Misty Copeland didn’t discover ballet until she was 13 years old. Yet she changed the way the dance looks forever. In 2015, she became the principal dancer for the American Ballet Theatre (ABT). No Black woman had ever had that top job in the 75-year history of the ABT!
Copeland has performed in shows such as Swan Lake and Cinderella. She has danced around the world and been on TV and in movies. By now, Copeland may be the most famous ballerina on Earth. Her success took a lot of hard work.
“I had moments of doubting myself and wanting to quit,” Copeland admitted. “I didn’t know if there would be a future for an African American woman at [a high] level,” she explained. “At the same time, it made me so hungry to push through.” She said there is an important lesson there.
“The beauty of life is discovery,” Copeland told News-O-Matic. “The journey we all walk leads us to who we are,” she added. “Sometimes our passions and gifts aren’t so black and white,” said Copeland. And she said you might have to work to find your hidden talents: “You may have to create that for yourself.”
Before she learned ballet, Copeland was a writer. “When I was a child, writing was so for me,” she explained. “Writing gave me a voice that I had not yet discovered completely until I found ballet.” As an adult, Copeland has continued writing. In fact, she has published several books — including a children’s book.
“To this day, writing allows me to create and to sort through all the thoughts and feelings I have,” Copeland explained. And she called writing and ballet “ .” How are they connected? “My favorite part about both is creating and expressing myself!” she answered.
Copeland hopes young people will keep reading and writing. After all, that helped her become a ballerina. “I want people to know the impact that art and reading played in making me who I am,” she explained. “All children need both to reach their fullest potential,” she added. And Copeland had a few final tips for students.
“My advice would be to not be afraid to explore,” she suggested. “Be open. Allow yourself room to fall and recover.”
Updated February 9, 2022, 5:02 P.M. (ET)
By Russell Kahn (Russ)
