Canyon Concert Ballet, Ltd. began as an informal ballet group in October 1977. In September 1979, incorporation was complete and in November of that year auditions produced a company of 17 Canyon Concert Ballet performers.
Carole Torguson, Founder
Our history begins with our founder, Carole Torguson. Carol was born in Sanborn, ND on May 1st, 1923. Her dance story started early with formal training in classical ballet, and a ballet teaching career that began at age 14. She graduated from high school at age 16 and founded Canyon Concert Ballet in 1979, finally making her dream of an outstanding dance company in northern Colorado into a reality.
Carole’s lifelong passion has been dance. Over fifty years after she began she was still teaching approximately 150 children each week, dividing her time between Loveland and Fort Collins, Colorado. She also produced a series of instructional video tapes which were well-received across the U.S. She continues to attend performances and inspire our work at CCB.
Her belief that it is of paramount importance to listen to your body and give it what it needs, be that work or rest, is still one of our guiding philosophies.
Carole’s special focus was always the students from ages two to five. Canyon Concert Ballet continues to exercise her extraordinary care with these very young dancers in our Young Dancer Program. Some of Carole’s first students now bring their children to Canyon Concert Ballet to study dance, and we are proud to teach multiple generations in families!
Canyon Concert Ballet Today
Canyon Concert Ballet’s school trains over 300 dancers every year in many dance forms including ballet, modern, lyrical, jazz, tap, and musical theater.
Our annual holiday productions of The Nutcracker, accompanied by the Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra, is a highlight of the holiday season in Fort Collins and Northern Colorado. Contemporary ballet performances and Spring ballet productions complete the performance company season. Our most dedicated younger students participate in Youth Ensemble, where they are given additional performance opportunities and dance competition experience. All students join in our annual Student Showcase at the end of the school year. From humble beginnings (and a big dream) Canyon Concert Ballet is an organization of which residents of Fort Collins can be very proud!
