RSS 2.0 FeedParsons Dance performs with honor
Wed, Feb 01, 2012
The signature dance company from native son David Parsonsolidified its favored status in the Harriman-Jewell Series on a night when it commemorated the series’ founder, Richard Harriman.
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Dance Archive
With love from South Africa
Tue, Jan 31, 2012
Ladysmith Black Mambazo, the ten-member male performing group from South Africa brought their distinctive harmonious sound to the Muriel Kauffman Theatre on Tuesday as part of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts Series.
Movers, Shakers, Stalwarts: Emily Behrmann
Wed, Jan 25, 2012
Now in its 21st season, the Performing Arts Series at Johnson County Community College has built a reputation for high quality, diverse programming, with a schedule of visiting artists ranging from chamber ensembles and jazz quartets to international orchestras, and from one-person comedy showcases and avant-garde dance companies to grandly staged Broadway musicals. Since assuming the role of general manager in 2009, Emily Behrmann has endeavored to broaden the Series’ target audience and further expand its offerings on the stages of the JCCC’s Carlsen Center. This week, Behrmann sat down with Victor Wishna to discuss the state of the Performing Arts Series—its successes, challenges, and plans for the future—and what it means to be both “a Johnson County alternative” and an integral part of Kansas City’s growing and glowing performing-arts scene.
Spring 2012 preview: Dance
Wed, Jan 04, 2012
Dance aficionados will have many options to choose from in the spring 2012 including offerings from the Kansas City Ballet, Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance Company, Owen/Cox Dance Group, native son David Parsons, and other visiting troupes.
Tchaikovsky swings
Wed, Dec 21, 2011
The Owen/Cox Dance Group’s zany and thoroughly entertaining “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” contains inspired arrangements of Tchaikovsky’s traditional "Nutcracker" score by Brad Cox and others, and also new music for scenes from the original E.T.A. Hoffmann story that do not appear in the Tchaikovsky ballet. This review focuses on the production's music.
Tradition rings true for 39th season
Wed, Dec 07, 2011
Kansas City Ballet sets the scene for the holiday season on a new stage at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. Staying true to previous Artistic Director Todd Bolender’s vision, the troupe's annual production of "The Nutcracker" has remained the same but ticket sales have shattered all past records.
From opera house to art house
Tue, Nov 29, 2011
Adding world-class opera and ballet broadcasts to his cinema’s offerings are just some of the changes Tivoli owner Jerry Harrington has in store.
Alvin Ailey astonishes and receives resounding praise
Tue, Nov 22, 2011
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre’s four-day, five-performance series was presented by Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. Friday’s program began with the newest work of the four, each one showcasing a different genre and strength of the company.
PREVIEW: Holiday music and dance
Wed, Nov 16, 2011
The holidays provide an opportunity for almost every classical music and dance organization in town to put on some special programming. But remember: like everybody else, musicians and dancers like to spend the actual holidays with their families, so get in the mood early. If you wait until after December 18, the pickings get much slimmer.
UMKC Dancers showcase classics and new works
Wed, Nov 09, 2011
UMKC Conservatory Dance Division gathered Thursday night to present its fall concert. The predominantly female program featured works by two greats, Antony Tudor and August Bournonville, as well as guest choreographer Jamal Story and the UMKC faculty.
Owen/Cox breaks out of comfort zone with collaboration
Tue, Nov 01, 2011
The Owen/Cox Dance Group began the 2011–12 season Saturday night at a new location and in the company of a new group of musicians from Park University's International Center for Music.
Spooky meets sexy
Wed, Oct 26, 2011
The buxom beauties of Burlesque Downtown Underground entertained a surprisingly large audience for a Thursday night at the Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre with the troupe's annual Halloween show, Scared Sexy.
Dancing an all-American ballet
Tue, Oct 18, 2011
In 1876, the same year that Swan Lake debuted in Moscow, Mark Twain published one of his greatest novels, "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer." Over a century later, Tony Award-winning composer Maury Yeston had a vision of an all-American ballet. Yeston called on William Whitener to help accomplish the project. Their vision, "Tom Sawyer—A Ballet in 3 Acts," debuted on Friday at the new Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.
Tony winner's take on "Tom Sawyer"
Mon, Oct 17, 2011
“Tom Sawyer—A Ballet in Three Acts” is the first full-length American ballet based on American literature with an American creative team. Though musically well performed, it lacked a decisive view-point and the vitality inherent to Mark Twain’s beloved scalawag. Libby Hanssen's review focuses on the musical aspects of the production.
Twenty years of Wylliams/Henry
Wed, Oct 05, 2011
Now in their twentieth season, Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance Company presented its fall concert to enthusiastic fans. The program featured a number of selections with passionate, culturally inspired choreography. The company also shared some exciting news of future projects.
