What happens when two members of the Pacific Northwest Ballet company practice their art among the wild animals at Woodland Park Zoo?
You’ve got to see this.
PNB principal dancers Noelani Pantastico and James Moore visited the animals recently for a delightful day of dance: on pointe with penguins and leaping with lions. The images are amazing and so much fun.
The unique photo/video shoot was the beginning of Wild at Heart, yearlong celebration of the partnerships among local cultural organizations, all of which have struggled during the coronavirus pandemic.
PNB dancer James Moore honored his son’s love for tigers. (Jeremy Dwyer Lindgren / Woodland Park Zoo)
Pantastico and Moore will perform as the title characters in PNB’s production of “Roméo et Juliette,” streaming Feb. 11-15 as part of the all-digital 2020-2021 season. Pantastico’s posing with penguins was a nod to the classic love story, as penguins are known to mate for life. Moore had fun near the felines, inspired by his son’s love of tigers and lions.
The zoo also shared behind-the-scenes video of how the images were captured.
Stay tuned: Each month a different cultural partner from the Seattle area will join Woodland Park Zoo for a photo.
The zoo, by the way, remains open, welcoming limited numbers of visitors who buy timed tickets online in advance.
We sent a family to check out the COVID-safe experience; here’s how they liked it.
Woodland Park Zoo felines seemed to enjoy their visit from PNB dancers Noelani Pantastico and James Moore. (Jeremy Dwyer Lindgren / Woodland Park Zoo)
