Moo, a Kansas City–based sibling choreographic duo, will transform everyday stories from local residents into original dances performed by professional dancers in March 2026. This community-driven performance will make contemporary dance more accessible by putting audience voices at the center of creation, and reshape the standard barriers that separate viewers to the art of movement.
About YOU is an inaugural dance performance choreographed based on concepts derived from the general public, translated by Moo, and performed by local professional dancers. This project directly engages the community by transforming personal stories, ideas, and experiences into contemporary dances that audiences can see and connect with on stage. Instead of dance being “about” what the choreographer wants to say, this performance shifts authorship to the people themselves, making dance more relatable, inclusive, and resonant. Every piece originating from a community narrative will plant seeds for ongoing audience growth and engagement regarding contemporary dance within our fellow human beings.
About YOU stems from the very idea of communities we are personally a part of. Where we have genuine conversations in which a broad spectrum of life situations become apparent. Relatable experiences stemming from everyday struggles, to stark, more distinct experiences are surfaced that create a stream of empathy between us. People who are not as comfortable in a creative setting that attempt to translate contemporary dance can find themselves feeling intimidated. This average onlooker feels they may have missed the point; hindering the urge to dive deeper into their psyche. The inclusion of a community member as a co-creator in this process will amplify the ideas of typical dance generation from start to finish. Further proving not only that their experiences are worth being shared, but also proving how dance can be translated and interpreted.
The future of dance is dependent on desire…a desire to watch and experience dance from the general public as something more than black and white. The integration of everyday people's ideas translated into dance will spark the desire, and cast a demand for contemporary dance within the city. This desire will launch About YOU onto the Kansas City arts scene where it will live as an annual event that will be something community members can be a part of for years to come.