Regina Willoughby
Ballerina Regina Willoughby began dancing at the age of eight at Ballet Midland while growing up in West Texas. At the age of 15, she was awarded a scholarship to study at the Virginia School of the Arts, where she went on to graduate. She also studied at Westside in Los Angeles and on scholarship with the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City.
Regina's professional career began at Ballet Austin, where she danced solo roles, including Stephen Mill's "Four Mortal Men." In 1997, she joined Columbia City Ballet, dancing roles such as Arabian and Dew Drop Fairy in Nutcracker; Maiden in Dracula: Ballet with a Bite; Fairy Godmother in Cinderella; amd Carabosse in The Sleeping Beauty.
Director William Starrett has created many roles for her in his original ballets, including Mina in Dracula's Revenge and the "Sand Dance" pas de trois and "Daughters of the South" from Off the Wall and Onto the Stage: Dancing the Art of Jonathan Green. Most recently, Regina danced the lead role in William Starrett's Cleopatra. The Free Times called her portrayal "intoxicating," adding her performance was "awash with charm, ruthlessness, and seduction- (that) she stole the show." Reviewers have lauded her commanding stage presence, stating that "Willoughby, as one of City Ballet's up and coming stars, was exotically arrogant as Arabian, " and "the showstopper was Regina Willoughby with her sultry stage presence." Free Times said that "Willoughby is the company's most enchanting female performer, both technically and dramatically." Willoughby was made a Soloist with the company is 2001, Prinicpal Dancer in 2006, and Ballerina in 2009. She is married with two children, and is not only an accomplished professional dancer, she is also a dance teacher and a licensed realtor.
Sponsored by Coralee Harris
