Kaleena Burks

Joined KCB in 2010

Kaleena Burks was raised in Coral Springs, Florida, where she received training in the Cecchetti technique from Magda Auñon and Magaly Suarez. She expanded her training through continued studies at the School of American Ballet, Miami City Ballet and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. In 2005, she placed first in the pre-professional division of the American Ballet Competition and has since been invited to perform in many galas, including the International Ballet Festival of Miami. Burks has danced with Cincinnati Ballet, Columbia Classical Ballet and the Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami. She has been honored to dance the role of Sugar Plum Fairy at the Kennedy Center with Kansas City Ballet’s tour of The Nutcracker in 2017 and 2022. 

With Kansas City Ballet, Burks has performed many principal roles, including the title role in Giselle as well as Myrtha; Odette/Odile in Swan Lake; Juliet in Romeo & Juliet; Kitri in Don Quixote; Marguerite Gautier in Lady of the Camellias; Waltz Girl in Serenade; Principal Diamond in Jewels; The Chosen One in Rite of Spring; Lilac Fairy in Sleeping Beauty; Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby; Lucy in Dracula; Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Glinda in The Wizard of Oz and Queen of Hearts in ALICE (in wonderland). Her notable features include Cacti, Diving into the Lilacs, The Golden Section, In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated, In the Upper Room, Interplay, Mercury, Petal, Peter Pan, Petite Mort, Rodeo, Stars and Stripes, Tulips and Lobster and Wunderland. In addition to her performing career, Burks is the artistic director of Moving Arts, a local summer dance company. This season marks her 17th season with Kansas City Ballet.