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Misty Danielle Copeland (born September 10, 1982) is an American
ballet Ballet () is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread and highly technical form of ...
dancer for
American Ballet Theatre American Ballet Theatre (ABT) is a classical ballet company based in New York City. Founded in 1939 by Lucia Chase and Richard Pleasant. Through 2019, it had an annual eight-week season at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center) in the spr ...
(ABT), one of the three leading
classical ballet Classical ballet is any of the traditional, formal styles of ballet that exclusively employ classical ballet technique. It is known for its aesthetics and rigorous technique (such as en pointe, pointe work, turnout (ballet), turnout of the legs, ...
companies A company, abbreviated as co., is a legal entity representing an association of legal people, whether natural, juridical or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common purpose and unite to achieve specifi ...
in the United States. On June 30, 2015, Copeland became the first
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
woman to be promoted to a
principal dancer A principal dancer (often shortened to principal) is a dancer at the highest rank within a professional dance company, particularly a ballet company. A principal may be either gender. The position is similar to that of ''Soloist (ballet), solois ...
in ABT's 75-year history.; and Copeland was considered a prodigy who rose to stardom despite not starting
ballet Ballet () is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread and highly technical form of ...
until the age of 13. Two years later, in 1998, her ballet teachers, who were serving as her custodial guardians, and her mother, fought a custody battle over her. Meanwhile, Copeland, who was already an award-winning dancer, was fielding professional offers. The legal issues involved filings for
emancipation Emancipation generally means to free a person from a previous restraint or legal disability. More broadly, it is also used for efforts to procure Economic, social and cultural rights, economic and social rights, civil and political rights, po ...
by Copeland and
restraining order A restraining order or protective order is an order used by a court to protect a person in a situation often involving alleged domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, assault, harassment, stalking, or sexual assault. Restraining and perso ...
s by her mother. Both sides dropped legal proceedings, and Copeland moved home to begin studying under a new teacher, who was a former ABT member. In 1997, Copeland won the Los Angeles Music Center Spotlight Award as the best dancer in
Southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural List of regions of California, region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Its densely populated coastal reg ...
. After two summer workshops with ABT, she became a member of ABT's Studio Company in 2000 and its
corps de ballet In ballet, the ''corps de ballet'' (; French language, French for "body of the little dance") is the group of ballet dancer, dancers who are not principal dancers or Soloist (ballet), soloists. They are a permanent part of the ballet company and ...
in 2001, and became an ABT soloist in 2007. As a soloist from 2007 to mid-2015, she was described as having matured into a more contemporary and sophisticated dancer. In addition to her dance career, Copeland has become a public speaker, author, celebrity spokesperson and stage performer. She has written two autobiographical books and narrated a documentary about her career challenges, '' A Ballerina's Tale''. In 2015, she was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by ''
Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
'' magazine, appearing on its cover. She performed on Broadway in '' On the Town'', toured as a featured dancer for
Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...
and appeared on the
reality television Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring ordinary people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 1990s ...
shows '' A Day in the Life'' and '' So You Think You Can Dance''. She has endorsed products and companies such as
T-Mobile T-Mobile is the brand of telecommunications by Deutsche Telekom Deutsche Telekom AG (, ; often just Telekom, DTAG or DT; stylised as ·T·) is a partially state-owned German telecommunications company headquartered in Bonn and the largest telec ...
,
Coach, Inc. Tapestry, Inc. is an American Multinational corporation, multinational fashion holding company. It is based in New York City and is the parent company of three major brands: Coach New York, Kate Spade New York and Stuart Weitzman. Originally name ...
,
Dr Pepper Dr Pepper is a carbonated soft drink. Dr Pepper was created in the 1880s by the American pharmacist Charles Alderton in Waco, Texas, and was first nationally marketed in the United States in 1904. It is manufactured by Keurig Dr Pepper in t ...
,
Seiko , commonly known as Seiko ( , ), is a Japanese maker of watches, clocks, electronic devices, and semiconductors. Founded in 1881 by Kintarō Hattori in Tokyo, Seiko introduced the world's first commercial quartz wristwatch in 1969. Seiko is ...
, The Dannon Company and
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.


