Shumka’s Ancestors & Elders which follows the production co-directors: Indigenous theatre artist Barry Bilinsky and Shumka choreographer and dancer Joseph Hoffman. The documentary focuses on the artists’ creative process as they navigate the difficulties of uniting their respective cultural stories, while dancing around 150 years of cultural baggage. What story should we tell? How is each of our cultures portrayed? How do we depict the struggles that each of our peoples encountered? All questions considered as the journey of the creative process became bigger than the work itself. Various behind-the-scenes aspects of Ancestors & Elders are examined including costuming, music, and production - intertwined with elements of the stage show - to tell the story of the creation of this ground-breaking production.

 Part 2: Ukrainian Shumka Dancers presents - Ancestors & Elders

The full stage performance of Ancestors & Elders - a dance production that tells the story of the first Ukrainian settlers in Alberta and their relationship with the Indigenous people of Treaty 6 territory they encountered. The work features Canada’s Ukrainian Shumka Dancers and the renowned Running Thunder Cree Dancers and Drummers, both based in Edmonton. Premiered at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in April of 2018 and restaged in March of 2019, the production met with praise from audiences and media alike. Said one audience member, “We wept and cheered and clapped and tapped our feet to the beat of the drums. Our hearts nearly burst. Far and away the best Truth & Reconciliation inspired project on stage this year.” The production involved a cast and crew of over 100 and changed the lives of each of them along the way.

 Part 3: Panel discussion with Ancestors & Elders co-directors Barry Bilinsky and Joseph Hoffman. Moderated by Leslie Sereda, Edmonton filmmaker and co-director of Dancing on Eggshells.

Leslie Sereda is the owner, director and producer of Blue Toque Productions, an Edmonton-based media company specializing in telling stories through documentary-style films. Throughout his career, he has worked as a dancer, choreographer, director, visual designer and filmmaker, developing a holistic sense of art and its creation. He has been working in video, media and theatre production for the last 20 years. Sereda first joined Shumka in 1991, performing in numerous North American tours with the company up to his retirement. From 2004 to 2010, he served as the Artistic Director of Viter Ukrainian Dancers, before returning to Shumka in 2018 to produce Mosquito’s Wedding, an enchanting new work that speaks to audiences of all ages. In 2019, Shumka welcomed Sereda back as Senior Creative Director for their 60th Anniversary season.

Barry Bilinsky is a professional theatre practitioner of Metis/Cree and Ukrainian heritage. He has worked as a performing artist, technical/production manager, and theatre director across Alberta, with recent credits centred around Indigenous arts and collaborations. Primarily, Barry focuses on creating work with diverse communities through various art disciplines. He studied English and Theatre at the University of Alberta, attaining a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2012. Barry is an Artistic Associate with Alberta Aboriginal Performing Arts, as well as having been involved in The Making Treaty 7 Cultural Society, Iiniistsi Treaty Arts Society (REDx Talks), Akpik Theatre, and other companies in Edmonton and Calgary.

Joseph Hoffman is an experienced dance instructor, writer, choreographer, and director. He has worked with performing studios around Alberta in a wide variety of disciplines, and has spent the last four years developing original work as a co-founder of Kinda Epic Productions. Joseph started as a dancer with Avrova Ukrainian Dancers in 1996, before moving on to Shumka in 2010. While training as a dancer, he pursued a degree in kinesiology at the University of Alberta which he received in 2015. Joseph’s background as a dancer, paired with his specialization in physiology and coaching, have made him an authority on dance education. During his time at Shumka, Joseph took on numerous roles, including positions on Shumka’s Wellness Committee and as Artistic Associate on Shumka’s Artistic Team. In 2016, he spearheaded Seniors Can Shumka, a new program bringing both the cultural knowledge and fitness benefits of Ukrainian dance to older generations.