Family Remembers Slain Ballet Arizona Dancer Through Scholarship Fund

PHOENIX, AZ — The family of slain Ballet Arizona dancer Colleen Buckley Hoopes plans to honor her memory with a scholarship fund to help young people who share her passion for dance.

Hoopes was shot to death by her husband, Christopher Hoopes, in the middle of the night on May 20 in their home in Tempe, according to police.

Hoopes joined Ballet Arizona in 2017 as a company dancer and also worked as a teacher for The School of Ballet Arizona.

“From the time Colleen auditioned [at Ballet Arizona], I saw her total love for dancing and her intense desire to succeed as a dancer that never left her,” Ballet Arizona Artistic Director, Ib Andersen said in a statement. “She was a kind, considerate person who set an example of how to be. She wanted so much. Colleen will be greatly missed and remembered.”

Hoopes' family is establishing the scholarship fund in Colleen's name at the Draper Center for Dance Education in Rochester New York, where she trained in her youth. Hoopes grew up in Rochester.

The scholarship is meant for young dancers, "who have the same passion for dance, work ethic, drive and kindness that Colleen had, to spread her light," according to Ballet Arizona.

In a Facebook post, the Draper Center said it was humbled that Hoopes' family dedicated the scholarship to dancers training at the center.

"Colleen was truly a bright light," the Draper Center wrote. "She was a kind, and giving person, and a gifted, passionate, and dedicated artist. While at the Draper center she was a role model for so many."

The center went on to say that Hoopes never missed a chance to visit the Draper Center when she was back visiting the area, and added that she was an inspiration to its next generation of dancers.

Those who want to donate to the scholarship fund can make checks out to “Draper Center for Dance Education” with “Colleen Buckley Scholarship” in the memo line. Checks can be sent to Draper Center for Dance Education, 1326 University Ave., Rochester, NY 14607.