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Work Begins On New Home For Kansas City Ballet

Kansas City Ballet dancers at the Union Station Power House building.
photo: courtesy of the Kansas City Ballet
Kansas City Ballet dancers at the Union Station Power House building.

Kansas City, MO – Kansas City Ballet officials announced Wednesday that renovations are underway at the new permanent home for the company.

The Todd Bolender Center for Dance and Creativity, slated to open in 2011, will be located in the Union Station Power House building. The historic 1914 power plant will house the Ballet's school and seven studios, including one that doubles as a 180-seat theater.

The costs are estimated at $38 million, including $7 million for an operating endowment. Officials say they're about $6.5 million short of their fundraising goal, including $3 million for construction and $3.5 million for the endowment.

Kansas City is known for its style of jazz, influenced by the blues, as the home of Walt Disney’s first animation studio and the headquarters of Hallmark Cards. As one of KCUR’s arts reporters, I want people here to know a wide range of arts and culture stories from across the metropolitan area. I take listeners behind the scenes and introduce them to emerging artists and organizations, as well as keep up with established institutions. Send me an email at lauras@kcur.org or follow me on Twitter @lauraspencer.
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