Todd Bolender, 92, Choreographer
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Todd Bolender, a protege of ballet master George Balanchine and the former artistic director of the Kansas City Ballet, died Thursday. He was 92.
Bolender danced professionally from 1936 until 1972. Much of that time was spent with Balanchine’s New York City Ballet and its precursors.
Bolender later held ballet director positions in Cologne and Frankfurt, Germany, before working as a freelance choreographer. From 1981 to 1996, he served as the artistic director of the Kansas City Ballet, which was known briefly as the State Ballet of Missouri.
During his long career, he choreographed three dozen of his own ballets. His choreography was performed by most of the world’s major troupes, including the American Ballet Theater, the Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo and the Joffrey Ballet.
Bolender appeared publicly as recently as last week at the groundbreaking festivities for the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City.
His name will grace the new home of the Kansas City Ballet, which is scheduled to open in 2008. The building will be called the Todd Bolender Center for Dance and Creativity.