Our Instruction Team

Shannon Gabrush

Artistic Director

Shannon trained 3 summers at the Institute of Ukrainian Folk Dance in Lviv, Ukraine and has been teaching Ukrainian dance for 25 years. She danced with the Pavlychenko Folklorique Ensemble and has performed across North America, Brazil and Ukraine. Shannon has been a guest Choreographer across Canada and has been a festival adjudicator on numerous occasions. She has considerable experience as an instructor for summer camps and workshops. She is the co-Founder of Rodovid Academy of Ukrainian Dance and owner of Poyas & Poppy Dance Tees.

Shannon has been with Tavria for 3 years as our Ensemble, T2 and T1 instructor.

Stephanie

Instructor

Stephanie Kozun began dance with Boyan School of Dance in 1978 under the direction of Tavria’s founder Marie Nychka. The early years were spent performing much as we do now at local performances in seniors homes and annual recitals. Her passion for dance was fostered by Marie herself and in 1988 she successfully auditioned and began her career with Tavria Ukrainian Folk Dance Ensemble. Over the years she was fortunate enough to join the Ensemble for many performances locally, provincially, nationally and internationally making her way to Ukraine in 1996, 2000 and her final tour in 2006. Although performance has been her passion for the greater part of her life she also taught dance from an early age with Tavria as well as in Weyburn, Wadena, Ituna and some guest choreography in Yorkton.

Stephanie currently teaches with Tavria raising her own two children in the very same dance organization she was raised in.

“This Tavria family has been a blessing both to myself and my family for forty years. Ukrainian culture, tradition, music and dance are such an important part of my life and I remain dedicated to the cultivation of true folk dance. I am forever so proud of my history with this organization and continue to work tirelessly toward its success”.