Kaleena Burks has been a Kansas City Ballet dancer since the 2010-2011 season.
Q: WHEN DID YOU START DANCING?
A: I started ballet when I was 3 years old. My mother enrolled me in dance because she also danced as a child.
Q: WHAT IS SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE WOULDN’T KNOW ABOUT YOU?
A: I’m obsessed with all things vintage. I love going to the West Bottoms to antique shop!
Q: WHAT ARE MOST PEOPLE SURPRISED TO LEARN ABOUT YOUR JOB AS A DANCER?
A: That we literally dance all day! We have an atypical 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (in our case 6 p.m.) job, but we are up and moving for all of those hours.
Q: DO YOU HAVE A PERSONAL MANTRA?
A: I always tell myself when I’m having a rough day or feeling exhausted that I will be out of my funk—a sort of “This too shall pass” mentality.
Q: IF YOU FIND YOU HAVE AN UNEXPECTED HOUR FREE, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR IDEAL WAY TO SPEND IT AND WHY?
A: When I do have the rare hour off, you can usually find me in a studio sewing pointe shoes. I like to watch my colleagues dance, and I always need more sewn shoes.
