Meet Jenna Smith | Co-Director of Soda Shop Movement Company

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jenna Smith and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jenna, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
This is such a great question. I have been dancing professionally for over a decade, and inevitably, once you reach a certain age, people start to ask you what you will do when you “retire,” which, for our profession, is usually quite young! I started choreographing young (I think my first job was at 16!), and I have been extremely lucky to have been given opportunities to showcase my work early on in my career. This nurtured my love for it, but also gave me confidence in my own voice and the ability to see what works for me creatively and what doesn’t. Starting a company is something I always saw myself doing, but I also saw many people burn out trying to do it on their own. When I met Conner Horak-Flood, everything really clicked. Not only is he someone I trust from years of partnering together on stage, but he is also someone whom I admire as a fellow artist. In May of 2024, Soda Shop Movement Company was born, and it’s been so fun to watch it grow and see a lifelong dream come to fruition!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I always had the dream of being a full-time professional dancer, and there are still days I have to remind myself that this is really what I get to do for a living! Growing up, I was faced with the reality that my parents could not afford to keep me in all the dance classes a performance career would demand, and so I started a work study program at age 14 so that I could pay for all my classes. I believe this taught me at a young age to appreciate every moment and also to take every second of my training seriously. (A hard task when you are naturally a bit of a class clown). I think this created a passion for dance in me that made me stick it out when it got hard, and helped me to drown out people in my life who told me I couldn’t make it in this career. I often joke that I was never the most talented dancer in the room, and so it was honestly pure determination that kept me going all these years. I had to find out what I uniquely bring to the table, and I am so thankful to have found directors who saw something in me. I am forever grateful to have spent so many years of my adult life on the stage.

Our hope for creating Soda Shop Movement Company is to work with the existing dance companies in the area toward the goal of creating year-round work for artists. The life of a professional dancer is not easy, and my co-director and I have been hard at work building a company where we can give more performing opportunities to local artists and also pay them what their kind of skill deserves. At a Soda Shop show, we will make you laugh, cry (in a good way), but above all, we will make you fall in love with our art form. We pride ourselves on getting even the “dads” to enjoy dance. ( Hint: They love classic rock songs) We love what we do, and we love telling new kinds of stories. Our goal is for our work to feel representative of the people and world we live in today.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Fort Collins is truly one of my favorite cities! If someone were new to the area, I’d definitely start with coffee. Harbinger, Little Bird, Butterfly Cafe, or Bindle would probably be my favorites! I also worked in Old Town for many years at different boutiques, and so I’d recommend saying hi to any of the local shop owners in the area. They will make you feel like family. I love Sunday Supply, Tula, The Cupboard….there is even a hot sauce store called ” The Hot Sauce Realm” that I visit much too frequently.

I (very embarrassingly) cannot ride a bike well, but I know the bike trails here are some of the best, and I’d definitely recommend seeing the city that way! Fort Collins has so many bike events that I enjoy very much (watching..not riding haha).

Oh! I can’t forget the corgi parade… “Tour de Corgi,” where people dress their Corgis up in costumes and parade them around the city. Truly one of the weirdest and most magical events. I think there have been almost 300 some years!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Absolutely! First, my husband Joel, for being a constant source of support in all my artistic endeavors. He has never missed a performance, and his quiet encouragement and love have kept me going and given me the confidence to “go for it.” His dedication to his own training (He is an incredible Ironman athlete) inspires me daily.

Second, to my mentor, Judy Bejarano. Without her encouragement or the opportunities she gave me as a choreographer and artist, I wouldn’t have the knowledge or skill set I have today. I am endlessly grateful to have had such a gifted artist as my mentor.

Lastly, to my business partner, Conner Horak-Flood, whom I am absolutely in awe of. His work ethic and creativity are absolutely unmatched, and I am so lucky to run Soda Shop along with a fellow artist who challenges and pushes me to better my craft!

Website: https://sodashopmovementcompany.com/

Instagram: @soda_shop_movement_company

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSodaShopMovementCompany

Image Credits
Jackie Nunnally