For many Kansas City Ballet supporters, live music is part of what makes dance unforgettable. This winter, New Moves offers more of it than ever, bringing audiences closer to the artistry unfolding onstage.
Under Artistic Director Devon Carney, the program will feature an expanded use of live music alongside new choreography by company dancers and guest artists. New Moves runs Jan. 29 through Feb. 1, 2026, at the Todd Bolender Center for Dance & Creativity.
“Live music is half of the art form,” says Music Director and Conductor Ramona Pansegrau. “It presents a whole new level of challenge for dancers and allows them to showcase their artistry in a deeper way.”
This year’s New Moves highlights two of Kansas City Ballet School’s resident accompanists, Jordan Voth and Jacob Thomas, whose musicianship shapes how dancers move, listen and respond. Nationally recognized Kansas City-based string quartet Opus 76 returns for its fifth consecutive New Moves. They will perform Felix Mendelssohn for a new work by choreographer Duncan Cooper and join Jordan in a world premiere by emerging choreographer Durante Verzola.
Jordan Voth: Piano and Chamber Music
Company Pianist and Principal Academy Pianist Jordan Voth will perform live for works by KC Ballet dancer Cameron Thomas and guest choreographer Durante Verzola.
For Cameron’s piece, Jordan will play a collection of early works by Alexander Scriabin, including preludes, a poem and a sonata movement. Though not originally conceived as a set, the pieces share a delicate, lyrical quality influenced by Debussy and Rachmaninoff.
“These works lend themselves to a liquid movement quality,” Jordan says. “There’s a steady undercurrent in the music, with waves of lyricism on the surface.”
For Verzola’s world premiere, Jordan will perform Antonín Dvořák’s Piano Quintet No. 1 alongside the Opus 76 Quartet. Unlike some 19th-century chamber works that spotlight the piano, Dvořák treats all five musicians as equals.
“It’s extremely rhythmic and full of groove,” Jordan says. “You’ll hear melodies that stay with you long after the performance.”
Jacob Thomas: Boswell Family Music
Academy and R.O.A.D. Pianist Jacob Thomas will perform live for KC Ballet dancer Joseph Boswell’s first choreography for the company. The music is deeply personal: a compilation of piano pieces composed and recorded by Joseph’s father.
Joseph grew up listening to these recordings. Jacob transcribed them into sheet music and now brings them to life onstage.
“What excites me most is the connection within the piece,” Jacob says. “There’s so much intention and emotion in the music. It’s expressive, playful and incredibly fulfilling to perform.”
Jacob hopes dancers respond to the immediacy of live music, from subtle shifts in dynamics to shared moments of timing and phrasing.
Together, these performances showcase what makes New Moves special: collaboration, risk, and the electricity of live music meeting movement in real time. For supporters who treasure music as much as dance, this January offers a rare, resonant experience.
To learn how your support can expand opportunities for live music and new choreography, contact Chief Philanthropy Officer Kristin Castle at 816.216.5585 or kcastle@kcballet.org.
Header image (from left to right): Kansas City Ballet Academy and R.O.A.D. Pianist Jacob Thomas and Company Pianist and Principal Academy Pianist Jordan Voth. Photos by Brett Pruitt & East Market Studios.
