Kansas City Ballet's 56th Season Features Jerome Robbins' FANCY FREE & More

Kansas City Ballet's 56th season opens with a Fall program featuring a new work by Los Angeles-based choreographer Jodie Gates, George Balanchine's Allegro Brillante, Jerome Robbins' hugely popular Fancy Free with music by Leonard Bernstein, a recent work by William Whitener, and Opus One, a world premiere by newly appointed Kansas City Ballet Artistic Director Devon Carney. The Fall program will be accompanied by Kansas City Symphony and conducted by Kansas City Ballet Music Director Ramona Pansegrau.

The October performances will be Mr. Carney's first with Kansas City Ballet. "I'm very excited about our Fall program and the opportunity to present our dancers in a such a diverse and well rounded repertoire." He says, "It's always satisfying to present the works of legends like Jerome Robbins and George Balanchine. Plus having the opportunity to create a new ballet on the program is a chance to demonstrate to our patrons at least one of the new directions I desire to take the company in the future. This program is one that I think audiences will find both intimate and grand at the same time."

When Jerome Robbins' Fancy Free, the precursor to the Broadway musical and film On The Town, premiered in 1944, it proved to be one of the most exciting evenings in the history of dance in America. It marked the emergence of two new American treasures; Jerome Robbins, an original member of American Ballet Theatre, created the choreography, working closely with a young, then unknown composer, Leonard Bernstein. Following the success of the ballet it was translated into a musical comedy On The Town, which was subsequently adapted for the screen starring Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra. The setting is New York City on a hot summer night with three sailors on shore leave. They pick up two girls and a fight develops. Each sailor dances to win the favor of a girl, revealing his individual character. When the girls are unable to choose, they slip away. The sailors make up, but when a third girl passes their way, the audience is left wondering whether they have learned their lesson.

The pas de deux Triple Play is choreographed by William Whitener, who will be returning to stage this piece following his departure as artistic director (1996-2013) at Kansas City Ballet. It features a piano solo Three Novelettes by Francis Poulenc, performed by pianist Sam Beckett.

The ballet was created for "Dancers Making Dances," the Ballet's choreographic workshop, and received its first fully staged performance at the Dance St. Louis Festival in May 2013.

An untitled new work choreographed by Jodie Gates to the 7th Keyboard Concerto of J.S. Bach, scheduled September 27 and 28, 2013 at Johnson County Community College, also will be on the Fall program, featuring pianist Dan Velicer. This premiere is a co-commission of Kansas City Ballet and the Performing Arts Series at Johnson County Community College for the New Dance Partners Project. Kansas City Ballet and two area modern dance companies were commissioned to create new pieces to raise the profile of dance and help build dance audiences in the metropolitan area. For more information, please visit www.jccc.edu/TheSeries.

Jodie Gates is a 30-year veteran choreographer, director, producer and dancer. Characterized by vivid articulation and rich musicality, her work has been called "visually compelling, powerful, beautiful," by the Philadelphia Inquirer and praised for "showing considerable skill at construction, moving dancers seamlessly on and off stage" by The New York Times.

Allegro Brillante, George Balanchine's neoclassical ballet set to Peter I. Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 3 in E-flat major, Op. 75 might be aptly subtitled "Appassionata." The music, which will feature piano soloist Sam Beckett, originally for symphonic use, was the last Tchaikovsky composed. It is melodically and stylistically reminiscent of much of his work, with a brisk vigor which motivates the dance. The choreography, like the music, is Russian and romantic, evidenced throughout in expansiveness of movement and gesture with dazzling speed. According to Balanchine, Allegro Brillante "contains everything I knew about the classical ballet - in 13 minutes."

The program will conclude with Opus One, a world premiere by newly appointed Artistic Director Devon Carney. This piece will feature the full company and the music of Franz Schubert.

Fall Performances

October 11-20, 2013 | Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts | Music performed by Kansas City Symphony

Presenting classics from choreographers Balanchine, Robbins and composer Bernstein, plus both Kansas City and world premiere ballets.

Fancy Free Choreography: Jerome Robbins Music: Leonard Bernstein

Triple Play Choreography: William Whitener Music: Francis Poulenc

Untitled New Work Choreography: Jodie Gates Music: J. S. Bach

Allegro Brillante Choreography: George Balanchine Music: Peter I. Tchaikovsky

Opus One Choreography: Devon Carney Music: Franz Schubert

Fri., Oct. 11 7:30 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 12 7:30 p.m.

Sun., Oct. 13 2:00 p.m.

Fri., Oct. 18 7:30 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 19 7:30 p.m.

Sun., Oct. 20 2:00 p.m.

Tickets are available by calling the Ballet Box Office at 816-931-2232 or online at www.kcballet.org where patrons may select their own seats.

