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Kansas City's Online Journal of the Performing Arts

Todd Bolender's vision of a permanent and prominent building for the Kansas City Ballet is no longer dancing in people's heads - it is coming true. Soon the Todd Bolender Center for Dance and Creativity will be a vision for all of Kansas City and the world to see and visit.

As the trains habitually rolled by and the fall leaves blew in the summer-like November wind of last Friday, the groundbreaking ceremony commenced outside of Kansas City Ballet's future home. Donors, board members, city and state officials, current and past dancers, students and staff of the ballet all joined to commemorate Todd Bolender and celebrate the organization's past, present and future. Four simple words poetically uttered by Jeffrey Bentley, Executive Director of Kansas City Ballet, encapsulated the greatly anticipated moment - "This is the morning."

Construction on the building, formerly the Powerhouse building of Union Station, actually began in late September. The campaign committee pushed to get a head start on demolition in order for the Bolender Center to be finished in time for the company's 2011-2012 season.

Fittingly, the building was originally built in 1914, the year Todd Bolender was born. This interesting fact combined with the other three requirements the building fulfilled - height, natural light and no internal obstructions - made the location perfect for the Bolender Center. Most of the original infrastructure will be demolished due to safety concerns, but the remodeling done by local company BNIM will preserve the spirit and character of the original building.               

The unique history of the building is what has made it possible for this project to be realized. Nearly a third of the 31 million dollar budget came from state and federal tax breaks. Another good chunk was a gift from Julia Irene Kauffman and the Muriel McBride Kauffman Foundation. The Kansas City Ballet Guild also was a big contributor. Although 4% of the total cost remains to be raised, Bentley says he can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Kansas City Ballet will be the sole tenant of the 60,000 square foot building, which will house seven studios. The main studio will function as a 180-seat theater and allow the company and school to hold in-house performances and lecture demonstrations. It also will be a more efficient rehearsal space since it will be the same size as the stage at the new Kauffman Performing Arts Center.

The Bolender Center will have contemporary, open concept with see-through walls from studio to studio, and a lobby that flows into waiting areas and office spaces. And just like Bolender visualized, it will be a state-of-the-art facility that people will talk about and want to visit.

The ceremony was highlighted with the experiences of those involved with launching the project into motion. President of the Board of Directors Siobhan McLaughlin Lesley discussed the ultimate purpose and name of the campaign, Igniting the future. She said the Bolender Center will serve as an outlet to educate and energize people about the arts.

Co-chair of the Capital Campaign Mark Sappington agreed that the building will continue to function as a powerhouse in the sense that it will now power dance and the arts.

President and CEO of Union Station George Guastello III was more than thrilled to welcome Kansas City Ballet to the neighborhood. City Manager Wayne Cauthen remarked that the project is helping to preserve Kansas City history. The Ballet will fill the last vacant building at Union Station and will "bring life back to the city."

Artistic Director William Whitener represented Todd Bolender and Tatiana Dokoudovska, founder and original Artistic Director of the Ballet, well by saying how certain he is that the Bolender Center will bring a much-needed focus to dance and help make Kansas City a destination for the performing arts.

"With this home of our own we will be able to support our goals to provide excellence in student and professional training, outreach to the community and a splendid studio theater for performance," Whitener said. "In fact, the Bolender Center has the potential to be for dance what the Sundance Institute has done for film."

The groundbreaking ceremony culminated with the laying of multiple bricks in honor of everyone, past and present who helped bring the vision to life.

"We've chosen to lay bricks as a symbol of revival, solidity and the future strength," Bentley said.

Not only will the center become a permanent location for the company and school, it will be an accessible and meaningful locale for the community. Bentley said there are hopes of renting out space to visiting companies, guest choreographers and local companies and businesses. This ties into the motto for the building, Always on.

"Always on is a phrase that has multiple meanings," Bentley said. "One is the building should always be on, should always be open. It always should be alive and inviting to people. But it's also a theatrical phrase. When you go on stage and you perform, you want to be on. So we're always on."

The electric bill might be pricy but the campaign committee has already prepared for that. It already has raised half of the building's seven million dollar operating endowment so the organization never gets bogged down with utility bills. The constant energy and ambience of the Bolender Center is that significant.

"This is a way to have some physical presence, " Bentley said. "People can say that's the Kansas City Ballet and it's always on."

Todd Bolender Center of Dance and Creativity
Groundbreaking Ceremony
Friday, November 13, 2009
500 W Pershing, Union Station
For more information visit www.kcballet.org
 

By Laura Vernaci

Dance Contributor

Laura Vernaci is a Kansas City native who has always been passionate about the arts, particularly dance. She began dance lessons at the young age of five and hasn't stopped since. She trained at the Kansas City Ballet where she became a serious dancer and learned about a professional company. 

She attended Butler University in Indianapolis, IN where she majored in dance. She transferred to Truman State University in Kirksville, MO in 2006 and received a degree in Journalism in May 2008.  Laura spent the 2008-2009 in Duluth, MN dancing professionally for the Minnesota Ballet. She performed in productions such as, "The Nutcracker," "Cinderella" and "Coppelia" as well as world premier ballets created on the company.

She recently moved back to Kansas City and is excited to combine her experience in writing with her passion for dance. In addition to performing and writing, Laura also enjoys teaching dance and choreographing.