Plans for tonight?

We ask because today happens to be the International Day of Happiness, an actual, official, marked-on-the-calendar celebration of joy. We are also opening a brand-new production. Tonight.

We’re going to go ahead and call that a sign. Here are five reasons why…

There’s something about walking into a theater on opening night. The hum of conversation, the rustle of programs, the way the lights dim just before the music begins. It creates a kind of electricity that’s hard to describe but impossible to miss.

Scientists actually have a name for it: collective effervescence. It’s that shared buzz of excitement that happens when a room full of people experiences something beautiful together. Think of it as group joy – and it turns out, it’s contagious in the very best way.

Research shows that this shared experience produces a genuine happiness boost that can last for days afterward.

Not bad for a night out.

Here’s something fun: when you watch live dance, your brain doesn’t just sit back and observe. It participates. Mirror neurons – the same ones that fire when you move – activate as you watch the dancers onstage. In a real sense, your brain is dancing right along with them.

Layer a live orchestra on top of that, and you’ve got a full-on happiness event happening inside your head. Music and movement together light up the brain’s reward centers in a way that neither does alone. It’s science’s way of confirming what you already knew in your gut: live ballet just feels different.

A night at the ballet is one of those experiences that’s almost better with someone else in the seat beside you. Whether you’re coming with a partner, a friend, your mom, or a group, shared experiences create shared memories, and shared memories are one of the quiet yet powerful building blocks of happiness.

That’s not just a nice sentiment. Research consistently shows that people who regularly attend live arts events feel more connected to the people around them. Something about sitting together in the dark, watching something extraordinary, has a way of bringing people closer.

So text someone. Tonight is a great excuse.

Stars and Stripes – which opens tonight and runs through March 29 – is built around something we can all get behind: a birthday party.

America turns 250 this year, and KC Ballet is celebrating with three stunning works that capture the energy, spirit, and sheer joy of a milestone worth marking. Think of it as a spectacular party, dressed up in some of the most dazzling dancing you’ll see all year.

Birthdays are for everyone. And the best birthday parties? Those are the ones with great music, an incredible performance, and a crowd of people ready to be dazzled.

That’s tonight.

There’s no shortage of ways to spend an evening. But if you’re looking for something that will make you genuinely, measurably, scientifically happier, a live performance is hard to beat.

Stars and Stripes opens tonight and runs March 20–29, 2026, at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. Good seats are still available!

Don’t miss this joyful night – get your tickets now and join us!

Header image: Audience members at a Kansas City Ballet production at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. Photo by Beeh Moynagh.