Early life

Copeland was born in
Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City, Missouri, abbreviated KC or KCMO, is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri by List of cities in Missouri, population and area. The city lies within Jackson County, Missouri, Jackson, Clay County, Missouri, Clay, and Pl ...
, and raised in the San Pedro community of
Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
, the daughter of Sylvia DelaCerna and Doug Copeland. Her father is of
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
and
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
descent, while her mother is of
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
and African American ancestry and was adopted by African American parents. She is the youngest of four children from her mother's second marriage and has two younger half-siblings, one each from her mother's third and fourth marriages. Copeland did not see her father between the ages of two and twenty-two. Her mother, a former Kansas City Chiefs cheerleader, had studied dance. She is a trained medical assistant, but worked mostly in sales. Between the ages of three and seven, Copeland lived in
Bellflower, California Bellflower is a city in southeastern Los Angeles County, California, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. It was founded in 1906 and municipal corporation, incorporated on September 3, 1957. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, th ...
, with her mother and her mother's third husband, Harold Brown, a
Santa Fe Railroad The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often referred to as the Santa Fe or AT&SF, was one of the largest Class 1 railroads in the United States between 1859 and 1996. The Santa Fe was a pioneer in intermodal freight transport; at variou ...
sales executive. The family moved to San Pedro, where Sylvia eventually married her fourth husband,
radiologist Radiology ( ) is the medical specialty that uses medical imaging to diagnose diseases and guide treatment within the bodies of humans and other animals. It began with radiography (which is why its name has a root referring to radiation), but tod ...
Robert DelaCerna and where Misty attended Point Fermin Elementary School. When she was seven, Copeland saw the film '' Nadia'' on television and its subject Nadia Comăneci became her new role model. Copeland never studied ballet or gymnastics formally until her teenage years, but in her youth she enjoyed choreographing flips and dance moves to
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey ( ; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Songbird Supreme" by ''Guinness World Records'', Carey is known for her five-octave voc ...
songs. Following in the footsteps of her older sister Erica, Copeland became captain of San Pedro's Dana Middle School
drill team A drill team can be one of four different entities: # A military drill team is a marching unit that performs routines based on military foot drill, foot or exhibition drills. Military drill teams perform either armed or unarmed. # A dance squad ...
, where her natural grace came to the attention of its classically trained coach, Elizabeth Cantine. By 1994, Copeland's mother had separated from Robert. After living with various friends and boyfriends, DelaCerna moved with her children into two small rooms at the Sunset Inn in
Gardena, California Gardena is a city located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 61,027 at the 2020 census, up from 58,829 at the 2010 census. Until 2014, the U.S. census cited the City of Gardena as the ...
where Copeland and her siblings slept on the couch or floor. In early 1996, Cantine convinced Copeland to attend a ballet class at her local Boys & Girls Club. Cynthia Bradley, a friend of Cantine's, taught a free ballet class at the club once a week. Copeland attended several classes as a spectator before participating. DelaCerna allowed Copeland to go to the club after school until the workday ended. Bradley invited Copeland to attend class at her small ballet school, San Pedro Dance Center. Copeland initially declined the offer, however, because her mother did not have a car, was working 12–14 hours a day, and her oldest sister Erica was working two jobs. Copeland began her ballet studies at the age of 13 at the San Pedro Dance Center when Cynthia Bradley began picking her up from school. After three months of study, Copeland was
en pointe Because ballet became formalized in France, a significant part of ballet terminology is in the French language. A À la seconde () (Literally "to second") If a step is done "à la seconde", it is done to the side. 'Second position'. It can also ...
. Her mother told Copeland that she would have to give up ballet, but Bradley wanted Copeland to continue and offered to host her. DelaCerna agreed to this, and Copeland moved in with Bradley and her family. Eventually, Copeland and DelaCerna signed a management contract and a life-story contract with Bradley. Copeland spent the weekdays with the Bradleys near the coast and the weekends at home with her mother, a two-hour bus ride away. Copeland would spend most of her next three years with the Bradleys. By the age of fourteen, Copeland was the winner of a national ballet contest and won her first
solo Solo or SOLO may refer to: Arts and entertainment Characters * Han Solo, a ''Star Wars'' character * Jacen Solo, a Jedi in the non-canonical ''Star Wars Legends'' continuity * Kylo Ren (Ben Solo), a ''Star Wars'' character * Napoleon Solo, fr ...
role. The Bradleys introduced Copeland to books and videos about ballet. When she saw Paloma Herrera, a principal ballerina with ABT, perform at the
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion is one of the halls in the Los Angeles Music Center, which is one of the largest performing arts centers in the United States. The Music Center's other halls include the Mark Taper Forum, Ahmanson Theatre, and Walt ...
, Copeland began to idolize her as much as she did Mariah Carey. The media first noticed her when she drew 2,000 patrons per show as she performed as Clara in ''
The Nutcracker ''The Nutcracker'' (, ), Opus number, Op. 71, is an 1892 two-act classical ballet (conceived as a '; ) by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, set on Christmas Eve at the foot of a Christmas tree in a child's imagination featuring a Nutcracker doll. Th ...
'' at the San Pedro High School after only eight months of study. She played a larger role as Kitri in ''
Don Quixote , the full title being ''The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha'', is a Spanish novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Originally published in two parts in 1605 and 1615, the novel is considered a founding work of Western literature and is of ...
'' at the San Pedro Dance Center and then performed with the L.A. Academy of Fine Arts in a featured role in ''The Chocolate Nutcracker'', an African American version of the tale, narrated by
Debbie Allen Deborah Kaye Allen (born January 16, 1950) is an American actress, dancer, choreographer, singer, director, producer, and a former member of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities. She has been nominated 20 times for an Emmy Award ...
. The latter was presented at
UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school then known as the southern branch of the C ...
's
Royce Hall Royce Hall is a building on the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Designed by the Los Angeles firm of Allison & Allison (James Edward Allison, 1870–1955, and his brother David Clark Allison, 1881–1962) and completed ...
. Copeland's role was modified especially for her, and included ethnic dances. During this period, Copeland received far more personal attention from the Bradley family than her mother could give each of her six children. Raised in a lapsed
Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
household, when Copeland lived with the Bradley family, she attended their
synagogue A synagogue, also called a shul or a temple, is a place of worship for Jews and Samaritans. It is a place for prayer (the main sanctuary and sometimes smaller chapels) where Jews attend religious services or special ceremonies such as wed ...
and celebrated
Shabbat Shabbat (, , or ; , , ) or the Sabbath (), also called Shabbos (, ) by Ashkenazi Hebrew, Ashkenazim, is Judaism's day of rest on the seventh day of the seven-day week, week—i.e., Friday prayer, Friday–Saturday. On this day, religious Jews ...
with them, enjoying their family's closeness. In addition to Bradley's intensive ballet training, her husband, a modern-dance teacher, served as Copeland's pas-de-deux instructor and partner. The summer before her fifteenth birthday, Bradley began to
homeschool Homeschooling or home schooling (American English), also known as home education or elective home education (EHE) (British English), is the education of school-aged children at home or a variety of places other than a school. Usually conducted ...
Copeland for 10th grade to free up more time for dance. At fifteen years old, Copeland won first place in the Los Angeles Music Center Spotlight Awards at the Chandler Pavilion in March 1998. Copeland said it was the first time she ever battled nervousness. The winners received scholarships between $500 and $2500. Copeland's victory in the 10th annual contest among gifted high school students in
Southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural List of regions of California, region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Its densely populated coastal reg ...
secured her recognition by the ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'' as the best young dancer in the
Greater Los Angeles Area Greater Los Angeles is the most populous metropolitan area in the U.S. state of California, encompassing five counties in Southern California extending from Ventura County in the west to San Bernardino County and Riverside County in the east, ...
. Copeland attended the summer workshop at the
San Francisco Ballet San Francisco Ballet is the oldest ballet company in the United States, founded in 1933 as the San Francisco Opera Ballet under the leadership of ballet master Adolph Bolm. The company is currently based in the War Memorial Opera House, San Fra ...
School in 1998. She and Bradley selected the workshop over offers from the
Joffrey Ballet The Joffrey Ballet is an American dance company and training institution in Chicago, Illinois. The Joffrey regularly performs classical and contemporary ballets during its annual performance season at the Civic Opera House, including its annual ...
, ABT and Dance Theater of Harlem.Copeland and Jones, pp. 97–99 Of the programs she auditioned for, only
New York City Ballet New York City Ballet (NYCB) is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company. Léon Barzin was the company's fir ...
declined to make her an offer. San Francisco Ballet, ABT and New York City Ballet are regarded as the three preeminent classical ballet companies in the US. During the six-week workshop at San Francisco, Copeland was placed in the most advanced classes and was under a full-tuition plus expenses scholarship. At the end of the workshop, she received one of the few offers to continue as a full-time student at the school. She declined the offer because of the encouragement from her mother to return home, the prospect of continuing personal training from the Bradley family and dreams of a subsequent summer with American Ballet Theatre.


Custody battle

Copeland returned to her mother's home, where the two frequently argued. Her mother had long resented the Bradleys' influence and soon decided that Copeland would cease study with the Bradleys. Copeland was distraught with fear that she would not be able to dance. She had heard the term
emancipation Emancipation generally means to free a person from a previous restraint or legal disability. More broadly, it is also used for efforts to procure Economic, social and cultural rights, economic and social rights, civil and political rights, po ...
while in San Francisco; the procedure was common among young performers to secure their financial and residential independence. The Bradleys introduced Copeland to Steven Bartell, a lawyer who explained the emancipation petition process. The Bradleys encouraged her to be absent from home when the emancipation petition was delivered to her mother. Copeland ran away from home for three days and stayed with a dance friend, while Bartell filed the emancipation papers. After her mother reported Copeland missing, she was told about the emancipation petition. Three days after running away, Copeland was returned to her mother by the police. DelaCerna engaged lawyer Gloria Allred and applied for a series of restraining orders, which included the Bradleys' five-year-old son, who had been Copeland's roommate, and Bartell. The order was partly intended to preclude contact between the Bradleys and Copeland, but it did not have proper legal basis, since there had been no stalking and no harassment. The custody controversy was highly publicized in the press (especially ''Los Angeles Times'' and ''
Extra Extra, Xtra, or The Extra may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Film * The Extra (1962 film), ''The Extra'' (1962 film), a Mexican film * The Extra (2005 film), ''The Extra'' (2005 film), an Australian film Literature * Extra (newspaper), ...
''), starting in August and September 1998. Parts of the press coverage spilled over into op-ed articles. The case was heard in Torrance, in the Superior Court of Los Angeles County. DelaCerna claimed that the Bradleys had brainwashed Copeland into filing suit for
emancipation Emancipation generally means to free a person from a previous restraint or legal disability. More broadly, it is also used for efforts to procure Economic, social and cultural rights, economic and social rights, civil and political rights, po ...
from her mother, Allred claimed that the Bradleys had turned Copeland against her mother by belittling DelaCerna's intelligence. The Bradleys noted that the management contract gave them authority over her career, but they stated that they would wait until Copeland became eighteen before seeking twenty percent of Copeland's earnings. After DelaCerna stated that she would always make sure Copeland could dance, both the emancipation papers and restraining orders were dropped. Copeland, who claimed she did not understand the term emancipation, withdrew the petition after informing the judge that such charges no longer represented her wishes. Still, DelaCerna wanted the Bradleys out of her daughter's life. Copeland re-enrolled at San Pedro High School for her junior year (1998–99), on pace to graduate with her original class of 2000. DelaCerna sought Cantine's advice on finding a new ballet school. Copeland began ballet study at Lauridsen Ballet Centre in Torrance with former ABT dancer Diane Lauridsen, although her dancing was now restricted to afternoons in deference to her schooling. Late in 1998, all parties appeared on
Leeza Gibbons Leeza Kim Gibbons (born March 26, 1957) is an American talk show host. She is best known as a correspondent and co-host for ''Entertainment Tonight'' (1984–2000) as well as for having her own syndicated daytime talk show, ''Leeza'' (1993– ...
' talk show, '' Leeza'', where Copeland sat silently as the adults "bickered shamelessly". As a student, Copeland had a 3.8/4.0
GPA Grading in education is the application of standardized measurements to evaluate different levels of student achievement in a course. Grades can be expressed as letters (usually A to F), as a range (for example, 1 to 6), percentages, or as num ...
through her junior year of high school. In 2000, DelaCerna stated that Copeland's earnings from ballet were set aside in a savings account and only used as needed.


