Denee Baptiste

Actor

Born: February 12, 1988 (age 38) · Harlem, New York, USA

Dnay Baptiste is known to many (the Beyhive, mostly) as Beyoncé's fierce and talented dancer. She's stood side by side with the queen during her most iconic performances. She has lent her sultry moves to other music heavyweights like Kelly Rowland, Tinashe, and, most recently, Megan Thee Stallion. Her path to success wasn't necessarily conventional, but the Harlem bred star knew that she was destined for greatness and never took no for an answer. “I’ve loved to dance since I can remember, so I knew I had to be a performer,” Dnay told us.

At 17, the Harlem native danced in a group with friends at a local P.A.L. center when someone told her that there was an open call happening in the city that she should attend. No questions asked, Dnay headed downtown and auditioned for Remy Ma. After dancing in Remy's "Whatever" music video, Dnay realized that becoming a professional dancer was inevitable. Although she didn't have technical training, she would show up to auditions and leave it all on the floor. She loves seeing the result, which is the overall performance, but she enjoys the auditions and long hours of rehearsals just as much. "I think the journey is always the gift because you get so many things that you keep with you forever,” she said.

A mom, a professional dancer, and an entrepreneur, Dnay evokes a very endearing humility. The highly accomplished dancer values family and being a mom first. She wants women to know that they can follow dreams and not feel guilty about it. She's also an advocate for women suffering from postpartum depression after realizing that she went through it the first few months post-pregnancy. She says, "If you can, take as much time with your baby as possible. And don't feel guilty that you're missing out on a job or you're missing out on fulfilling your dream.” Dnay recently received choreography credits in "Black Is King," Beyoncé's new visual album inspired by music from "The Ling King: The Gift."

Wearing many hats, Dnay is also an entrepreneur. While we're in the height of a global pandemic, and many of us are fighting for racial justice in our country, Dnay and her business partner launched the Harlem Parade. This non-profit organization highlights Black-owned Harlem businesses. "I'm so proud of where I'm from. I'm inspired by the people in Harlem, and I thought it would be great to have a directory of all of the Black-owned businesses in my community."