Danovia Stechishin, B.F.A., M.B.A., Artistic Director
Danovia received her formal dance, choreographic and pedagogical training at the Edmonton School of Ballet, Alberta Ballet Company, the Banff School of Fine Arts, York University, George Brown College, and the Kiev Institute Kultura in Ukraine.  Danovia danced professionally as a ballet and modern dancer for several years, as well as performed and toured with the Ukrainian ensembles Zirka, Shumka and The Ukrainian Festival Dance Company. 
            Danovia founded the Ukrainian Academy of Dance in 1987 and has trained over 1500 dancers since then.  She formed Arkan Dance Company in 1995 as the performing ensemble of the Academy, and they have performed at international festivals across the globe since then.  Danovia is skilled in teaching ages 3 to adult in Ballet, Jazz, Ballroom/Latin, Creative Movement, Modern, Character and Ukrainian Folk Dance with 32 years of experience. Her husband, Scott Stefura, a former Shumka dancer himself, also assists with the studio, props, music and wardrobe.  They have 3 children, all of whom dance at the studio.

Larissa Szachrajuk, B.H.R.M., Assistant Artistic Director
Larissa began her dance training at the Ontario School of Dance, learning Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, Hip Hop, and Modern, and continued her studies at the Etobicoke School of the Arts.  Ukrainian dancing for 16 years now, Larissa has been a soloist with Arkan Dance Company and has traveled with them worldwide to Florida, Nova Scotia, China, Mexico, Quebec, Turkey and Italy.  She has also been a featured soloist in Arkan’s “Dance of Gold” in 2001 and “Dance of the Light” in 2008, both at the Royal Ontario Museum.  She directed Arkan’s 2009 tour to Italy and the Ukrainian Children’s Ensemble’s 2007 trip to Florida.  Larissa has completed Shumka’s Ukrainian Dance Syllabus Training Program (Tier 1). 

Other Teachers
Laura Lawson, Kassandra Prus

Assistant Teachers
Lesia Harhaj, Tiffany Boxill, Krista Vereshchak