American Ballet Theatre


Early ABT career

Copeland auditioned for several dance programs in 1999, and each made her an offer to enroll in its summer program. She performed with ABT as part of its 1999 and 2000 Summer Intensive programs. By the end of the first summer, she was asked to join the ABT Studio Company. Her mother insisted that she finish high school, and so Copeland returned to California for her senior year, even though ABT arranged to pay for her performances, housing accommodations and academic arrangements. She studied at the Summer Intensive Program on full scholarship for both summers and was declared ABT's National Coca-Cola Scholar in 2000. In the 2000 Summer Intensive Program, she danced the role of Kitri in ''Don Quixote''. Copeland's strongest memory from the summer is working with choreographer Twyla Tharp on ''Push Comes to Shove''". Of the 150 dancers in the 2000 Summer Intensive Program, she was one of six selected to join the junior dance troupe. In September 2000, she joined the ABT Studio Company, which is ABT's second company, and became a member of its
Corps de ballet In ballet, the ''corps de ballet'' (; French language, French for "body of the little dance") is the group of ballet dancer, dancers who are not principal dancers or Soloist (ballet), soloists. They are a permanent part of the ballet company and ...
in 2001. As part of the Studio Company, she performed the
Pas de Deux In ballet, a ( French, literally "step of two") is a dance duet in which two dancers, typically a male and a female, perform ballet steps together. The ''pas de deux'' is characteristic of classical ballet and can be found in many well-known ...
in
Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer during the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music made a lasting impression internationally. Tchaikovsky wrote some of the most popular ...
's '' The Sleeping Beauty''. Eight months after joining the company, she was sidelined for nearly a year by a lumbar stress fracture. When Copeland joined the company, she weighed (she is tall).Bried, Erin
"Stretching Beauty: Ballerina Misty Copeland on Her Body Struggles"
''
Self In philosophy, the self is an individual's own being, knowledge, and values, and the relationship between these attributes. The first-person perspective distinguishes selfhood from personal identity. Whereas "identity" is (literally) same ...
'' magazine, March 18, 2014, accessed January 31, 2016
At age 19, her puberty had been delayed, a situation common in ballet dancers. After the lumbar fracture, her doctor told her that inducing puberty would help to strengthen her bones, and he prescribed
birth control pills Oral contraceptives, abbreviated OCPs, also known as birth control pills, are medications taken by mouth for the purpose of birth control. The introduction of the birth control pill ("the Pill") in 1960 revolutionized the options for contraception, ...
. Copeland recalls that in one month she gained 10 pounds, and her small breasts swelled to double D-cup size: "Leotards had to be altered for me ... to cover my cleavage, for instance. I hated this sign that I was different from the others. ... I became so self-conscious that, for the first time in my life, I couldn't dance strong. I was too busy trying to hide my breasts." Management noticed and called her in to talk about her body. The professional pressure to conform to conventional ballet aesthetics resulted in body image struggles and a
binge eating disorder Binge eating disorder (BED) is an eating disorder characterized by frequent and recurrent binge eating episodes with associated negative psychological and social problems, but without the compensatory behaviors common to bulimia nervosa, OSFE ...
. Copeland says that, over the next year, new friendships outside of ABT, including with Victoria Rowell and with her boyfriend, Olu Evans (now her husband), helped her to regain confidence in her body. She explained, "My curves became an integral part of who I am as a dancer, not something I needed to lose to become one. I started dancing with confidence and joy, and soon the staff at ABT began giving me positive feedback again. And I think I changed everyone's mind about what a perfect dancer is supposed to look like." During her years in the corps, as the only black woman in the company, Copeland also felt the burden of her race in many ways and contemplated a variety of career choices. Recognizing that Copeland's isolation and self-doubt were standing in the way of her talent, ABT's artistic director, Kevin McKenzie, asked writer and arts figure Susan Fales-Hill, then vice-chair of ABT's Board of Directors, to mentor Copeland. Fales-Hill introduced Copeland to black women trailblazers who encouraged Copeland and helped her to gain perspective. Early career reviews mentioned Copeland as more radiant than higher ranking dancers, and she was named to the 2003 class of Dance Magazine's "25 to Watch". In 2003, she was favorably reviewed for her roles as a member of the corps in '' La Bayadère'' and William Forsythe's ''workwithinwork''. Recognition continued in 2004 for roles in ballets such as ''
Raymonda ''Raymonda'' () is a ballet, grand ballet in three acts, four scenes with an apotheosis, originally choreographed by Marius Petipa to the music of Alexander Glazunov (his Opus number, opus 57) and libretto by Lydia Pashkova. ''Raymonda'' was creat ...
'', ''workwithinwork'', ''Amazed in Burning Dreams'', ''Sechs Tänze'', '' Pillar of Fire'', "Pretty Good Year", "VIII" and "Sinfonietta, where she "stood out in the pas de trois – whether she was gliding across the floor or in a full lift, she created the illusion of smoothness". She also danced the Hungarian Princess in
Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer during the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music made a lasting impression internationally. Tchaikovsky wrote some of the most popular ...
's ''
Swan Lake ''Swan Lake'' ( rus, Лебеди́ное о́зеро, r=Lebedínoje ózero, p=lʲɪbʲɪˈdʲinəjə ˈozʲɪrə, links=no ), Op. 20, is a ballet composed by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1875–76. Despite its initial failu ...
''. The 2004 season is regarded as her breakthrough season. She was included in the 2004
picture book A picture book combines visual and verbal narratives in a book format, most often aimed at young children. With the narrative told primarily through text, they are distinct from comics, which do so primarily through sequential images. The ima ...
by former ABT dancer Rosalie O'Connor titled ''Getting Closer: A Dancer's Perspective''. Also in 2004, she met her biological father for the first time and regretted that she had not done so sooner. In 2005, her most notable performance was a ''
pas de deux In ballet, a ( French, literally "step of two") is a dance duet in which two dancers, typically a male and a female, perform ballet steps together. The ''pas de deux'' is characteristic of classical ballet and can be found in many well-known ...
'' in
George Balanchine George Balanchine (; Various sources: * * * * born Georgiy Melitonovich Balanchivadze;, Romanization of Georgian, : April 30, 1983) was a Georgian-American ballet choreographer, recognized as one of the most influential choreographers ...
's ''
Tarantella Tarantella () is a group of various Southern Italy, southern Italian Italian folk dance, folk dances originating in the regions of Calabria, Campania, Sicilia, and Apulia. It is characterized by a fast Beat (music), upbeat tempo, usually in Ti ...
''. She also danced the Lead Polovtsian Girl in " Polovtsian Dances" from '' Prince Igor''. In 2006, she was acknowledged for her meticulous classical performance style in '' Giselle'' and created a role in
Jorma Elo Jorma Elo is a contemporary choreographer. Early life He was born 30 August 1961 in Helsinki, Finland. His father, Jaakko Elo, is a urological surgeon, mother Ruth Elo née Carlstedt, a dentist. Jorma Elo's partner since 1994 is Nancy Euveri ...
's ''Glow–Stop''. Elo said: "Misty has the capability to absorb something extremely fast and then reproduce it exactly, and she gives such clarity to the material. If I were to make my own company, she would be the first one I would call." That year, she also returned to
Southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural List of regions of California, region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Its densely populated coastal reg ...
to perform at
Orange County Performing Arts Center The Segerstrom Center for the Arts (originally called Orange County Performing Arts Center) is a performing arts complex in Costa Mesa, California, Costa Mesa, California, United States, which opened in 1986. Designed by Charles Lawrence, the Cen ...
and danced one of the cygnets and reprised her role as the Hungarian Princess in ''Swan Lake'' in New York. In both 2006 and 2007, Copeland danced the role of Blossom in
James Kudelka James Kudelka, Order of Canada, OC (born September 10, 1955 at Newmarket, Ontario), is a Canadian choreographer, dancer, and director. He was the artistic director of the National Ballet of Canada from 1996 to 2005, now serving as the National Ball ...
's ''Cinderella''. Copeland's "old-style" performance continued to earn her praise in 2007. In 2007, she danced the Fairy of Valor in ''The Sleeping Beauty''. Other roles that Copeland played before she was appointed a soloist by ABT included
Twyla Tharp Twyla Tharp (; born July 1, 1941) is an American dancer, choreographer, and author who lives and works in New York City. In 1965 she formed the company Twyla Tharp Dance, which merged with American Ballet Theatre in 1988. She regrouped the compa ...
roles in ''In the Upper Room'' and ''Sinatra Suite'' as well as a role in Mark Morris's ''Gong''. A ''
Dance Magazine ''Dance Magazine'' is an American trade publication for dance. It was first published in June 1927 as ''The American Dancer''. ''Dance Magazine'' is currently part of Dance Media, led by longtime arts publisher Joanna Harp as president, and has mu ...
'' feature stated that Copeland's "sublime rapport with her partners in ... ''Sinatra Suite'' has earned her the honor of dancing with the company's male superstars".Woods, Astrida
"Misty's Magic"
''Dance Magazine'', September 10, 2012, accessed August 25, 2016