Todd Bolender Center celebrates grand opening
Wed, Aug 31, 2011
As the new home for the Kansas City Ballet, the Todd Bolender Center for Dance and Creativity welcomed dancers of all ages and experiences for a week of free classes and performances. Troupes from Kansas City and around the world joined in celebrating all things dance during the Center's festive opening.
Fall 2011 preview: Amalgam experiences
Tue, Aug 30, 2011
Kansas City, true to its frontier heritage, has a scene that is pushing the boundaries of the sonic world and pioneering artistic collaborations. From the smallest galleries and grittiest bars to the shiny opulence of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, Kansas City’s musicians and artists continue to forge new trails for experimental experiences combining music, dance, theatre, and film.
Fall 2011 preview: Dance
Tue, Aug 23, 2011
Kansas Citians look forward to what the art of dance will bring in fall 2011, both from local groups and touring ensembles. For a preview of what is to come over the next couple of months, look inside, and be sure to mark your calendars in advance.
Adult fairy tales in the land of Bump-and-Grind
Wed, Aug 03, 2011
"Grimm and Bare It" brings the best of Kansas City burlesque together for a fabulously bawdy re-telling of Grimm’s Fairy Tales. The performances for the Kansas City Fringe Festival were just a teaser for the full-scale August production but were full of ribald fun nonetheless.
Interpreting sculpture through dance
Wed, Jul 20, 2011
Roxy Paine's "Ferment" on display on the grounds of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art has become a favorite subject of local composers and choreographers. Owen/Cox Dance Group is the most recent to interpret the massive stainless steel sculpture into dance.
Fringe Festival 2011
Tue, Jun 28, 2011
The 7th Annual KC Fringe Festival is an unfiltered, uncensored sampling of Kansas City’s cultural arts and runs July 21–31st, 2011. The 11-day festival is jam-packed with live theater, dance, performance art, visual art, spoken word, puppetry, storytelling, film and fashion.
DOUBLE REVIEW: Symphonic Quixotic reaches new levels and fans
Tue, May 17, 2011
KCM reviewers Libby Hanssen and Laura Vernaci break down "Symphonic Quixotic," a collaborative show between the Kansas City Symphony and Quixotic. The elaborate production was fast-paced and, with its lights, aerialists, costumes, and video elements, offered many visual and a few aural surprises.
Celebrating 20 years with forward-looking WHCDC
Tue, May 17, 2011
Performing just eight works from the ensemble's twenty-year history barely scratches the surface of Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance Company's vibrant and vital repertory.
"The Aluminum Show" recycles, relates, and revives
Tue, May 10, 2011
At the Folly Theatre, the Harriman-Jewell Series ended its season with an innovative and crowd-pleasing blend of theatre and dance courtesy of The Aluminum Show.
Ballet bids farewell with great "Moves"
Fri, May 06, 2011
The Kansas City Ballet grandly ends its tenure at the Lyric Theatre with a the world premiere of William Whitener's "Mercy of the Elements," the Kansas City premiere of Jerome Robbins' "Moves," and Twyla Tharp's mammoth "Catherine Wheel Suite."
DOUBLE REVIEW: New music, new dance, new collaboration
Wed, May 04, 2011
In honor of Owen/Cox Dance Group and newEar Contemporary Chamber Ensemble merging their talents, our two reviewers, Laura Vernaci and Lee Hartman, offer a he said/she said of their own.
Joffrey Ballet dazzles and delights
Wed, Apr 06, 2011
Chicago-based Joffrey Ballet brought 41 dancers to jeté, arabesque, and all other manner of poetic bodily motion across the stage at Yardley Hall as part of the Johnson County Community College Performing Arts Series.
"Giselle" excites and ignites passion
Sat, Mar 12, 2011
The Kansas City Ballet recreates another audience favorite in Adolphe Adam's "Giselle." With striking performances by the two solo dancers, they captured the joys of love and despair of heartbreak.
Dance and romance with Fine Arts Chorale
Wed, Feb 16, 2011
Celebrating the 100th birthday of Independence, Missouri-born screen and dance legend Ginger Rogers, the Fine Arts Chorale's Valentine's concert at Californos was enjoyed by a sell-out crowd.
Eleven viewpoints in motion
Tue, Feb 08, 2011
Eleven choreographers tested their mettle in City in Motion's annual "A Modern Night at the Folly." Covering personal stories, cultural demonstrations, and abstract conceptions these local choreographers presented a compelling evening of dance.
Harriman-Jewell Series announces 2011–12 season
Wed, Feb 02, 2011
There is no shortage of stars on the Harriman-Jewell Series' 2011–12 season. Vocalists, dancers, jazz greats, pianists, and instrumentalists abound across the eighteen concerts and three performance venues: the Folly Theater and the Kauffman Center's Helzberg Hall and Muriel Kauffman Theatre.
