Dancers Emara Neymour Jackson, Henry Steele Dillon, Laura Wallner, Marian Faustino, Sam McReynolds. Photography: Kenny Johnson
In keeping with its mission, Owen/Cox Dance Group continues to bring incredible collaborations to Kansas City with two performances this spring–created and rehearsed in tandem!
Chiaroscuro: Studies in Light and Darkness with the Grammy-nominated St. Petersburg String Quartet will be performed March 27-29th, 2026 at the City Stage Theater in Union Station. It is an evening-length exploration of contrast, texture, and emotional depth through live music and contemporary dance.
The program features Maurice Ravel’s luminous and impressionistic String Quartet in F Major, Dmitri Shostakovich’s deeply personal and haunting String Quartet No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 110, and the world premiere of a new single-movement work by Kansas City–based composer Brad Cox, written specifically for this ensemble. This project emphasizes the integral relationship between music and movement, with live performance serving as the foundation of the artistic experience.
The St. Petersburg String Quartet is comprised of world-class musicians Alla Aranovskaya (violin), Ned Kellenberger (violin), Boris Rayner (viola), and Sascha Groschang (cello).
Seven Owen/Cox Dance Group dancers will perform original choreography by Jennifer Owen, created in direct response to the musical architecture and expressive qualities of each score. Featured dancers include Henry Steele, Winston Dynamite Brown, Quentin Sledge, Marian Faustino, Laura Wallner, Sam McReynolds, and Emara Neymour Jackson.
“This process has been especially unique,” says dancer Laura Wallner, “We began developing some of this material last fall during rehearsals for New Dance Partners, and we are now building two productions at once.”
The second production brings the world premiere of And Wonder, a powerful new collaboration with internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter Krystle Warren. This intimate evening of live music and contemporary dance will take place April 10–12, 2026, at the City Stage Theatre in Union Station.
Blending Warren’s deeply expressive songwriting with dynamic choreography, And Wonder explores the essential relationship between music and movement. The performance features selections from Warren’s expansive catalog—including previously unreleased material—performed live alongside an ensemble of musicians and dancers.
Born and raised in Kansas City and now based in France, Warren returns to her hometown for this special premiere. Known for her genre-defying sound that blends jazz, folk, blues, and country influences, Warren has performed internationally and collaborated with celebrated artists including Rufus Wainwright, Joan As Police Woman, Hercules and Love Affair, and Robyn Hitchcock.
For And Wonder, Warren will be joined by an exceptional group of musicians: Brad Cox, Mike Stover, Jonathan Anderson, David Dawda, and Jaylen Ward. The performance also features dancers Winston Dynamite Brown, Emara Neymour Jackson, Jeremy Hanson, Sam McReynolds, Quentin Sledge, and Laura Wallner.
And Wonder highlights the company’s commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration and the unique immediacy of live performance. Through music and movement, And Wonder invites audiences into a shared artistic experience where sound and motion unfold together in real time.
“Rehearsing for two productions simultaneously requires us to shift quickly between pieces and make the most of every moment in the studio” says Laura, “We will often have dancers working on phrases for And Wonder while others are working on sections of Chiaroscuro, so we are using every available moment to create, and every available brain cell to remember our choreography!”
General Admission tickets are only $35 because of Owen/Cox Dance Group’s commitment to presenting affordable world class performances!
Tickets can be purchased online at www.owencoxdance.org or by calling 816.659.2399
