Almost everyone is familiar with the traditional version of the holiday story, “The Nutcracker.” Far fewer are aware of the original and notably darker inspiration for this beloved ballet—E.T.A. Hoffman’s 1816 story, “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.” Owen/Cox Dance Group brings their highly unique, contemporary jazz adaptation of “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” back to the Yardley Hall stage this holiday season! About Owen/Cox Dance Group

Owen/Cox Dance Group’s mission is to create new music and dance collaborations, present high-quality contemporary dance performances with live music, and to engage as wide an audience as possible through affordable live performance, education, and outreach programs.

With this mission in mind, founders Jennifer Owen and Brad Cox bring together some of Kansas City’s most talented artists, representing a variety of genres, to perform contemporary dance with live music. With diverse backgrounds ranging from the Bolshoi Ballet and the Leningrad Chamber Orchestra to Alvin Ailey and Dave Brubeck, these dancers and musicians form a highly skilled and multifaceted corps. The collaborative results speak for themselves: Fresh and vibrant new works that are classical in form, but contemporary in expression.