Soloist

Copeland was appointed a soloist at ABT in August 2007, one of the youngest ABT dancers promoted to soloist. Although she was described by early accounts as the first African American woman promoted to soloist for ABT, Anne Benna Sims and Nora Kimball were soloists with ABT in the 1980s. Male soloist Keith Lee also preceded her. As of 2008, Copeland was the only African-American woman in the dance company during her entire ABT career. The only male African American in the company during her career, Danny Tidwell, left in 2005. In an international ballet community with a lack of diversity, she was so unusual as an African American ballerina that she endured cultural isolation. domestic version with alternate images: She has been described in the press as the
Jackie Robinson Jack Roosevelt Robinson (January 31, 1919 – October 24, 1972) was an American professional baseball player who became the first Black American to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the modern era. Robinson broke the Baseball color line, ...
of classical ballet. Copeland was a standout among her peers. In her first season as a soloist at
New York City Center New York City Center (previously known as the Mecca Temple, City Center of Music and Drama, and the New York City Center 55th Street Theater) is a performing arts center at 131 West 55th Street (Manhattan), 55th Street between Sixth Avenue, Six ...
, in which
avant-garde In the arts and literature, the term ''avant-garde'' ( meaning or ) identifies an experimental genre or work of art, and the artist who created it, which usually is aesthetically innovative, whilst initially being ideologically unacceptable ...
ballets works were performed, she received good notices in ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' for a Balanchine '' Ballo della Regina'' role. Also in 2007, she created a leading role in ''C. to C. (Close to Chuck)'', choreographed by
Jorma Elo Jorma Elo is a contemporary choreographer. Early life He was born 30 August 1961 in Helsinki, Finland. His father, Jaakko Elo, is a urological surgeon, mother Ruth Elo née Carlstedt, a dentist. Jorma Elo's partner since 1994 is Nancy Euveri ...
to ''A Musical Portrait of
Chuck Close Charles Thomas Close (July 5, 1940 – August 19, 2021) was an American painter, visual artist, and photographer who made massive-scale photorealism, photorealist and abstract portraits of himself and others. Close also created photo portraits ...
'', Études 2, 9 & 10, by
Philip Glass Philip Glass (born January 31, 1937) is an American composer and pianist. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century. Glass's work has been associated with minimal music, minimalism, being built up fr ...
. Her performances of Tharp's works in the same season were recognized, and she was described as more sophisticated and contemporary as a soloist than she had been as a corps dancer. Her summer 2008 Metropolitan Opera House (the Met) season performances in ''Don Quixote'' and ''Sleeping Beauty'' were also well received. During the 2008–09 season, Copeland was praised for performances in
Twyla Tharp Twyla Tharp (; born July 1, 1941) is an American dancer, choreographer, and author who lives and works in New York City. In 1965 she formed the company Twyla Tharp Dance, which merged with American Ballet Theatre in 1988. She regrouped the compa ...
's ''Baker's Dozen'' and Paul Taylor's ''Company B''. During the 2009 Spring ABT season at the Met, Copeland performed Gulnare in ''
Le Corsaire ''Le Corsaire'' is a ballet typically presented in three acts, with a libretto originally created by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges loosely based on the poem '' The Corsair'' by Lord Byron. Originally choreographed by Joseph Mazilier to ...
'' and leading roles in Taylor's ''Airs'' and Balanchine's ''Pas de Deux'' from ''Swan Lake''. Her 2008–09 Annenberg Fellowship included training for the ''Pas de Deux''. Late that year, she performed in ABT's first trip to Beijing at the new National Center for the Performing Arts. In 2009, Copeland created a role in Aszure Barton's ''One of Three''. In 2010, after recovering from a stress fracture, Copeland performed in ''
Birthday Offering ''Birthday Offering'' is a pièce d'occasion in one scene choreographed by Frederick Ashton to music by Alexander Glazunov, arranged by Robert Irving (conductor), Robert Irving. The ballet was created in 1956, to celebrate the Royal Ballet's 25t ...
'' at the Met and at the Guggenheim Museum danced to David Lang's music. She also created the Spanish Dance in ABT artist-in-residence
Alexei Ratmansky Alexei Osipovich Ratmansky (, born August 27, 1968) is a Russian-Ukrainian-American choreographer and former ballet dancer. From 2004 to 2008 he was the director of the Moscow Bolshoi Ballet. He left Russia in 2008. In 2009 he was appointed the ar ...
's new version of ''The Nutcracker'', premiered at the
Brooklyn Academy of Music The Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) is a multi-arts center in Brooklyn, New York City. It hosts progressive and avant-garde performances, with theater, dance, music, opera, film programming across multiple nearby venues. BAM was chartered in 18 ...
. In early 2011, she was well received at the
Kennedy Center The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, commonly known as the Kennedy Center, is the national cultural center of the United States, located on the eastern bank of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. Opened on September 8, ...
as the Milkmaid in Ratmansky's '' The Bright Stream'', a remake of a banned comic ballet. In
Black History Month Black History Month is an annually observed commemorative month originating in the United States, where it is also known as African-American History Month. It began as a way of remembering important people and events in the history of the Af ...
in 2011, Copeland was selected by ''
Essence Essence () has various meanings and uses for different thinkers and in different contexts. It is used in philosophy and theology as a designation for the property (philosophy), property or set of properties or attributes that make an entity the ...
'' as one of its 37 Boundary-breaking black women in entertainment. That same month, she toured with ''Company B'', performed at
Sadler's Wells Theatre Sadler's Wells Theatre is a London performing arts venue, located in Rosebery Avenue, Islington. The present-day theatre is the sixth on the site. Sadler's Wells grew out of a late 17th-century pleasure garden and was opened as a theatre buil ...
in London. In May, she created a role in Ratmansky's ''Dumbarton'', danced to Stravinsky's chamber concerto, ''
Dumbarton Oaks Dumbarton Oaks, formally the Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, is a historic estate in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. It was the residence and gardens of wealthy U.S. diplomat Robert Woods Bliss and his wife ...
''. Alastair Macaulay of ''The New York Times'' found the piece too intimate for the cavernous Met, but he noted: "Misty Copeland gives sudden hints of need and emotional bleakness in a duet ... too much is going on to explain itself at one viewing; but at once I know I'm emotionally and structurally gripped." Her Summer 2011 ABT solos included the peasant ''pas de deux'' in ''Giselle'' and, in Ratmansky's ''The Bright Stream'' at the Met in June, her reprise of the Milkmaid was called "luminous, teasingly sensual". She reprised the ''Bright Stream'' role again in July at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles with a performance described as "sly". As a flower girl, she was described as glittering in ''Don Quixote''. In August, she performed at the Vail International Dance Festival in the Gerald Ford Amphitheater in Vail, Colorado. In November, she danced in Taylor's ''Black Tuesday''. In 2012, Copeland began achieving solo roles in full-length standard repertory ballets rather than works that were mostly relatively modern pieces. A 2012 feature in ''Dance Magazine'' stated that Copeland's "classical repertoire ... has deepened in artistry with each season. In the peasant ''pas de deux'' from ''Giselle'', she is buoyant and refreshingly lyrical, and her plush jumps in ''Swan Lake''s ''pas de trois'' are a joy. As the Fairy of Valor in ''Sleeping Beauty'', she tempers the harsh stabbing fingers and dagger-like ''pas de chats'' by uplifting her body with grandeur and, yes, valor." She starred in ''
The Firebird ''The Firebird'' (; ) is a ballet and orchestral concert work by the Russian composer Igor Stravinsky. It was written for the 1910 Paris season of Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes company; the original choreography was by Michel Fokine, who c ...
