Joined KCB in 2025
Derek Wippel, a native of Pickerington, Ohio, began his formal ballet training at BalletMet Academy. He then trained in the Professional Training Division at Houston Ballet under Claudio Muñoz before moving to Chicago to join the Joffrey Ballet Studio Company. Over two seasons at Joffrey, he refined his classical and contemporary artistry under the tutelage of Oğulcan Borova and Raul Casasola. Wippel embarked on his professional career with Kansas City Ballet in 2025 and is delighted to continue his artistic pursuits in his second season with Kansas City Ballet.
Repertoire highlights include Gerald Arpino’s Kettentanz and Reflections, Liam Scarlett’s Frankenstein, Septime Webre’s The Great Gatsby, Stanton Welch’s Bruiser and performing in the American premiere of Christopher Wheeldon’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
