Kansas City Youth Ballet Presents
Festival of Nations

KANSAS CITY, MO (September 4, 2009) – The celebration of world music and dance highlights the Festival of Nations performances by Kansas City Youth Ballet (KCYB) and various local ethnic dance groups on Saturday, Oct. 3 at 2:00 and 7:00 p.m. at Polsky Theatre, Johnson County Community College.

The performances begin with three ballets with Kansas City connections. Recently retired Kansas City Ballet dancer, Christopher Barksdale’s Concerto in G starts things off. This contemporary piece was created in the Balanchine style to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. It was originally part of a Kansas City Ballet series called In the Wings where dancers choreograph their own ballets on their fellow dancers. Concerto in G was first staged on the Youth Ballet in 2000.

The program continues with Kansas City Ballet School Director Peter Pawlyshyn’s Avec la temps, to the music of Adolphe Adam. Adam, the composer of the ballet Giselle, is probably best known around the world for writing the Christmas carol O Holy Night.

“Sometimes a dance phrase and music seem to have a natural fit,” Pawlyshyn says. “I was just working from a movement and musical point of view.”

The final piece of the first half, A Summer’s Day, choreographed by former Kansas City Ballet artistic director, the late Todd Bolender, hasn’t been performed in the Kansas City area since 1987. Set to the music of American composer Aaron Copland, this comedy is a delightful ballet of four young couples.

The second half of the program features the celebration and diversity of many nations through character and folk dances performed by KCYB, as well as various choreographers and special local guest groups. The Kansas City Saint Andrew Highland Dance Association will perform Scottish dances with KCYB. Local flamenco dancer and teacher, Tamara Carson, provides choreography from Spain.

“We have invited several talented local folk dance groups to join in this celebration. These youth groups also are celebrating their ethnic traditions during this autumn season, so it’s a pleasure to include them,” Pawlyshyn says. “Having so many diverse people in Polsky Theatre will certainly be a ‘Festival of Nations’ in itself.”

Reserved tickets are $15 and can be purchased by phone or online. Groups of 10 or more are $10 and are only available by calling the Kansas City Ballet Box Office at 816-931-2232 or the Johnson County Community College Box Office at 913-469-4445.  For more information or to buy $15 tickets, visit http://www.kcballet.org/kcbschool and select KC Youth Ballet, Schedule.

KCYB’s engagement is presented with the generous support of the contributions of the Kansas City Youth Ballet Guild and the Kansas City Ballet. These performances are funded, in part, by the Muriel McBrien Kauffman Foundation, Kansas Arts Commission, and the Missouri Arts Council.

About Kansas City Youth Ballet
Kansas City Youth Ballet, formerly known as the MidWest Youth Ballet, was founded in the spring of 1997 as a non-profit ballet company comprised of dancers ranging in age from 13-18, who study under the tutelage of Alecia Good— a former KCB dancer for 13 years, and faculty member of Kansas City Ballet School. The Company’s focus is on excellence in training and developing a professional performance atmosphere for the dancers. In 2008, KCYB became the performing ensemble of Kansas City Ballet School—Peter Pawlyshyn, school director. In the summers of 2005 and 2008, the company traveled to Europe for two weeks to perform with the “Young Tanzsommer” festival in Austria.

Kansas City Youth Ballet
2009 Fall Performance at a Glance
Saturday, October 3, 2009; 2:00 and 7:00 p.m.
Polsky Theatre, Johnson County Community College
12345 College Blvd., Overland Park, Kansas

Concerto in G                        
Choreographer: Christopher Barksdale
Music: Johann Sebastian Bach

Avec la Temps                                   
Choreographer: Peter Pawlyshyn
Music: Adolphe Adam

A Summer’s Day                   
Choreographer: Todd Bolender
Music: Aaron Copland

Festival of Nations 
Various Choreographers
Music: Various, from Traditional Folk to Classical

The Kansas City Saint Andrew Highland Dance Association
Guest Choreographer: Tamara Carson
And more!

Tickets are $15 and are available by calling the Kansas City Ballet Box Office at 816-931-2232.
For more information visit www.kcballet.org/kcbschool/kcyb.

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