'', with choreography by Ratmansky at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in
Costa Mesa, California Costa Mesa (; Spanish language, Spanish for "coastal tableland") is a city in Orange County, California, United States. Since its incorporation in 1953, the city has grown from a semi-rural farming community of 16,840 to an urban area including ...
. It premiered on March 29, 2012. The performance was hailed by Laura Bleiberg in the ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'' as one of the year's best dance performances. That year, Copeland was recognized by The Council of Urban Professionals as their Breakthrough Leadership Award winner. She also danced the role of Gamzatti in ''La Bayadère'' at the Met to praise from Alastair Macaulay of ''The New York Times'', who noted her "adult complexity and worldly allure". ''The Firebird'' was again performed at the Met in June 2012, with Copeland set to alternate in the lead. It was Copeland's first leading role at ABT. '' Backstage'' described it as her "most prestigious part" to date. After only one New York performance in the role, Copeland withdrew from the entire ABT season due to six stress fractures in her
tibia The tibia (; : tibiae or tibias), also known as the shinbone or shankbone, is the larger, stronger, and anterior (frontal) of the two Leg bones, bones in the leg below the knee in vertebrates (the other being the fibula, behind and to the outsi ...
. She was sidelined for seven months after her October surgery. Upon her return to the stage, she danced the Queen of the Dryads in ''Don Quixote'' in May 2013. Nelson George began filming a documentary leverage the chance to present her comeback. Copeland reprised her role as Gulnare in June 2013 in the pirate-themed ''Le Corsaire''. She also played an Odalisque in the same ballet. Later in the year, she danced in Tharp's choreography of '' Bach Partita for Violin No. 2 in D minor for solo violin'', and as Columbine in ABT's revival of Ratmansky's ''Nutcracker'' at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. In May 2014, Copeland performed the lead role of Swanilda in '' Coppélia'' at the Met. According to ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'' writer Jevon Phillips, she is the first African American woman to dance the role. The same month, she was praised in the dual role of Queen of the Dryads and Mercedes in ''Don Quixote'' by Brian Seibert of ''The New York Times'', although Jerry Hochman of ''Critical Dance'' felt that she was not as impressive in the former role as in the latter. Later in May, the Met staged a program of one-act ballets consisting of '' Theme and Variations'', '' Duo Concertant'' and ''
Gaîté Parisienne ''Gaîté Parisienne'' () is a 1938 ballet choreographed by Léonide Massine (1896–1979) to music by Jacques Offenbach (1819–1880) arranged and orchestrated many decades later by Manuel Rosenthal (1904–2003) in collaboration with Jacques B ...
'', featuring Copeland in all three. Siebert praised her work in Balanchine's ''Duo Concertant'', to
Igor Stravinsky Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ( – 6 April 1971) was a Russian composer and conductor with French citizenship (from 1934) and American citizenship (from 1945). He is widely considered one of the most important and influential 20th-century c ...
's eponymous score for violin and piano performed by Benjamin Bowman and
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. Of her Flower Girl in ''Gaîté Parisienne'', Apollinaire Scherr of The ''
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'' wrote that she "tips like a brimming watering can into the bouquets her wooers hold out to her". Copeland was a "flawless" demi-soloist in ''Theme and Variations'', according to Colleen Boresta of ''Critical Dance''. In June 2014 at the Met, she danced the Fairy Autumn in the
Frederick Ashton Sir Frederick William Mallandaine Ashton (17 September 190418 August 1988) was a British ballet dancer and choreographer. He also worked as a director and choreographer in opera, film and revue. Determined to be a dancer despite the oppositio ...
''
Cinderella "Cinderella", or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a Folklore, folk tale with thousands of variants that are told throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsin Press, 1988. The protagonist is a you ...
'', cited for her energetic exuberance in the role by Hochman, who missed the "varied texture and nuance that made it significantly more interesting" in the hands of ABT's Christine Shevchenko. That month, she played Lescaut's Mistress in '' Manon'' in which role Marjorie Liebert of BroadwayWorld.com described her as "seductive and ingratiating". Also in June, she performed the role of Gamzatti in ''La Bayadère''. Copeland performed the Odette/Odile double role in ''Swan Lake'' in September when the company toured in
Brisbane, Australia Brisbane ( ; ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia, with a ...
. Her ascension to more prominent roles occurred as three ABT principal dancers ( Paloma Herrera, Julie Kent and Xiomara Reyes) entered their final seasons before retirement. In early October, Copeland performed several pieces including a principal role in Tharp's Bach Partita at Chicago's
Auditorium Theatre The Auditorium Theatre is a music and performance venue located in the Auditorium Building at 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive in Chicago, Illinois. Inspired by the Richardsonian Romanesque Style of architect Henry Hobson Richardson, the building was d ...
. In October, Copeland made her New York debut in one of the six principal roles in Tharp's ''Bach Partita'' and created a role in Liam Scarlett's ''With a Chance of Rain''. That December, when ABT revived Ratmansky's ''Nutcracker'' at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Copeland played the role of Clara, the Princess. The same month, at the
Kennedy Center Honors The Kennedy Center Honors are annual honors given to those in the performing arts for their lifetime of contributions to Culture of the United States, American culture. They have been presented annually since 1978, culminating each December in ...
, she was described as "sublime" in Tchaikovsky's ''Pas de Deux'' by the New York City
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affiliate. In March 2015, Copeland danced the role of Princess Florine in ''The Sleeping Beauty'' at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in
Costa Mesa, California Costa Mesa (; Spanish language, Spanish for "coastal tableland") is a city in Orange County, California, United States. Since its incorporation in 1953, the city has grown from a semi-rural farming community of 16,840 to an urban area including ...
. She made her American debut as Odette/Odile in ''Swan Lake'' with The Washington Ballet, opposite Brooklyn Mack as Prince Siegfried, in April at the Eisenhower Theater in the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The performance was the company's first presentation of ''Swan Lake'' in its 70-year history. In May 2015, she played Cowgirl in ''
Rodeo Rodeo () is a competitive equestrian sport that arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain and Mexico, expanding throughout the Americas and to other nations. It was originally based on the skills required of the working vaqu ...
'', Bianca in ''
Othello ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'', often shortened to ''Othello'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare around 1603. Set in Venice and Cyprus, the play depicts the Moorish military commander Othello as he is manipulat ...
'' and Zulma in ''Giselle''. In June 2015, Copeland created the small role of the Fairy ''Fleur de farine'' (Wheat flower) in Ratmansky's ''The Sleeping Beauty''. The same month, she made her debut in ''
Romeo and Juliet ''The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet'', often shortened to ''Romeo and Juliet'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare about the romance between two young Italians from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's ...
'' on short notice a few days before her scheduled debut performance on June 20. Later in June, Copeland made her New York debut in the Odette/Odile double role from ''Swan Lake'' that is described by Macauley as "the most epic role in world ballet". Her performance at the Met was regarded as a success. Her performance in the role had been anticipated as "a crowning achievement" in wide-ranging media outlets and by a broad spectrum of fans and supporters. Pioneering dancers Raven Wilkinson and Lauren Anderson were on hand to present her with bouquets on stage. Some viewed this performance as a sign that her promotion to principal was forthcoming.


