Life & Work with Jennifer Owen of Midtown Kansas City, MO

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Owen.

Hi Jennifer, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Owen/Cox Dance Group was formed 19 years ago when my husband, Brad Cox, who is a musician and composer, and I decided to create an ensemble dedicated to presenting new music and dance collaborations. Prior to forming Owen/Cox, I had enjoyed a 13-year international ballet career dancing with the Russian State Ballet, Moscow Renaissance Ballet, National Ballet of Turkmenistan, Kansas City Ballet, Hong Kong Ballet, and BalletMet. I always loved to choreograph, and would seek out opportunities to choreograph whenever possible, but in 2006 I took the plunge and formed Owen/Cox Dance Group with Brad so we could focus on building work together. Since our debut performance in 2007, the company has produced over 60 new works including 8 full-length productions, presented to over 90,000 people.

What’s unique about Owen/Cox Dance Group is our commitment to performing dance with live music, and the collaborative nature of our artistic process. We’re also passionate about bringing the community together through creative partnerships. Over the past 18 years we’ve collaborated with the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City Public Library, The People’s Liberation Big Band, Bach Aria Soloists, Ensemble Iberica, Charlotte Street Foundation, newEar Contemporary Chamber Ensemble, The Black Creatures, NoDivide KC, Gilda’s Club KC, Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey, Paseo Academy of the Fine and Performing Arts, NAVO, KC Baroque Consortium, Paul Mesner Puppets, Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy, and the YWCA of Greater Kansas City, to name a few.

In 2013 we launched Take the Stage, OCDG’s dynamic in-school residency program. Taking live music and joyfully rigorous dance instruction directly into urban classrooms, professional teaching artists inspire children to personal excellence through a sustained, first-hand experience in the arts. Take the Stage is currently offered in seven KC area schools, and at Operation Breakthrough and The Upper Room. What I love about Take the Stage is that it brings music and dance directly into the classroom to students who might not otherwise have access to arts education.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Forming Owen/Cox Dance Group has been an ongoing learning process. It was not easy starting a company from scratch, but Brad and I believed in what we were doing and wanted to create something special we could pour our hearts into. In addition to the artistic aspect of forming a company, there were administrative responsibilities that were new to us, including starting and managing a non-profit, fundraising, marketing, and other organizational duties. Brad and I have both learned a lot over the years, and we are still learning how to navigate the successes and challenges of running a non-profit performing arts organization. We launched the company just before the 2008 recession, but we were able to survive that difficult time. Covid-19 was also a tremendously challenging period, but we were able to come through the pandemic stronger than ever. We’re very grateful for the support of the Kansas City community, and feel fortunate to be part of the vibrant fabric of Kansas City’s thriving arts community. We are committed to continuing to bring performances and arts education no matter what, and will lean into resilience when uncertainty arises.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As a choreographer and director, there are a few key components that drive my work. The first is collaboration. Collaboration is central to my process, and working with a diverse team of artists inspires me, challenges me, and excites me. Collaboration is the magic ingredient that leads me to take more risks and keeps me growing and evolving as an artist.

My love for music is another driving force in my work. I’m passionate about performing with live music, which creates a palpable energy for everyone involved. I’m committed to choreographing to newly composed original scores, which are usually written specifically for projects I’m working on. I really want the choreography to be inextricably linked to the music.

What am I hoping to communicate with my work? I’ve always believed in dance’s power to connect people and build community. In a world that feels so polarized and divided, it’s hard to feel a sense of hope, or to think that making art even matters. But I believe that making art is one of the most powerful tools we have to bring people together.

I’m really excited about our upcoming 19th season, which features new collaborations with singer/songwriter Krystle Warren, the St. Petersburg String Quartet, New Dance Partners, and Creative Intersections, our free outdoor dance performance. Each collaboration is unique and allows me and the company to grow in new ways.

Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I love getting lost in a good book, both fiction and non-fiction. I’m on the board of the International Relations Council, which hosts a Global Affairs Book Club that I find to be really interesting. A few of my favorites on that list in recent years include “Sovietistan” by Erika Fatland, “Imperium” by Ryszard Kapuściński, “A Gentleman in Moscow” by Amor Towles, and “100 Years of Solitude” by Gabriel García Márquez. Reading books about other parts of the world is not only eye-opening and gives me a global perspective, but also helps me feel connected with people around the world on a more human level.

Pricing:

• Broadening access to the arts is central to the Owen/Cox Dance Group’s mission. Ticket prices range from $10 for students to $35 for general admission. We offer free tickets to several community partner organizations, and we offer $5 tickets to Kansas City area teens through TeenTixKC, and $10 tickets through ArtsKC’s The Drop. Each year we present ‘Creative Intersections,” a free outdoor performance in Hyde Park’s Butterfly Garden. This year the performances will be on August 8th and 9th at 7pm (with a rain date of August 10th). More information can be found at www.owencoxdance.org.
• Free to $35

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.owencoxdance.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/owencoxdance/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/owencoxdance
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-owen-67852814a/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/owencoxdance
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@owencoxdancegroup112