When Kansas City Ballet performs George Balanchine‘s Jewels at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts on Friday, May 10, 2024, it will mark a major first for the Company. Watch this video to get a feel for this incredible and beautiful ballet, then read on to learn more fun facts. What IS George Balanchine’s Jewels? 10 Fun Facts and More! This year, Kansas City Ballet is uniting all three pieces of Jewels – Emeralds, Rubies and Diamonds – in one full-length ballet for the first time in its history. The Company previously presented Diamonds during the Ballet’s 60th anniversary celebratio ..read more

The upcoming presentation of Jewels, culminating Kansas City Ballet’s 2023-2024 season, holds immense significance beyond marking the Company’s premiere of all three pieces of one of  George Balanchine’s few full-length ballets. The historic ballet run symbolizes a unique coming together of internal and external artistic talents, many of whom have collaborated on Jewels and other Balanchine ballets before. Carney: A Rubies Reunion KCB Artistic Director Devon Carney’s repertoire as a professional dancer notably includes a lead role in Rubies, the second of Jewels’ three acts. Devon perform ..read more

From stunning jewels to elaborate costumes, the upcoming performances of Jewels by Kansas City Ballet (KCB) celebrate the find craftsmanship as well as showcase mesmerizing dance and captivating music. A Sparkling Collaboration with VanBrock The exquisite gems that inspired George Balanchine’s captivating ballet also ignited a new collaboration with Kansas City’s own VanBrock, a distinguished private jeweler. As the proud sponsor of Jewels May 10-19, VanBrock brings its 17-year legacy of exceptional jewelry and service to enhance this historic KCB production featuring all three pieces of Jewe ..read more

Among the distinguished faculty of more than 50 instructors at the Kansas City Ballet School (KCB School), there is a notable presence of several of Kansas City Ballet’s professional Company dancers. For these dancers, teaching is not just a way to impart knowledge but a source of inspiration that fuels their own passion for the art of ballet. Many dancers naturally gravitate toward teaching and sharing their expertise, explains Kristi Capps, Rehearsal Director for Kansas City Ballet (KCB). “Teaching is a source of inspiration for them. What’s more, as they expand their knowledge as teachers ..read more

Dahir Klawonn | Photo by Brett Pruitt & East Market Studios At sixteen years old, Dahir Klawonn, a former foster child, is pursuing his passion for ballet with the support of a scholarship from the Kansas City Ballet School (KCB School). This opportunity arose after the school’s leadership recognized his artistic potential during the School’s summer intensive program. Reflecting on the impact, Dahir shared, “Receiving the scholarship was deeply meaningful for a former foster kid like me, who hadn’t always had access to such opportunities. It made me feel valued and embraced, reminiscent of ..read more

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

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

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

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

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