Following the abrupt closure of Canyon Concert Ballet, Soda Shop Movement Company is working to sustain professional dance in Northern Colorado with a $7,500 Colorado Gives Day fundraising campaign supporting local dancers, original productions and community arts programming.
Early giving begins Nov. 1, ahead of Colorado Gives Day on Dec. 8. Donations will support the company’s 2026-27 season and help keep professional dance accessible to audiences throughout Northern Colorado.
Founded in 2024, Soda Shop Movement Company is Fort Collins’ and Northern Colorado’s only professional dance company. The Fort Collins-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit creates original contemporary ballet, provides professional performance opportunities for local dancers and offers community outreach through free and reduced-cost classes, affordable tickets and programming for students and older adults.
“We believe Northern Colorado deserves professional dance,” says Conner Horak-Flood, executive and artistic director. “Our dancers live and work here, and we want young artists to see a future for themselves in this community. Every contribution helps us keep creating ambitious, original work right here at home.”
Soda Shop has collaborated with the Fort Collins Symphony, participated in community events, including Fort Collins Pride, and received the Emerging Leader in Dance Award recognizing its artistic leadership and impact in Fort Collins and Colorado at large.
The company’s upcoming season will feature “When the Moon Hits Your Eye: A Vintage Valentine Story,” an original, full-length ballet choreographed by Horak-Flood. Performances are scheduled for Feb. 19-20, 2027, at The Lincoln Center’s Magnolia Theatre in Fort Collins.
The Colorado Gives Day campaign aims to raise $7,500 to help cover dancer compensation, production costs and community programming.
“This is 100 percent Fort Collins art,” Horak-Flood says. “We want our community to experience professional dance without having to travel to a larger city. Supporting Soda Shop means investing in local artists and the cultural future of Northern Colorado.”
Community members can donate during early giving beginning Nov. 1 or on Colorado Gives Day. Donate here, and learn more at sodashopmovementcompany.com.
