Whether she’s in the studio – fearlessly lithe in a large jété with arms playfully thrown back – or on stage – quick and precise in her first leading role as The Nutcracker:Leading marzipan — Pacific Northwest Corps of Ballet dancer Destiny Wimpye shines. In the new Keion Ross: … pangs of growing amazement last season she slid across the floor, devouring the space. But more than dazzling leaps and quadruple pirouettes, it’s in her smaller movements, beautifully turned, arms raised yet wonderfully alive, that Wimpye shines on stage, exuding strength but also vulnerability.
company: Pacific Northwest Ballet
Age: 20:00 hours
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Training: Debbie Allen Academy of Dance, Colburn School, Professional Division of Pacific Northwest Ballet
By itself. At age 9, Wimpye moved to Los Angeles with her mother to train at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy. By the age of 13, she was on her own at Colburn School. “I think it helped me mature, both mentally and emotionally. I gained the independence and strength I needed to succeed in this industry,” she says.
Connecting with the audience. Wimpye has found time for high-profile gigs, appearing as a solo dancer on TV for a Mariah Carey holiday special, dancing for Michelle Obama at the White House, appearing in an Hourglass Cosmetics campaign alongside Twyla Tharp and starring in the hit show “This is us.” Professional credits add to her artistry. “For me, a huge part of dance is telling a story, not just with your body, but with the emotion with your face – acting helps with that,” she says. “But on stage I just relax and enjoy myself.”
Growth and return. “I’ve been through big ups and downs in my life, but my mum made sure I was surrounded by great mentors.” Joining Brown Girls Do Ballet gave Wimpye support. “For 10 years, I’ve been allowed to have black and brown professional ballerinas as mentors—ballerinas who look like me. Now I’m a mentor myself and it’s still just as rewarding.”
What does her principal say? Still in her first season as a full member of the company, “Destiny could easily be chosen by the corps de ballet for her singular presence and refined technique,” says PNB Artistic Director Peter Boal, “and she is beginning to take on more prominent roles, including : Swan LakeNeapolitan dance in February. “I often talk about ‘that thing you can’t learn,’ and Destiny has it. It’s engagement, presence and joy that transcends the spotlight. It’s obvious the moment she steps on stage.”
Memorable performance: Danced with PNB in the finale of Balanchine’s “Diamonds” as a student in the professional division. “I had found out a few months earlier that I was being hired,” she says. “I was brought in at the last minute for this performance. It felt like the beginning of my career and I had the realization that I was living my dream!”
Free time: “I love having relaxing days at home with my puppy and traveling and exploring Washington,” Wimpey says. Her favorite TV show? “The Office”.
Career Goals: “I feel really grateful because I see the efforts that are being made to make the organization more diverse and inclusive,” says Wimpey, whose goals include dancing in works by Balanchine, William Forsyth and Crystal Pite, and even on Broadway — “I “I’m a big fan of musicals,” she says. “But my biggest goal is to become a principal dancer.”