Principal dancer

On June 30, 2015, Copeland became the first African-American woman to be promoted to principal ballerina in ABT's 75-year history. Copeland's achievement was groundbreaking, as there have been very few African-American principal ballerinas at major companies. Debra Austin became a principal at Pennsylvania Ballet in 1982, and Lauren Anderson became a principal at Houston Ballet in 1990, the first black principal ballerinas at major American companies. According to the 2015 documentary about Copeland, '' A Ballerina's Tale'', until Copeland, "there adnever been a Black female principal dancer at a major international company".Donnella, Leah
"Misty Copeland Achieves #SquadGoals In The Documentary ''A Ballerina's Tale''"
NPR National Public Radio (NPR) is an American public broadcasting organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It serves as a national Radio syndication, syndicator to a network of more ...
, February 16, 2016
Copeland next accepted the role of Ivy Smith in the Broadway revival of '' On The Town'', which she played for two weeks from August 25 to September 6. Her debut on Broadway was favorably reviewed in ''The New York Times'', ''
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'', and other media. That October, in New York, Copeland performed in the revival of Tharp's choreography of the Brahms-Haydn Variations, in
Frederick Ashton Sir Frederick William Mallandaine Ashton (17 September 190418 August 1988) was a British ballet dancer and choreographer. He also worked as a director and choreographer in opera, film and revue. Determined to be a dancer despite the oppositio ...
's '' Monotones I'', and "brought a seductive mix of demureness and sex appeal to 'Rum and Coca-Cola'" in Paul Taylor's ''Company B''. The same month, she created the role of His Loss in ''AfterEffect'' by Marcelo Gomes, danced to Tchaikovsky's '' Souvenir de Florence'', at Lincoln Center. When ABT brought Ratmansky's ''Nutcracker'' to Segerstrom Center for the Arts in December 2015, Copeland reprised the role of Clara. In January 2016, Copeland reprised the role of Princess Florine in ''The Sleeping Beauty'' at the Kennedy Center, choreographed by Ratmansky. Her spring 2016 schedule also included leads in ABT productions of ''The Firebird, La Fille Mal Gardee, Le Corsaire, The Golden Cockerel, Swan Lake'' and ''Romeo and Juliet''. In 2017, she appeared as a guest artist with La Scala Theatre Ballet when it visited Southern California. In 2019, Copeland danced ''
Harlequinade ''Harlequinade'' is an English comic theatrical genre, defined by the ''Oxford English Dictionary'' as "that part of a pantomime in which the harlequin and clown play the principal parts". It developed in England between the 17th and mid-19th ce ...
'' opposite Calvin Royal III in the roles of Pirrette and Pierrot, in a rare instance of a black couple dancing together in ballet.


Planned retirement

Copeland is planning to retire, after her 25 years with ABT, and to give a farewell performance there in October 2025.


