Canyon Concert Ballet’s Third Annual Ballet and Beer

CCB will open its 45th Anniversary Season with the highly anticipated Beer and Ballet performance. Now in its third year, this annual event has become a favorite among audiences. This year’s edition promises to be exceptional as it shines a spotlight on emerging choreographers and dancers.

The stage will come alive with four new works by leading local choreographers, showcasing their innovative movements and captivating storytelling. Audiences can expect a blend of upbeat, contemporary performances that push the boundaries of traditional ballet. Patrons will receive a complimentary beer with each ticket.

Introducing the four choreographers:

Conner Horak-Flood was born and raised in Ft. Collins, CO. He graduated from Butler University cum laude with a BFA in Dance Performance with departmental honors. Conner has danced with Wonderbound in Denver, Colorado, where he performed with the Flobots at the Vail Dance Festival, with David Taylor’s Zikr Dance Ensemble, Boulder Ballet, Reformations Contemporary Ballet, Amy Anderson’s Engage Movement Arts, Front Range Contemporary Ballet, Starry Night Productions, and James Sewell Ballet, where he worked with James Sewell, Darius Strong, and Gabrielle Lamb. Conner is currently a company member of IMPACT dance company as well as a principal dancer with Ballet Northern Colorado. He has choreographed for Starry Night Productions, Ballet Northern Colorado, and The Soda Shop Movement Company (where he is also a co-founder and co-director).

Binyamin  Salzano, a Colorado native, began his dance training while attending Colorado State University. He went on to graduate Summa Cum Laude with a BFA in Dance and a BS in Zoology in May 2022. Upon graduation, Binyamin joined Canyon Concert Ballet as an artistic associate and faculty member, and he is now a principal dancer with the company. He also engages the Colorado dance community at large as an artist with The Soda Shop Movement Company, IMPACT Dance Company, and other organizations throughout the state.

In addition to performance, Binyamin has a passion for integrating his background in the sciences and the arts in choreography, and his innovative work was selected for performance in university concerts multiple times. One such piece, Takotsubo (2021), was selected to represent CSU at the American College Dance Association conference in 2022. His solo work Aperture (2022) has been performed numerous times on a national scale and earned him a spot as a finalist in the 2022 New Century Dance Project choreographic festival. In June of 2023, Binyamin created his first commissioned work for a professional company, performed by Canyon Concert Ballet as a highlight of their Fort Collins Pride event.

Abbey Morgan grew up in Longview, WA, and moved to Fort Collins, CO, in 2018. She attended Colorado State University as a Dance Major and obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance in Spring of 2022, where she studied performance, choreography, and pedagogy. She began dancing and choreographing 15 years ago in her hometown when her aunt opened Higher Ground Dance Studio, and she began teaching there in 2015. She quickly fell in love with dance and has continued her training in ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, contemporary, modern, improvisation, acrobatics, musical theater, hip-hop, character dance, and flamenco. Abbey is passionate about performing, teaching, and choreographing. She has choreographed for CCB school and CCB company. This season, she will be choreographing for the company and school, teaching, and will direct her second season of the school’s Mentorship and Advisory Program. She is honored and excited to perform as Soloist in her third season with Canyon Concert Ballet.

Julia Cooper is a teacher, artist, and choreographer. She began her career in Fort Collins, Colorado, as a Canyon Concert Ballet Company member, working with a variety of artists, including Lorita Travaglia and Bobby Ball. She earned her BFA from The University of Wyoming under the direction of Jennifer Deckert, Lawrence Jackson, Marsha Knight, Margaret Wilson, and Aaron Wood. She has studied with companies such as American Repertory Theatre, Trey McIntyre Project, Alonzo King Lines Ballet, Repertory Dance Theatre, Ririe Woodberry, and Complexions Contemporary Ballet.

Julia spent two years dancing in New York City performing with Ballet Inc and Sheep Meadow Dance Theatre, which involved a variety of venues, including the Battery Dance Festival. Julia also had the opportunity to guest with several photographers, working both as a dancer and model.

Julia completed her MFA in dance choreography at the University of Iowa. During her three years at Iowa, she expanded her choreographic research with a focus on historical context, the use of narrative, and an emphasis on human connection. Her work aims to make ballet approachable in an effort to expand its influence beyond traditional boundaries and across generations. Julia is now on faculty and continuing her research in the dance department at Colorado State University.

Ballet and Beer

Bas Bleu Theater, Fort Collins

Friday, October 18th 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, October 19th 4:00 & 7:00 p.m.

Sunday, October 20th 4:00 & 7:00 p.m.

Tickets will be available at https://www.ccballet.org