Sponsors

Kansas City Ballet's 2013-2014 season is supported in part by the Muriel McBrien Kauffman Foundation, the Missouri Arts Council, and Hotel Phillips - host hotel of Kansas City Ballet. The Todd Bolender Fund for Dance has provided significant support for the presentation of Fancy Free.

About Kansas City Ballet

To make Kansas City a destination for dance

Founded in 1957, Kansas City Ballet is a 28 member professional ballet company under the leadership of Artistic Director Devon Carney and Executive Director Jeffrey J. Bentley. The company's mission is to establish Kansas City Ballet as an indispensable asset in its community through exceptional performances, excellence in dance training and quality community education programs for all ages.

Kansas City Ballet is home to Kansas City Ballet School with an enrollment of 500+ children and adults offering professional training for the career-minded student as well as for those simply seeking a healthy lifestyle.

Through its professional company, its second company KCB II and its many community service programs such as Reach Out and Dance (ROAD) and DanceINFORMances we seek to nurture and develop our artists, audiences and students in the values inherent in the creativity, diversity and joy of dance.

Our home, the Todd Bolender Center for Dance & Creativity on the campus of Union Station, in conjunction with our Resident Company status at the world-class Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts has truly positioned Kansas City as a Destination for Dance.

About the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, a new multi-venue center for music, opera, theater, and dance was designed by Moshe Safdie and opened in Kansas City in September 2011. The Kauffman Center seeks to enrich the lives of all Greater Kansas City residents by presenting vibrant performances, educational programming, and creating a tradition of the performing arts as a catalyst for Kansas City's civic, economic, and educational vitality.

Three of the region's leading performing arts organizations - Kansas City Ballet, Kansas City Symphony, and Lyric Opera of Kansas City - are performing residents at the Kauffman Center. The Center's two performance venues, the 1,600-seat Helzberg Hall and the 1,800-seat Muriel Kauffman Theatre, offer audiences engaging and intimate experiences, while at the same time providing resident companies with dramatically enhanced performance capabilities. Serving as a cultural cornerstone for Kansas City's dynamic downtown, the Kauffman Center brings a new spotlight to the region's performing arts community while simultaneously attracting some of the world's most talented performers and entertainers, further establishing Kansas City as a major cultural destination. More information on the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts is available at kauffmancenter.org.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Student Discounts

Student Rush tickets are available for $15 (with valid ID, one ticket per ID) 90-minutes prior to curtain at all performances based on availability. Rush sales end 15 minutes prior to curtain.

Social Media

Kansas City Ballet's website is mobile and ticket-purchase friendly. Receive daily updates by joining the KCB Fan Page atwww.facebook.com/kcballet and following @kcballet on Twitter. Follow our blog at kcballet.wordpress.com, or on YouTube by visitingwww.youtube.com/kansascityballet.

Belger Footnote Series

Artistic Director Devon Carney and guest artists offer audience members views on the choreography, history, design elements, and music prior to each repertory performance. These informal discussions are free for all ticket holders and are held at the theater one hour prior to curtain for Kansas City Ballet repertory shows.

2013-2014 Season At A Glance

Kansas City Ballet at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

Kansas City Ballet ticket office 816.931.2232

Purchase tickets online at www.kcballet.org.

Fall Performances

October 11-20, 2013 | Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts | Music performed by Kansas City Symphony

Presenting classics from choreographers Balanchine, Robbins and composer Bernstein, plus both Kansas City and world premiere ballets.

Fancy Free Choreography: Jerome Robbins Music: Leonard Bernstein

Triple Play Choreography: William Whitener Music: Francis Poulenc

Untitled New Work Choreography: Jodie Gates Music: J. S. Bach

Allegro Brillante Choreography: George Balanchine Music: Peter I. Tchaikovsky

Opus One Choreography : Devon Carney Music: Franz Schubert

The Nutcracker

December 7-24, 2013 | Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts | Music performed by Kansas City Symphony

Choreography: Todd Bolender Music: Peter I. Tchaikovsky

Kansas City's favorite holiday tradition continues with the presentation of Todd Bolender's delightful family classic The Nutcracker. Sponsor: Bank of America

Winter Performances

February 21-March 2, 2014 | Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts | Music performed by Kansas City Symphony

Dracula Choreography: Michael Pink Music: Philip Feeney

The classic gothic horror story becomes a frightening and bravura work of dance theatre filled with sensuality and danger.

Spring Performances

May 9-18, 2014 | Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts | Music performed by Kansas City Symphony

Cinderella Choreography: Victoria Morgan Music: Sergei Prokofiev

The delightful fairy tale of the young girl who unexpectedly finds true love and proves that dreams really do come true.