Kansas City Ballet Celebrates 50th Anniversary
A yearlong celebration that includes five Kansas City premieres, two world premieres,
the 35th anniversary of The Nutcracker, New York performances,
a Kennedy Center debut, a commemorative book, and special events

KANSAS CITY, MO (June 18, 2007) – Kansas City Ballet has announced plans for its upcoming 50th anniversary season in 2007-2008. Celebrated as one of the premiere ballet repertory companies in the country, Kansas City Ballet will present a season of works never before performed by the company including ballets by some of the world’s greatest choreographers such as, George Balanchine, Paul Taylor, Antony Tudor, and Twyla Tharp. One world premiere Hey-Hay, Going to Kansas City by Donald McKayle has been commissioned by the ballet and will pay homage to the golden age of jazz in Kansas City. The second world premiere ballet will be by Artistic Director William Whitener with music by Arvo Pärt and Wojciech Kilar.  Whitener’s new production of Carmen this past season broke box office records for the company. The company will complete its 50th anniversary mainstage season with the evening-length classical ballet, Romeo and Juliet choreographedby Ib Andersen. In addition, the season is filled with festive surprises for all of Kansas City to enjoy!

Commemorative Book-Kansas City Ballet: The First 50 Years
In honor of the golden anniversary, Kansas City Ballet will publish a new commemorative pictorial book written by local author and poet, Wyatt Townley. This illustrated book will tell the fascinating story of Kansas City Ballet amid photographs that capture the extraordinary beauty of 50 years of dance. Jacques d’Amboise, famed American ballet dancer and choreographer, has written the foreword.

The book measures 10 ½” x 11 ½” and costs $29.95. It will go on sale to the general public in September 2007. It will be distributed by Kansas City Star Books, sold online and available for purchase at all Kansas City Ballet performances. Call 816.931.2232
ext. 375 to pre-order yours today.

September 4-8, 2007
Ballet in the Park
The celebratory season kicks off with Ballet in the Park, our annual series of free performances across the city, including Loose Park, Ironwoods Park in Leawood, Gladstone, Powell Gardens and a new location, the Crossroads Arts District in partnership with Mid-America Arts Alliance. Families are encouraged to arrive early and are welcome to bring a picnic and blanket for the performances. (No cameras or camcorders please.) Each performance is scheduled to last approximately one hour and all are open to the public.

Throughout the season

October 11-14, 2007
Fall Program
The 50th Season will kick off on October 11-14, 2007, at the Lyric Theatre with three Kansas City premieres: Balanchine’s Mozartiana, Dark Elegies, choreographed by Antony Tudor and Paul Taylor’s Company B, complete with the swinging sounds of The Andrews Sisters. Kansas City Symphony Ballet Orchestra will perform Mozartiana and Dark Elegies, which will also feature Robert Gibby Brand as guest vocalist.

November 8-9, 2007
Free Legacy Performance at Folly Theatre
Kansas City Ballet will present two, free and open to the public performances at the downtown Folly Theatre. The repertory will represent the eras of Founder Tatiana Dokoudovska, Artistic Director Emeritus Todd Bolender and Artistic Director William Whitener. And, Kansas City Ballet School students, the associated MidWest Youth Ballet and Reach Out And Dance (ROAD) students will be presented. Ballet season ticket patrons may RSVP for limited free reserved seat tickets August 13-17. Tickets for the general public will be available later in the fall. Call 816.931.2232 ext. 375 for more information.

November 17, 2007
BARRE’s 50th Anniversary Party
Join these two young friends group, the Kansas City Ballet’s BARRE and the Lyric Opera’s Bohemians for this unique dance party and tribute to 50 years of dance and opera in Kansas City. The Kansas City Ballet BARRE is a subscription group for ballet enthusiasts, age 21-40. BARRE members enjoy a Friday night season ticket with pre-show happy hours, an annual dance party, discounted Nutcracker tickets, backstage tours, and a rare opportunity to meet the dancers and mingle with other members at special events – all while supporting Kansas City Ballet.  Membership dues are just $65 for the 07-08 50th Anniversary Season. Don’t miss this opportunity to meet new people, network or enjoy a fun night with old friends.   For more information, please contact Karen at 816.931.2232 ext.304, email barre@kcballet.org, or visit www.kcbbarre.org.  

December 1, 2007
13th Annual Sugar Plum Fairy Luncheon
This much anticipated magical event in The Land of Snow unfolds for children and their loved ones from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Muehlbach Hotel in downtown Kansas City. This beloved family event raises scholarship funds for Kansas City Ballet School. Please call 816.931.2232 x375 or visit www.kcballet.org to learn more.

December 1-23, 2007
35th Anniversary of The Nutcracker
A holiday tradition continues at the Music Hall in downtown Kansas City! This enchanting production’s vibrant costumes, stunning sets, choreography by Artistic Director Emeritus Todd Bolender, and Peter Tchaikovsky’s memorable score, tell the unforgettable story of Clara and her Nutcracker Prince as they journey to the Kingdom of the Sweets. More than 200 area students in the Kansas City Ballet School also appear in the production with the 25 Kansas City Ballet professional company dancers. The Kansas City Symphony Ballet Orchestra will perform Tchaikovsky’s score led by Music Director Ramona Pansegrau.