Lar Lubovitch excites and inspires
Tue, Feb 01, 2011
Presenting four works from his company's 42-year history for the Johnson County Community College Performing Arts Series, Lar Lubovitch's works are vital, engaging, and thrilling.
PREVIEW: Community experience with 940 Dance
Tue, Jan 25, 2011
Sarah Bluvas previews Lawrence-based 940 Dance Company's upcoming performance with City in Motion's Modern Night at the Folly on February 5. It'll be a dash of Midwestern modernism.
PREVIEW: Spring dance—Local, national, international sensations
Tue, Jan 18, 2011
The human body is capable of magnificent beauty when set in motion and coupled with music. The talented dancers of Kansas City and visiting touring groups are poised to dazzle with their aesthetic athleticism in their spring's performances.
PREVIEW: Spring dance—Local, national, international sensations
Tue, Jan 11, 2011
The human body is capable of magnificent beauty when set in motion and coupled with music. The talented dancers of Kansas City and visiting touring groups are poised to dazzle with their aesthetic athleticism in their spring's performances.
Soloists shine in perennial favorite
Sun, Dec 19, 2010
Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker" is a holiday staple and rightly so. Filled with lovely music and infinitely danceable, the Kansas City Ballet continues to delight with their annual staging of this enduring tale.
Owen/Cox adds color and flair to classic holiday tale
Sat, Dec 18, 2010
It was fun to say goodbye to the traditional and expected concepts for a night, and embrace this classic tale with a delightful and touching twist.
PREVIEW: KC Ballet's "Nutcracker"
Tue, Nov 30, 2010
The "Nutcracker" is simply one of the most charming, beautifully constructed, lovely and visually riveting works in the ballet repertoire.
Kacico's bumpy "Transition"
Tue, Nov 16, 2010
With a grab bag evening of 10 pieces of modern and jazz elements, Kacico's fall program, "Transition," was strong conceptually yet lacked conviction.
Physics in motion
Wed, Nov 10, 2010
"Poetry in motion" is a common phrase. But what about "physics in motion?" Armitage Gone! Dance explored the Big Bang, Theory of Relativity, quantum mechanics, and string theory through their expressive dance.
"Lux" luminosity is breathtaking
Wed, Nov 03, 2010
Quixotic’s “Lux Esalare” at JCCC is equally breathtaking and gritty—a cohesive and successful fusion of dance, music, and light.
Seven stories of "SEE SAW"
Tue, Oct 26, 2010
Steer skull, lilies, sod, mandala, shoes, wine, socks, saxophones, and ... goats.
Looking at the world through "Three Theories"
Tue, Oct 26, 2010
Sensual. Spiritual. Beautiful. These are three words that could easily be used to describe modern dance today. But what about chaos, warping, and…string theory? Sarah Bluvas speaks with Karole Armitage about her upcoming performance at the Lied Center.
PREVIEW: Houston Ballet II KC debut
Tue, Oct 26, 2010
Second company does not always mean second tier. Houston Ballet II is set to dazzle and amaze in their KC debut on Oct. 30.
KC Ballet begins season with a bang
Sun, Oct 17, 2010
Kansas City Ballet began its last year in the Lyric strongly, and has set a high bar for the remainder of the season. "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue" got the audience laughing, clapping and tapping their feet to Richard Rodgers’ catchy show tune.
Wylliams/Henry presents "The Cyprus Avenue Concert"
Wed, Sep 29, 2010
Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance Company’s fall program was all about the music. The company paired up with Kansas City’s own Bill Shapiro to tribute his long-standing radio program which began in 1978 on KCUR-FM.
Charlotte Street Foundation 2010 Generative Performing Artists Awards event
Wed, Sep 22, 2010
The 2010 Charlotte Street Generative Performing Artist Awards Event, presented in collaboration with Jphnson County Community College, will be held on Monday, October 11 at JCCC's Polsky Theatre and feature the work of composer/musician Brad Cox and actor/creator/writer/singer/songwriter/musician/teacher Stephanie Roberts, who received unrestricted cash awards of $6500 each from Charlotte Street Foundation earlier this year.
Digital Honkbox overflows with creative energy
Tue, Sep 21, 2010
Digital Honkbox Revival, a joint venture between Kansas City Arts Institute and the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance, was a cross-media event featuring collaborations in music, dance and visual art.
940 Dance Company awarded residency
Tue, Sep 07, 2010
The 940 Dance Company, the Lawrence Arts Center’s professional, touring dance company, has been selected to be a part of the Studio Residency Program by the Charlotte Street Foundation. The dance company was awarded studio space at City Center Square in downtown Kansas City, where they will rehearse one day a week.
Top Ten of KC's 2009–10 season
Mon, Aug 23, 2010
Who says top ten lists need to be created at the end of year? Here is a list of KCM contributor Lee Hartman's personal favorite performances in Kansas City from last season broken into two categories: Local and Visiting.