Home » Woodland Park Zoo Launches New Partnerships With Cultural Institutions

Woodland Park Zoo Launches New Partnerships With Cultural Institutions

The Woodland Park Zoo is open to visitors, observing rigorous safety standards to keep everyone healthy and preventing the transmission of coronavirus.  While many of our arts and cultural institutions remain closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, WPZ is partnering with them as part of its Wild At Heart celebration.

PNB Ballerina Noelani Pantastico celebrates ‘Wild At Heart’ with the penguins at Woodland Park. Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, for WPZ

The Wild At Heart series will acknowledge and honor the lively local cultural organizations of our area, including the Zoo.  Arts, science and heritage are held at the heart of Seattle, and can unify us as a vibrant community.  Actors, animal lovers, museums, musicians, scientists and singers all contribute to and are enlightened by our cultural organizations.

PNB Dancer James Moore bows before a tiger at Woodland Park Zoo. Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, for WPZ

For January 2021, Pacific Northwest Ballet performers and Woodland Park Zoo denizens were photographed together under the theme of ‘Together we jump for joy!’  Dancers Noelani Pantastico and James Moore spent a delightful day on pointe with the penguins and leaping with lions, spreading enthusiasm for the new year ahead.

On pointe with the penguins at Woodland Park. Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren for WPZ

“Last year was hard on all of us, but it also brought out the best in so many people,” said Woodland Park Zoo President & CEO, Dr. Alejandro Grajal, “For many years, we’ve had these beautiful and important relationships with partners like the Ballet.  This year feels like a wonderful time to celebrate and share that with our community because it’s a great way to show that we’re all in this together.”

The Pacific Northwest Ballet stars of Romeo & Juliette perform before the critical eye of the African lion. Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren for WPZ

Pantastico and Moore will perform in the PNB production of Roméo et Juliette streaming February 11th – 15th.  The ‘Wild At Heart’ photo series will be available for viewing, throughout the coming year, on the Zoo.org website (click here.)  Both Woodland Park and PNB are members of Inspire Washington, a statewide coalition that champions our cultural sector and works to increase access to science, heritage and arts.