Atlas 9’s ‘surprise elements’ drew this world-class dancer to Kansas City
Atlas 9’s found its footing in Kansas City since opening in September 2025. More pieces to the 90s-themed interactive movie theater have been added since, inviting guests to unlock the secrets behind the films coming to life. It was also named the second-best new attraction in the United States, according to USA Today.
One of these pieces involves daily live performances. The intercom alerts visitors that special routines are happening in sections of the theater, and that they don’t want to miss out. They unlock even more to the story.
The job at Atlas 9 is unlike anything Rebecca Mansueto has worked on in her career.
The lightsabers she waves on stage inside the 240-seat movie theater during one of the scheduled performances not only clues in visitors on a “preview” of an upcoming film, but is part of the reason why she moved from Las Vegas to Kansas City. She’s the performance manager at Atlas 9 through Quixotic, the KC-based entertainment agency.
The Australian-born performer has been a professional dancer for 15 years, and now wears multiple hats inside the exhibit near the Legends shopping outlet in Kansas City, Kansas. She’s part of the team that brings the characters to life, interacting with guests as they travel through the exhibit. She’s also responsible for choreographing the live performances that happen every day.
The jazz-inspired dance visitors see inside the area representing the movie “Trance of the Sapphire” is under her guidance. Mansueto leads performers whose movements are coordinated with the projector’s lights displayed inside the movie theater.
“It’s definitely the most different project I’ve ever worked on,” she said. “I did work for another company called Q Production Las Vegas, and they did some they have a bit of technology in their performances, but we never used props.”
From Aussie beaches to KC’s Quixotic
Her love for dance came at a young age, when she’d watch American music videos growing up. She attended Brent Street Performing Arts in Moore Park, Australia and later earned a scholarship to train and learn from professional dancers in Los Angeles in 2015.
Since then, she’s performed back home in Sydney, Miami, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and on Royal Caribbean cruise ships. She’s danced for pop singer Paula Abdul (who’s often credited with dancing getting to the forefront of pop music) actor Dick Van Dyke and reggaeton artist Ozuna.
While she misses the proximity of the beach where she lived in Australia and the warmer weather in the previous locations she’s called home, what she’s learned from her past prepared her for her role now. She’s continuing to grow as she does things she’s never done before, and she also appreciates how different Kansas City is in terms of what they’re looking for from entertainment acts.
“Kansas City seems to be more technical ballet with a lot of companies, and that’s at the core of Quixotic,” Mansueto said. “People just love the performances and I think that surprise element of coming to the experience and not expecting to see something like that just makes it that more special.”
She’d heard of Quixotic for years. When she was living in Miami, she connected founder Anthony Magliano when Quixotic was performing their Sensatia show in the area. Unfortunately, by the time she applied for a role in the Miami performances it had already been filled. But Magliano kept in touch with her and reached out when Atlas 9 announced they would collaborate with Quixotic.
It’s only been a few months since she moved from Las Vegas to Kansas City for the new opportunity, but its been rewarding. Mansueto said she didn’t expect the KC arts and entertainment scene to be as vibrant as it is.
“I had a couple of people I worked with in Vegas that were from Kansas City, and they were telling that it’s huge for the arts,” she said. “I believe it’s growing, and you know, individuals like myself are helping facilitate that and grow it to be more nationally and internationally known.”
Getting into character at Atlas 9
When Mansueto’s performing, whether it’s on stage inside the movie theater or at the club, she’s in character. Inside “Trance of the Sapphire” she’s channeling a 1940s jazz club dancer, complete with piano keys strapped to her head, which signals that something isn’t right in this film. She also instructs some of the visitors sitting on the chairs to dance alongside her and the rest of the performance crew.
In the theater showing off previews of movies coming soon, she’s Starbot, donning a white wig and all-white bodysuit mimmicking the 80s sci-fi movie character who was one of the first to come to life after the movie theater’s projector exploded.
The performance inside the theater involves two movies, which means she and her team have to change quickly into their next look, where they become secret spies in the movie reminiscent of “The Matrix.” The tiny orange sunglasses pair with the bright orange wig and all-black outfit.
Each routine is around seven minutes long from when the music starts to when it ends. There are 45-minute breaks between her first performance inside the jazz club and the second performance inside the theater, during which she spends time interacting with guests.
As a spy, Mansueto stalks around the different rooms inside the exhibit, hoping to catch visitors by surprise by sneaking up behind them. If they’re in the middle of trying to complete one of Atlas 9’s activities, she may or may not get in the way to throw them off.
The new skills she’s acquired since joining Atlas 9 (and shoulder and knee injuries accumulated over the years) worth it. She’s hoping to do more with Quixotic while she’s in Kansas City.
“I want to enhance the performances, and I want the dancers to be at their best,” Mansueto said. “That’s my mark that I want to leave.”
This story was originally published March 14, 2026 at 6:00 AM.