Other appearances, writings and ventures


Other stage, television and film appearances

In March 2009, Copeland filmed a
music video A music video is a video that integrates a song or an album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device intended to ...
with
Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...
for a cover of "
Crimson and Clover "Crimson and Clover" is a 1968 song by American rock band Tommy James and the Shondells. Written by the duo of Tommy James and drummer Peter Lucia Jr., it was intended as a change in direction of the group's sound and composition. "Crimson an ...
", the first single from his 2009 album '' Lotusflower''. Prince asked her to dance along to the song in improvised ballet movements. She described his instructions as "Be you, feel the music, just move", and upon request for further instruction, "Keep doing what you're doing". She also began taking acting lessons in 2009. During the New York City and New Jersey portions of Prince's Welcome 2 America tour, Copeland performed a ''pas de deux''
en pointe Because ballet became formalized in France, a significant part of ballet terminology is in the French language. A À la seconde () (Literally "to second") If a step is done "à la seconde", it is done to the side. 'Second position'. It can also ...
to his song " The Beautiful Ones", the opening number at the
Izod Center Meadowlands Arena (formerly Brendan Byrne Arena, Continental Airlines Arena and Izod Center) is a closed indoor sports and concert venue located in the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States. Since closing, ...
and
Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as the Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh and Eighth Avenue (Manhattan), Eig ...
. Prince had previously invited her onstage at a concert in
Nice, France Nice ( ; ) is a city in and the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department in France. The Nice urban unit, agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative city limits, with a population of nearly one million
. In April 2011, she performed alongside Prince on the '' Lopez Tonight'' show, dancing to "The Beautiful Ones." In 2011, she was featured in the Season 1, episode 5 of the
Hulu Hulu (, ) is an American Subscription business model, subscription streaming media service owned by Disney Streaming, a subsidiary of the Disney Entertainment segment of the Walt Disney Company. It was launched on October 29, 2007, initially as ...
web series A web series (also known as webseries, short-form series, and web show) is a series of short scripted or non-scripted online videos, generally in episodic form, released on the Internet (i.e. World Wide Web), which first emerged in the late 1 ...
''
A Day in the Life "A Day in the Life" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles that was released as the final track of their 1967 album '' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band''. Credited to Lennon–McCartney, the opening and closing sections of the s ...
''. Copeland was a guest judge for the 11th season of FOX's '' So You Think You Can Dance''.
New Line Cinema New Line Productions, Inc., Trade name, doing business as New Line Cinema, is an American film production, film and television production company that is a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, a division of the Major film studios, ...
has optioned her memoir, ''Life in Motion'', for a screen adaptation, and the
Oxygen Oxygen is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group (periodic table), group in the periodic table, a highly reactivity (chemistry), reactive nonmetal (chemistry), non ...
network has expressed interest in producing a reality docuseries about Copeland mentoring a Master Class of aspiring young dancers. '' A Ballerina's Tale'', a documentary film about Copeland, debuted at the
Tribeca Film Festival The Tribeca Festival is an annual film festival organized by Tribeca Enterprises. It takes place each spring in New York City, showcasing a diverse selection of film, episodic, talks, music, games, art, and immersive programming. The festival ...
in April 2015 and was released in theaters in October 2015. It was then aired in February 2016 as part of
PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...
' ''
Independent Lens ''Independent Lens'' is a weekly television series airing on PBS featuring documentary films made by independent filmmakers. Past seasons of ''Independent Lens'' were hosted by Angela Bassett, Don Cheadle, Susan Sarandon, Edie Falco, Terrenc ...
'' series. Dawn Heinecken, a professor of women's studies at the
University of Louisville The University of Louisville (UofL) is a public university, public research university in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. It is part of the Kentucky state university system. Chartered in 1798 as the Jefferson Seminary, it became in the 19t ...
, described the film as "part of a calculated media campaign designed to launch Copeland into mainstream celebrity", but notes that film "directly hallengesthe ideology of white supremacy that undergirds the world of classical ballet." In May 2015, Copeland was featured on ''
60 Minutes ''60 Minutes'' is an American television news magazine broadcast on the CBS television network. Debuting in 1968, the program was created by Don Hewitt and Bill Leonard, who distinguished it from other news programs by using a unique style o ...
'' in a segment with correspondent Bill Whitaker. The following month, she served as a presenter at the 69th Tony Awards. In July 2015, a
black and white Black-and-white (B&W or B/W) images combine black and white to produce a range of achromatic brightnesses of grey. It is also known as greyscale in technical settings. Media The history of various visual media began with black and white, ...
book, ''Misty Copeland: Power and Grace'', was released by photographer Richard Corman, with an introduction by Cindy Bradley. The book contains photographs of Copeland dancing at sunrise on and around a
baby grand piano A piano is a keyboard instrument that produces sound when its keys are depressed, activating an Action (music), action mechanism where hammers strike String (music), strings. Modern pianos have a row of 88 black and white keys, tuned to a c ...
that washed ashore under the
Brooklyn Bridge The Brooklyn Bridge is a cable-stayed suspension bridge in New York City, spanning the East River between the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Opened on May 24, 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was the first fixed crossing of the East River. It w ...
. Copeland was included in the 2015
International Best Dressed List The International Best Dressed Hall of Fame List was founded by fashionista Eleanor Lambert in 1940 as an attempt to boost the reputation of American fashion at the time. The American magazine '' Vanity Fair'' is currently in charge of the List ...
, published by '' Vanity Fair''. In October 2015, she performed on ''
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert ''The Late Show with Stephen Colbert'' is an American late-night talk show, late-night news satire, news and liberal political satire talk show hosted by Stephen Colbert, which premiered on September 8, 2015. Produced by Stephen Colbert, Spartin ...
'' accompanied by cellist
Yo-Yo Ma Yo-Yo Ma (born October 7, 1955) is a French-born American Cello, cellist. Born to Chinese people, Chinese parents in Paris, he was regarded as a child prodigy there and began to study the cello with his father at age four. At the age of seven, ...
, who played "
Courante The ''courante'', ''corrente'', ''coranto'' and ''corant'' are some of the names given to a family of triple metre dances from the late Renaissance and the Baroque era. In a Baroque dance suite an Italian or French courante is typically pair ...
" from
Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (German: �joːhan zeˈbasti̯an baχ ( – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his prolific output across a variety of instruments and forms, including the or ...
's Cello Suite No. 2. In February 2016, Copeland and President
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
were interviewed together in the first of a three part video series with ''Time'' and ''Essence'' magazines on topics of race, gender, achievement and creating opportunity for young people. The same month, she walked the runway at
New York Fashion Week New York Fashion Week (NYFW), held in February and September of each year, is a semi-annual series of events in Manhattan typically spanning seven to nine days when international Fashion design, fashion collections are shown to buyers, the pres ...
to support the
American Heart Association The American Heart Association (AHA) is a nonprofit organization in the United States that funds cardiovascular medical research, educates consumers on healthy living and fosters appropriate Heart, cardiac care in an effort to reduce disability ...
's "Go Red for Women" campaign to increase awareness of the dangers of heart disease for women. She appeared in the March issue of ''
Harper's Bazaar ''Harper's Bazaar'' (stylized as ''Harper's BAZAAR'') is an American monthly women's fashion magazine. Bazaar has been published in New York City since November 2, 1867, originally as a weekly publication entitled ''Harper's Bazar''."Corporat ...
'' recreating
Edgar Degas Edgar Degas (, ; born Hilaire-Germain-Edgar De Gas, ; 19 July 183427 September 1917) was a French Impressionist artist famous for his pastel drawings and oil paintings. Degas also produced bronze sculptures, prints, and drawings. Degas is e ...
ballerina poses in a photospread ahead of a
Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street (Manhattan), 53rd Street between Fifth Avenue, Fifth and Sixth Avenues. MoMA's collection spans the late 19th century to the present, a ...
exhibition: "Edgar Degas: A Strange New Beauty". The feature was favorably noted by several media outlets, but Sebastian Smee of ''
The Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe,'' also known locally as ''the Globe'', is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes. ''The Boston Globe'' is the oldest and largest daily new ...
'' argued that contemporary ballet performers take Degas' ballet-themed work too seriously. Copeland dances the lead ballerina role in the 2018 Disney film, '' The Nutcracker and the Four Realms'', based on the 1816 story "
The Nutcracker and the Mouse King "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" () is a fairy tale written in 1816 by Prussian author E. T. A. Hoffmann, in which a young girl's favorite Christmas toy, the Nutcracker doll, Nutcracker, comes alive and, after defeating the evil Mouse King in ...
". She also
voiced Voice or voicing is a term used in phonetics and phonology to characterize speech sounds (usually consonants). Speech sounds can be described as either voiceless (otherwise known as ''unvoiced'') or voiced. The term, however, is used to refe ...
herself on a 2016 episode of the animated TV series '' Peg + Cat'', "The Dance Problem/Follow The Bouncing Ball". In 2017, she appeared as a guest judge on '' World of Dance''. Copeland danced with Craig Hall during
Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Known for her autobiographical songwriting, artistic versatility, and Cultural impact of Taylor Swift, cultural impact, Swift is one of the Best selling artists, w ...
's performance of her song " Lover" at the 2019
American Music Awards The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show produced by Dick Clark Productions since 1974. Nominees are selected on commercial performance such as sales and airplay. Winners are determined by a poll of the public and ...
. She also performed at the 2020
Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...
. In 2024, The Bentonville Film Festival hosted a screening of "Flower", a 2023 silent documentary featuring Copeland.


Ventures, writing and philanthropy

In 2011, Copeland unveiled a line of dancewear, M by Misty, which she designed. In 2016, she launched another dancewear line, Égal Dance, marketed as inclusive for all body types. She has also produced celebrity calendars. In 2022, she co-founded sports apparel label "Greatness Wins". Copeland released a memoir in 2014, ''Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina'', co-authored by Charisse Jones. Her 2014 children's picture book, titled ''
Firebird Firebird and fire bird may refer to: Mythical birds * Phoenix (mythology), sacred firebird found in the mythologies of many cultures ** Fenghuang, sometimes called Chinese phoenix * Vermilion bird, one of the four symbols of the Chinese constella ...
'', with illustrator Christopher Myers, has a message of empowerment for young people of color. In 2017, Copeland released the book ''Ballerina Body'', a health and fitness guide. She released a children's book, ''Bunheads'', in 2020, and in 2021 she released ''Black Ballerinas: My Journey to Our Legacy''. In 2022, Copeland released another memoir, ''The Wind at My Back: Resilience, Grace, and Other Gifts from My Mentor, Raven Wilkinson'', co-written with Susan Fales-Hill. Copeland co-founded a fundraiser, Swans for Relief, which compiled videos made in May 2020 by 32 ballerinas from 14 countries, including Copeland, dancing '' The Dying Swan''. The resulting YouTube video raises funds for each dancer's company's COVID-19 relief fund, or other arts/dance-based relief funds, to alleviate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the dance community. In 2022, Copeland founded The Misty Copeland Foundation, which provides after-school programs for children, ages 8 to 10, that combine affordable ballet training, in the communities where they live, alongside health and wellness, musicianship, mentoring and general tutoring components.


