WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — Polk County’s only professional dance company has officially closed after more than 30 years in operation.

What You Need To Know • Florida Dance Theatre has officially shut down after more than 30 years • The closure was triggered by the loss of an $18,000 grant, part of a broader $32 million cut to arts and cultural funding • Founder Carol Erkes says the decision was difficult, but she’s comforted by the legacy she leaves behind

Founder Carol Erkes still holds decades of memories close.

“Oh my gosh, these are old. You can tell they’re all black and white,” she said, looking through old photos.

Erkes welcomed her first group of students to Florida Dance Theatre in 1994. At the time, it was known as the Lakeland School of Ballet. She later changed the name and

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