February 21-24, 2008
Winter Program
The 50th Season will continue at the Lyric Theatre with the Winter Program’s presentation of three ballets two of which are world premieres. The opening piece will be Twyla Tharp’s. Brahms Paganini, a unique and rarely performed work that opens with a tour de force 13-minute solo originally danced by Kansas City Ballet’s artistic director.  Following that will be a new ballet by Whitener with music by Arvo Pärt and Wojciech Kilar . The final piece on the February program will be a world premiere commissioned by the Ballet for its 50th anniversary season honoring the golden age of Kansas City jazz, 1917 – 1930. The choreographer, Donald McKayle, is considered one of the great African-American choreographers of his generation This piece completes McKayle’s trio of jazz ballets—New Orleans, Chicago, and now Kansas City.

March 1, 2008
Ballet Ball: Golden Gala
Golden Gala at the Intercontinental Hotel will be a spectacular evening honoring Kansas City Ballet’s 50th Anniversary. Known as “the best party in Kansas City”, seating is limited so mark your calendars now for this one-night-only black tie event, hosted by the Kansas City Ballet Guild. You won’t want to miss it.  For further information, please email balletball@kcballet.org.

March 10-16, 2008
New York City Performance Series at Joyce Theatre
For the third season in a row, The Joyce Theater, New York City’s premiere dance presenter, has invited Kansas City Ballet to appear.  This time, Kansas City Ballet will perform eight shows at the Joyce Theater in downtown Manhattan.  Join KCB’s Patrons’ Society as they travel to enjoy this performance and other dance and theater attractions. Keep checking our website at www.kcbpatrons.org.

April 25-27 and May 1-3, 2008
Romeo and Juliet
For the first time in the company’s history, the full-length ballet Romeo and Juliet, by Ib Andersen, with music by Sergei Prokofiev, will be performed. One of the most popular ballets in the world, this magnificent production will run for seven performances, featuring the Kansas City Symphony Ballet Orchestra, over two weekends at the fully refurbished Music Hall.

June 12 and 14, 2008
Kennedy Center Performances
For three performances, Kansas City Ballet will showcase Todd Bolender’s most acclaimed ballet, The Still Point, with music by Claude Debussy. The Kennedy Center Opera Orchestra will accompany our dancers in this first-time event for the company in the 1,100-seat Eisenhower Theater at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

50th Anniversary Sponsors
Kansas City Ballet would like to thank the following sponsors for their generous support in making this 50th anniversary celebration season possible.

Kansas City Ballet 50th Anniversary Celebration

Major Sponsors
Muriel McBrien Kauffman Foundation
Hall Family Foundation
Hallmark Corporate Foundation

Anniversary Season Sponsors
Bank of America
DST
Hotel Phillips
MAC
Midwest Airlines
National Endowment of the Arts
Sprint, in support of educational programming
The ArtsKC Fund

Media Sponsors
The Kansas City Star
KUDL
NBC Action News

The Nutcracker 35th Anniversary Sponsor
M&I Bank

About Kansas City Ballet
Founded in 1957, Kansas City Ballet is a 25-member professional ballet company under the direction of Artistic Director William Whitener and Executive Director Jeffrey J. Bentley. The company’s mission is to establish Kansas City Ballet as an indispensable asset of the Kansas City community through performance, training and education. The Kansas City Ballet is home to Kansas City Ballet School for more than 600 children and adults, offering professional training for the career-minded student as well as for those seeking a healthy lifestyle. Through our professional company, school and community outreach programs such as ROAD, Project X, and Dance INFORMances, we seek to nurture and develop our artists, audiences and students in the creativity, diversity and joy of dance.

For more information
For more information about Kansas City Ballet’s upcoming 50th Anniversary Season, please explore the website at kcballet.org or call 816.931.2232 ext. 375.

Kansas City Ballet
50th Anniversary, “A Brilliant Past, A Dazzling Future”
2007-2008 Season

Fall Program
October 11-14, 2007
Lyric Theatre

Mozartiana                                         George Balanchine/Peter I. Tchaikovsky
Dark Elegies                                      Antony Tudor/Gustav Mahler
Company B                                         Paul Taylor/songs sung by The Andrew Sisters

The Nutcracker
Todd Bolender/Peter I. Tchaikovsky
December 1-December 23
Music Hall

Winter Program  
February 21-24, 2008
Lyric Theatre   

Brahms’ Paganini                           Twyla Tharp/Johannes Brahms
TBD                                                    William Whitener/TBD
TBD                                                    Donald McKayle/TBD

Spring Program  
April 25-27 and May 1-3, 2008
Music Hall

Romeo and Juliet                               Ib Andersen/Sergei Prokofiev

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