KANSAS CITY, MO: As other mid-size cities’ downtown districts dwindle, Kansas City is growing at an unbelievable pace. Long known for its BBQ and jazz music, a series of projects and new facilities have been very good for several long-standing KC arts and cultural organizations. The trio of organizations forming the artistic hub of KC (Kansas City Symphony, Lyric Opera of Kansas…

MILWAUKEE, WI: Since 2002, Michael Pink has remained at the helm of Milwaukee Ballet, the longest sitting Artistic Director in the company’s 45 year history. Pink’s impressive resume as a dancer rival those of the world’s most prestigious artistic directors, however, unlike many of his colleagues, Pink is also one of his company’s primary choreographers. Because Pink has the advantage of…

Most Chicagoans familiar with dance know the names Robert Joffrey and Ruth Page, but before the Joffrey Ballet relocated to Chicago in 1995, Ruth Page was one of the only professional gigs in town for a ballet dancer. Despite her name being most closely associated today with superior pre-professional dance training, during her lifetime Ruth Page was more interested in choreography,…

The Joffrey Ballet has been delighting audiences with its Nutcracker for 26 years. I remember seeing it about ten years ago and remarking on what a special production it is. It was the heyday of Calvin Kitten, and the lavish costumes, sets, and dancing made for a really fun experience. Nutcracker can get a little: “if you’ve seen one you’ve…