Kansas City Ballet’s Tempe Ostergren: Generously Sharing the Character and the Dance

She’s not in it for the glory. She’s in it because of her passion.

While little girls gloriously dream of being a ballerina, Tempe Ostergren of the Kansas City Ballet knows all too well the incredible hard work and constant demands of being a professional ballerina, something the fantasies of children could never comprehend.

“Ballet takes absolute focus,” she shared. “The words I use to describe it are generosity, patience, discipline, energy, concentration and knowledge. I live by them every day.”

While most of us conjure up images of beautiful, lithe women seemingly walking on air, Tempe cautions the art of ballet has little to do with individual beauty but more with a constant devotion to your craft, impacting every decision you make during the day. From eating, sleeping and practicing to thinking and more, each piece requires constant attention. “In ballet, true beauty isn’t necessarily a lot of physical traits. It’s about discipline, dedication, commitment and having a level of drive,” she remarked. “It’s about having a belief in yourself without letting your ego get in the way and believing in something that has a positive impact on the people around you.”

In April, Tempe wrapped her starring role as Princess Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, a classic rooted in 1890 from Russia. Pushed by the fact she would be performing a complicated and difficult role taken on by some of the greatest dancers in ballet’s history, Tempe concentrated on working hard. “It can be scary, but no matter the role, I stay focused and do the best that I can do. Every situation is so different, but I’ve learned from the masters,” she added. “Dancing Princess Aurora was hard, but I’ve reached that role and now I can cross it off my list. There’s a sense of accomplishment.”

Her list of achievements is long, as ballet has informed Tempe’s entire life, much of it experienced in New Jersey. The loss of her father at six years old left an intense void for her and her mother. They filled that opening with ballet classes for the very gifted Tempe. Eventually, her skills became so advanced the decision was made to place her in an educational setting that focused on ballet and then schooling. “I wanted to take ballet to the next level. I traveled to San Francisco, Seattle, New York and even Canada searching for a ballet school that would allow me to concentrate on dancing,” Tempe recalled. “I ended up in New York City and went to School of American Ballet at Lincoln Center and the Professional Children’s School for academics. There I went to high school with an eclectic mix of 35 kids that included Paris Hilton, Macaulay Culkin, Christina Ricci and others.”

Her schedule was grueling, and the ballet school was intensely competitive. Academics ran from eight until ten in the morning. Then she was would walk a few blocks to take ballet until lunchtime. Then it was back to high school until two, when she returned to dance until four. “I lived in the dorm my freshman and senior years. But because I’m from New Jersey, I commuted, too,” Tempe said. “Basically, I was up at six in the morning, commuted to school and trained through the day until I got home to New Jersey at six that night.”

Her hard work paid off, and at 18 she landed her first dancing role in Seattle. She stayed for five years, and then picked up a position in Boston, dancing there for six years. Finally, she landed in Kansas City and is now into her seventh season. “I came to Kansas City because of this ballet company. Ballet and the arts are really flourishing in this community, and the vision of KC Ballet is to make the city a destination for dance. It is happening,” commented Tempe. “Dancers are so hungry to find companies and communities that support us, and Kansas City has allowed me to grow and develop. There is great opportunity and there are wonderful ballets to perform here. Most importantly, you can be really focused on your work and not experience the stress and competition that other cities have. There are possibilities, and things can happen.” Not only has Tempe landed at a wonderful company, she has also found her husband, KC native Andrew Elsberry. The couple tied the knot about a year ago.

The Arts Build Our Humanity
For all of the beauty that dance brings to us, it seems that when tax money gets tight, some leaders in local and national governments wave the budget ax at the arts. Every year they’re on the chopping block, touted as a waste of money focused only on the elite. But Tempe says the arts are important for everyone in a community. “Human emotions and feelings can’t be defined by words. You need the arts to explore and express the human condition. Once you see the beautiful bodies, expressing the emotions of a ballet role, you can’t explain it,” she offered.

“For my whole life, I’ve felt so much more satisfied because dance is so peaceful, a way to unite and share energy in a safe and nonaggressive environment. It’s about being mindful and helps develop you and evolve culture. When you experience a moving performance, it’s wonderful. You get something from the performer and the performer feels your enthusiasm. It’s a live energy shift; there’s something being exchanged between the two.”

Exposing others to the gift of ballet is a key focus for KC Ballet as it carries out programs to bring dance to the community. In 2018, Tempe will be involved, taking her training and ability to share her love of dance into the school systems through an effort called Road. “My mother was a public school teacher in New Jersey, and taking dance into the schools is such a positive tool for childhood development in a non-competitive and nonaggressive way. The KC community really needs this unifying experience,” she commented.

“Bringing this form of dance to all levels of this community helps them understand that ballet is not just an elitist art form. It can be a part of everyone’s lives. The Kansas City Symphony has a huge outreach program for kids who don’t have the chance to play an instrument. Learning an instrument helps develop parts of the brain by using all of the player’s senses and coordination skills. I believe in it.”

Find the Art in Yourself
But for those seeking to advance to a deeper level of ballet, Tempe offers this advice. “It does take a lot of time and dedication. Parents should encourage that drive and ambition but not overwhelm the child with it. I’d suggest finding a good school, a nice balance, with a positive atmosphere with the other girls. Forget the ego and get lost in this art form,” she said. “It’s dedicating yourself to the art form and music and applying yourself. But if being a professional dancer doesn’t work out, it will feed into something else.”

Tempe’s hard work and dedication have paid off in a long-term career, something many dancers never get the chance to experience. “Some people are in one company for their entire career, but I’ve been fortunate to get into all of these different companies,” Tempe shared. “The careers of ballerinas have different lifespans. Some may stay for two years and they’re out. Sometimes they don’t get the roles they want, and they retire at 25 or 27. Some make it to a soloist and perform into their 30s. If you become a principal dancer and don’t suffer too many injuries, you enter a very elite group who dance into their mid to late 30s and possibly into their 40s.”

Looking Forward to Change
At 37, Tempe is an elite dancer entering the twilight of her career. At a time when many women are in the prime of their profession and climbing the corporate ladder or enjoying a home filled with family, Tempe looks ahead to a life much less focused on ballet. “It was such a gift to come to Kansas City. I was this random gypsy at 30, and I didn’t know what I was going to do. But then I met my husband and all is good. Kansas City is a wonderful place to have a home, a family and enjoy a healthy lifestyle. Once I’ve wrapped my dance career, I will stay here,” she shared. “I’ll need to finish college. My husband’s aunt does real estate and there are so many beautiful homes here. I’m thinking that might be an opportunity. But honestly, I don’t have the plan figured out yet.”

While her ballet roles may have her leaping and gliding through the air, Tempe is grounded; she knows herself and respects her audience. “Honestly, I don’t think about the pleasure I’ve given to other people with my dance. Last year for Swan Lake I performed in an auditorium in front of 2,000 people. At the end when they stood on their feet, it was such an incredibly generous feeling of love,” Tempe enthused.

“It’s a very safe, wonderful place where you’re sharing this appreciation for each other, the dancers and the audience. For me, it’s the story you’re sharing; it’s not you. It’s the character and the dance.” ■