KC Ballet’s newest show is a series of ‘world premieres.’ Get an inside look
An annual tradition with Kansas City Ballet sees choreographers and dancers work together to create never-before-seen routines in an intimate setting.
For Durante Verzola, it’s a homecoming.
He’s one of the choreographers for the ballet’s “New Moves,” a limited-run production running this weekend in Kansas City that aims to showcase the next generation of choreographers.
The 30-year-old said it’s full-circle, as he recalled begging his mom to let him join dances classes when he was a child growing up in the Kansas City area after seeing his cousin in a tap dance recital.
Verzola trained with Kansas City Ballet School and Kansas School of Classical Ballet before leaving home to train with Miami City Ballet School at just 16 years old. He’s traveled all over the country since, and calls Miami home as a faculty member and choreographer for Miami City Ballet School. He was also named one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to watch” in 2026.
His piece for “New Moves,” titled “Meditations,” is described as “a journey through rapturous movement.” The story behind the dance shows a wanderer who meets five muses who lead him through dreamlike passages, allowing him to find self discovery and understanding.
The choreography was put together by Verzola in just four days. It’s one of six dances scheduled for the duration of “New Moves,” which runs from Thursday, Jan. 29 through Sunday, Feb. 1.
“I think it shows the versatility of Kansas City Ballet and also speaks to the incredible work ethic of the company,” Verzola said. “This show comes together in a matter of three weeks, and to see brand-new choreography at a professional level come together in a show like this, it’s really inspiring for all of us.”
Experimenting in ballet
“New Moves” is made of world premieres, as KC Ballet artistic director Devon Carney put it. The goal is to experiment and try out new moves and see what happens in front of the 180-seat Michael and Ginger Frost Studio Theater.
The venue plays just as much of a role in the performance as the dancers and musicians do, Carney said. The smaller venue means the audience is much closer to the dancers than they would be in other venues, like the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, where the KC Ballet performs their annual “Nutcracker” show.
It also means they can hear and see things they wouldn’t be able to, like the heavy breathing from the dancers or the sweat on their outfits after the intense routine. Carney says that intimacy is what makes “New Moves” one of his favorite productions in the city.
“Being in this space brings you up close, personal, and a visceral experience of being connected with the dancers in a way that you can’t do in a larger theater space,” Carney said.
“And that’s what’s exciting; to see the beauty, the power and the passion of dance so close, and I’m very grateful we have this space and that we can provide this kind of experience to our audiences here in Kansas City.”
This is the 13th year of “New Moves,” which debuted in 2013 when Carney became the artistic director of the ballet.
It’s all about experimenting with the potential of what dance can be with each routine, Carney said. Some works can be dark and intense, or celebratory and joyful, like choreographer Maria Konrad’s “Spark,” which explores the spark of an idea and how it emerges, flickers and glows.
Konrad has choreographed for KC Ballet in the past and has been in the ballet scene for over 20 years. She said the joyfulness in her creation was the perfect premise for what happens at “New Moves.” It’s her second time choreographing for the showcase, last creating a dance in 2023.
The space choreographers are given to explore the routine and figure out what emotions they want to convey is one of Konrad’s favorite parts about the KC Ballet’s annual performance It’s unlike anything she or other ballerinas would traditionally learn, she said.
“Being given space to just kind of play and explore and not have an expectation, but say let’s see what comes out of this to see what’s next in ballet,” Konrad said. “Not what’s been done in the past, but the future of where ballet is going.”
The Jupiter, Florida, native’s second time being a part of the show gave her a better understanding of what she wanted for “Spark,” which sees dancers carrying three separate lights as they move freely on the floor. She hopes those attending are able to connect with the performers for not only her routine, but every routine planned for the event.
When can you see “New Moves”?
The series runs at these times at the Todd Bolender Center for Dance and Creativity, 500 W Pershing Road:
- Thursday, Jan. 29,: 7:30 p.m.
- Friday, Jan. 30: 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday, Jan. 31: 2 and 7:30 p.m.
- Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026: 1 and 5:30 p.m.
Tickets are available online and cost $79 for a seat in the orchestra section or $41.50 for a seat in the mezzanine section.
This story was originally published January 29, 2026 at 2:06 PM.
