Meet Destiny Wimpye: A 2021 Brown Girls Do Ballet Micro Grant Winner
The Brown Girls Do Ballet® Micro Grant Program is designed to increase access to and opportunity for education, travel, and professional tools for small dance programs and dancers year-round.
Destiny Wimpye, a 17-year-old ballerina, was one of this year’s Brown Girls Do Ballet Micro Grant winners. Destiny started dancing at 3 years old when she and her family lived in Georgia. She began with competition dancing until she was 9 years old. Next, she moved to Los Angeles and to dance with Debbie Allen Dance Academy, and later, the Colburn Dance Academy. Today, Destiny dances with the Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle, Washington.
Photo: TaKiyah Wallace at Some Sweet Photo
As a dancer, Destiny is inspired by her mother, who she says has a very strong influence on her spirit. “She’s always helped me try to be more positive about things and she’s always kind of been like my rock,” said Destiny in an interview with us this week. When it comes to other dancers, Destiny is inspired by Brazilian ballerina and activist Ingrid Silva.
Destiny found out about the Brown Girls Do Ballet® Micro Grant Program through her involvement with Brown Girls Do Ballet as a Brown Ballerina Ambassador. She was motivated to apply because the support would help fund her living and school expenses while in Seattle. “I just really needed the support with my dancing and training at Pacific Northwest Ballet. I live in an apartment by myself as well, so just being able to afford all the things that come with trying to accomplish my dreams,” she said. Destiny aspires to be a company dancer, working her way up to principal status.
Related: Apply for a Brown Girls Do Ballet Scholarship Today!
We are proud to have Destiny representing us as both a Brown Girls Do Ballet® Micro Grant winner and as a Brown Ballerina Ambassador! Destiny hopes other ballerinas will follow their dreams, keep working hard, and keep training hard. “It’ll all pay off, especially in a time like this when a lot of dancers have been discouraged because we can’t do what we love, which is performing and being on stage in front of an audience,” she said. “Just take a step back and appreciate that your body is carrying you through this and that you’re still able to do what you love in some form.”
Destiny will continue training with Pacific Northwest Ballet’s professional division in the Fall. She is also enrolled in classes at Seattle University. Follow Destiny’s dance journey on Instagram!
Applications for the Brown Girls Do Ballet® Micro Grant Program are accepted on a rolling basis and reviewed quarterly by a panel of jurors. Dancers may apply at any time throughout the year. Visit our scholarships page to learn about all of our scholarships and grants today!
Sending a special thank you to our incredible donors who make the work we do possible!