Endorsements

Copeland was featured in
T-Mobile T-Mobile is the brand of telecommunications by Deutsche Telekom Deutsche Telekom AG (, ; often just Telekom, DTAG or DT; stylised as ·T·) is a partially state-owned German telecommunications company headquartered in Bonn and the largest telec ...
's ads for the
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in 2010 and an ad for Dr. Pepper in 2013. In 2013, she represented
Coach, Inc. Tapestry, Inc. is an American Multinational corporation, multinational fashion holding company. It is based in New York City and is the parent company of three major brands: Coach New York, Kate Spade New York and Stuart Weitzman. Originally name ...
and became a spokesperson for Project Plié, a national initiative to broaden the pipeline of leadership within ballet. She also became a brand ambassador for
Seiko , commonly known as Seiko ( , ), is a Japanese maker of watches, clocks, electronic devices, and semiconductors. Founded in 1881 by Kintarō Hattori in Tokyo, Seiko introduced the world's first commercial quartz wristwatch in 1969. Seiko is ...
in 2015. In 2016,
Mattel Mattel, Inc. ( ) is an American multinational corporation, multinational toy manufacturing and entertainment company headquartered in El Segundo, California. Founded in Los Angeles by Harold Matson and the husband-and-wife duo of Ruth Handler, ...
created a Misty Copeland
Barbie Barbie is a fashion doll created by American businesswoman Ruth Handler, manufactured by American toy and entertainment company Mattel and introduced on March 9, 1959. The toy was based on the German Bild Lilli doll, Bild Lilli doll which Hand ...
doll. Later that year, the Dannon Company hired Copeland as a spokesperson for its Oikos brand. In 2014, Copeland became a sponsored athlete for
Under Armour Under Armour, Inc. is an American sportswear company that manufactures footwear and clothing, apparel headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. History 20th century Under Armour was founded on September 25, 1996, by Kevin Plank, a ...
, which paid her more than her ballet career. Her Under Armour women-focused ad campaign was widely publicized, and resulted in her being named an ABC World News Person of the week. The ad campaign was recognized by '' Adweek'' as one of The 10 Best Ads of 2014 and as "The year's best campaign targeting women". Copeland, along with Steph Curry and Jordan Spieth, was credited with boosting demand for Under Armour products. In February 2017, Copeland debuted her own collection of activewear for Under Armour. Shortly afterwards, she criticized statements by Under Armour founder and CEO Kevin Plank that praised
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
, stressing that her sponsors should believe in the "importance of diversity and inclusion". Plank responded in an open letter to the ''
Baltimore Sun ''The Baltimore Sun'' is the largest general-circulation daily newspaper based in the U.S. state of Maryland and provides coverage of local, regional, national, and international news. Founded in 1837, the newspaper was owned by Tribune Publish ...
'' to state that he supports "a diverse and inclusive America". In July 2017, Under Armour launched a digital ad campaign featuring Copeland, and at the end of that month she became the spokesperson for an Estée Lauder fragrance. '' W'' called her Estée Lauder campaign groundbreaking because cosmetics companies have rarely employed spokespersons other than models.


Honors

In 2008, Copeland won the Leonore Annenberg Fellowship in the Arts, which funds study with master teachers and trainers outside of ABT. The two-year fellowships are in recognition of "young artists of extraordinary talent with the goal of providing them with additional resources in order to fully realise their potential". In 2013, she was named National Youth of the Year Ambassador by the Boys & Girls Clubs of America."Misty Copeland: Principal Dancer
American Ballet Theatre American Ballet Theatre (ABT) is a classical ballet company based in New York City. Founded in 1939 by Lucia Chase and Richard Pleasant. Through 2019, it had an annual eight-week season at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center) in the spr ...
, accessed January 27, 2016
In 2014, Copeland was named to the
President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition The President's Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition (PCSFN) is a federal advisory committee that aims to promote "programs and initiatives that motivate people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities to lead active, healthy lives." It i ...
and received an honorary doctorate from the
University of Hartford The University of Hartford (UHart) is a private university in West Hartford, Connecticut, United States. Its main campus extends into neighboring Hartford and Bloomfield. It enrolled approximately 6,000 undergraduate and graduate students as ...
for her contributions to classical ballet and helping to diversify the art form. Copeland was a ''Dance Magazine'' Awards 2014 honoree. After her promotion as principal dancer, Copeland was named one of '' Glamour'' Women of the Year for 2015; one of
ESPN ESPN (an initialism of their original name, which was the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by the Walt Disney Company (80% and operational control) and Hearst Commu ...
's 2015 ''Impact 25'' athletes and influencers who have made the greatest impact for women in sports; by
Barbara Walters Barbara Jill Walters (September 25, 1929December 30, 2022) was an American broadcast journalist and television personality. Known for her interviewing ability and popularity with viewers, she appeared as a host of numerous television programs, ...
, one of the 10 "most fascinating" people of 2015, and one of the ''Time'' 100. As a result, Copeland appeared on the cover of ''
Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
'', making her the first dancer on the cover since
Bill T. Jones William Tass Jones, known as Bill T. Jones (born February 15, 1952), is an American Choreography, choreographer, director, author and dancer. He is the co-founder of the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company. The company's home in Manhattan. J ...
in 1994. In 2016, Copeland won a Shorty Award for Best in Dance in Social Media. In 2021, the
NAACP The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is an American civil rights organization formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E. B. Du&nbs ...
awarded to Copeland its highest honor, the
Spingarn Medal The Spingarn Medal is awarded annually by the NAACP, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) for an outstanding achievement by an African Americans, African American. The award was created in 1914 by Joel Elias Spingarn, ...
. On May 17, 2023, Copeland received an honorary
Doctor of Fine Arts Doctor of Fine Arts (DFA) is a professional doctoral degree in fine arts. It may also be awarded as an honorary degree. Description Doctoral programmes leading to DFAs in the UK are of equivalent level to a PhD, with the same requirement to demon ...
degree from
New York University New York University (NYU) is a private university, private research university in New York City, New York, United States. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded in 1832 by Albert Gallatin as a Nondenominational ...
.


Personal life

Copeland enjoys cooking. She and her husband, attorney Olu Evans, live on Manhattan's
Upper West Side The Upper West Side (UWS) is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It is bounded by Central Park on the east, the Hudson River on the west, West 59th Street to the south, and West 110th Street to the north. The Upper We ...
. The couple disclosed their engagement in a 2015 cover story in ''
Essence Essence () has various meanings and uses for different thinkers and in different contexts. It is used in philosophy and theology as a designation for the property (philosophy), property or set of properties or attributes that make an entity the ...
'' magazine. They married in California on July 31, 2016. They have one child, a son, who was born in 2022.


Published works

* * * * * * * *


See also

*
List of dancers A *Fred Astaire ( – ), American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer, musician and actor. He was an innovator in dance. He made 31 musical films, 10 featuring his dances with Ginger Rogers, and was honored with the fifth ...


References


External links

*
Misty Copeland
at
American Ballet Theatre American Ballet Theatre (ABT) is a classical ballet company based in New York City. Founded in 1939 by Lucia Chase and Richard Pleasant. Through 2019, it had an annual eight-week season at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center) in the spr ...
*
Copeland dancing
in '' On the Town'' on Broadway (2015) *
Copeland archive
at ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
''
55-minute version of ''A Ballerina's Tale''
PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...
(2016) {{DEFAULTSORT:Copeland, Misty 1982 births Living people 20th-century American dancers 21st-century American dancers 21st-century American ballet dancers American Ballet Theatre dancers American Ballet Theatre principal dancers American Ballet Theatre soloists American people of German descent American people of Italian descent African-American ballerinas American female dancers People from San Pedro, Los Angeles American prima ballerinas Dancers from California 21st-century American women San Pedro High School alumni