Today we’d like to introduce you to The Kansas City Canaries Amanda Bernice (Founder & Director).
Hi The Kansas City Canaries, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
The Kansas City Canaries began very organically, just three friends who were deeply involved in the local dance and music scene, and who loved performing alongside musicians at our jazz bar. What started as a fun creative outlet quickly grew into something much more meaningful and intentional than I could have anticipated.
A pivotal moment for me came in 2013 when I attended the Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown in New Orleans. While I was already deeply involved in the local swing dance scene, what really stood out to me was a competition featuring vintage chorus girl troupes. That experience planted the idea that this art form could be revived and reimagined in my own community.
Two years later, I brought that vision to life and created a modern chorus girl troupe in Kansas City. I realized I didn’t need to be a Rockette to pursue that dream. I could build something rooted here at home. In 2015, the Kansas City Canaries were founded.
By 2017, we had grown into a monthly engagement at The Phoenix alongside A La Mode, which continued until the pandemic paused everything. After that shutdown, rebuilding took intention and persistence, but today the Canaries are more active than ever. We’ve performed with groups like the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra at the Kauffman Center, Lost Wax at the Midland, major fundraisers such as Kansas City’s Dancing with the Stars, and cultural events including the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art’s “American Art Deco” exhibit. Today, we are 10 dancers strong and hope to continue growing.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Not at all! We’ve definitely had our share of challenges. Like any performing arts group, we’ve navigated injuries, cancelled events, the impact of COVID, and the difficult but necessary process of addressing team dynamics when certain situations weren’t aligned with the values of the group. We’ve also experienced plenty of rejection and “no’s,” which are simply part of working in this industry.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Our work focuses on choreography, performance, and education within jazz roots dance, including jazz roots dances, Fosse, and showgirl movement, with a strong focus on the iconic chorus girls of Broadway, film, and jazz club floor shows. We love creating spaces where dancers and non-dancers, can learn not only movement, but also the history and cultural context behind it.
What I’m most proud of is not any single performance, but the community that has formed around the Canaries. It truly feels like family. Through our team and our home studio at Music Theater Heritage, we’ve created a space where we and our students can learn, grow, and express themselves authentically through dance.
What sets our work apart is the intentional balance between honoring history and making it accessible and alive for today’s community.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
In many ways, I see the entire performing arts industry as an ongoing exercise in risk. Whether it’s starting a new business partnership, adding a new team member, performing live, sustaining arts funding, or simply maintaining a dance career itself, there’s always an element of uncertainty. Even physical movement carries risk with injuries being part of the reality of the work.
Starting the Kansas City Canaries was itself a major risk. It meant building something from the ground up with no guarantee of stability or longevity. There were moments of uncertainty, especially during the pandemic, when everything stopped and we had to rebuild from scratch.
I also view risk in how we grow and evolve as an organization, bringing on new collaborators, expanding programming, and continuing to invest in live performance in a constantly shifting arts landscape.
At the same time, I’ve learned that risk is essential for growth. Every time we’ve taken a leap, whether it was rebuilding after setbacks or expanding into new performance and education opportunities. It has ultimately strengthened the Canaries and deepened our impact.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kccanaries.com
- Instagram: @kansascitycanaries
- Facebook: @kccanaries
