Kansas City Ballet School Debuts at Universal Ballet Competition
Kansas City Ballet
by Andrea Wilson
6d ago
Kansas City Ballet School (KCBS) makes its grand entrance on the Universal Ballet Competition (UBC) stage this year!  The UBC Experience: A Twist on Tradition  UBC isn’t your run-of-the-mill dance competition. It infuses innovation and excitement into the world of pre-professional ballet. Here’s what sets it apart:  Instant Gratification: Right after each performance, judges announce which medal that dancer receives.  Real-Time Feedback: Corrections and encouragement are expressed in real time in a recorded video that judges provide the dancers post-performance.  T ..read more
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Kathy Stepp and Howard Rothwell Turn Passion into Action
Kansas City Ballet
by Andrea Wilson
3w ago
Sometimes a little inspiration is all it takes to drive change. Inspiring others into action is what has always motivated Kansas City Ballet (KCB) supporters Kathy Stepp and Howard Rothwell, who turned their mutual love of ballet into a long-term mission to raise awareness and encourage others to support the organization. Now, more than ten years later, Kathy and Howard reflect on the many ways in which they have worked tirelessly to promote the Ballet and preserve it for future generations. Finding Something to Really Care About Howard says he and Kathy, spouses and co-founders of Kansas City ..read more
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Cultivating Talent from Within: One Dancer’s Journey from the R.O.A.D. to the Stage
Kansas City Ballet
by Andrea Wilson
1M ago
Clutching his brown teddy bear as Michael Darling in Kansas City Ballet’s recent stage production of Peter Pan, twelve-year-old Sam Stein reveled in the opportunity to show off all he has learned in his more than four years of training with Kansas City Ballet School (KCBS). A dance enthusiast from an early age, Sam first learned about the ballet art form as a third grader in Kansas City Ballet’s Reach Out and Dance (R.O.A.D.) Program. Today, Sam is a devoted Intermediate Level KCBS student who serves as another bright example of how Kansas City Ballet’s far-reaching community involvement engag ..read more
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Jacquie and Kyle Ward’s love for the arts will last a lifetime and beyond
Kansas City Ballet
by Andrea Wilson
1M ago
The arts bring people together. And if you’re lucky, it can lead you to the love of your life. Jacquie and Kyle Ward both grew up in musical households and eventually fell in love via their mutual passion for the arts and music. Now, the duo wants to give the gift of the arts to future generations through their legacy gift commitment. Every child deserves to take center stage “I was that kid that would invite my friends over for sleepovers with their instruments,” Jacquie laughs. Music and dance are a part of who Jacquie is. She is trained in piano, guitar, clarinet, saxophone, and enjoyed lea ..read more
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10 fun facts you might not know about Peter Pan — Ballet Edition
Kansas City Ballet
by Andrea Wilson
1M ago
Peter Pan was written for the stage. J.M. Barrie first created the character Peter Pan for his 1902 novel The Little White Bird. After befriending Arthur and Sylvia Llewelyn-Davies and their five sons, he wrote the play Peter Pan or The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up in 1904. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the 1924 American silent adventure film Peter Pan released by Paramount Pictures. It was the first film adaptation of the 1904 play by J. M. Barrie. Foy Inventerprises (also known as Flying by Foy), the company that creates the flying sequences in this ballet, owes its existence to Pete ..read more
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Michele Hamlett-Weith returns to Kansas City Ballet with her beloved 12+ adaptive dance class
Kansas City Ballet
by Andrea Wilson
2M ago
“Everyone should have fun dancing and reap the social and physical benefits it can offer,” Michele Hamlett-Weith says.  Michele started dancing at the age of 3 at Mildred Lyons Studio of Dance. “Once I started, I never wanted to leave!”  By the age of 12 she’d outgrown two dance schools and her teachers suggested she take classes with Tatiana Dokoudovska, founder of Kansas City Civic Ballet, now named Kansas City Ballet.  Tatiana was affectionately known as Miss Tania at the Conservatory at UMKC where she headed the dance department and community Center Division classes. There ..read more
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Brad Allen and Gene Cooper Will Always Follow the Music
Kansas City Ballet
by Andrea Wilson
2M ago
How music and dance became guiding compasses for Brad Allen and Gene Cooper For almost a decade, Brad Allen and Gene Cooper can be found sitting directly behind Kansas City Ballet conductor Ramona Pansegrau at ballet performances. It was purely by coincidence that the two found themselves in those special seats for KCB’s 2015 production of André Prokovsky’s The Three Musketeers at the Kauffman Center. “Sitting (in those seats) is like watching two shows for the price of one!” Gene says about watching the movement of ballet synchronized to the live music of the symphony. Immersion from a young ..read more
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Devon Carney’s The Nutcracker, a family affair from the inside-out
Kansas City Ballet
by Andrea Wilson
3M ago
Kansas City Ballet School Students (and sisters) Scarlett (age 13) and Henley Spaulding (age 9) reminisce on their time dancing in Devon Carney’s The Nutcracker together.   Immediately after seeing her first Nutcracker performance, Scarlett Spaulding (who was 7 years old at the time) dreamt she would dance the iconic role of “Clara”. Fast forward six years, Scarlett’s dream came true — with her little sister Henley performing the Bunny beside her.  “I love performing with (Henley) because I get to hug her on stage. It’s one of the best feelings,” Scarlett says.  It’s a Sist ..read more
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Claire Brand Shares the Magic of Ballet
Kansas City Ballet
by Andrea Wilson
4M ago
To Claire Brand, sharing the joy and magic of ballet with family is an important part of the holidays. Claire, along with her husband Joe, embrace the arts in their family. She knows firsthand that the best way to develop an appreciation for ballet is to be in the theater experiencing its beauty. Through their membership in The Bolender Society, Claire says her appreciation has grown as her understanding of what goes on behind the curtain at the Ballet increases. Claire hopes that future generations will continue to experience the magic of ballet the way she and her family have and is excited ..read more
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DANCEFIX: The Ultimate Cardio Dance Workout for All
Kansas City Ballet
by Andrea Wilson
4M ago
When Heather Britt, a professional dancer and choreographer, envisioned a dance class that would allow people to let go and enjoy the music while benefiting from a full-body workout, DANCEFIX was born. DANCEFIX combines cardio, choreography, and community to create an all-in-one dance workout class. In 2014, Heather introduced DANCEFIX in her hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio. The program features high-energy dance classes with 10 different choreographies set to 10 songs, gradually increasing in cardio intensity over the course of an hour. Fast forward almost a decade, and DANCEFIX has expanded to ..read more
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