'This Week' Sunday Spotlight: Misty Copeland

American Ballet Theatre dancer Misty Copeland on overcoming adversity in the classical ballet world.

[@mc3657]

I am actually reading Misty Copelands' book life in motion. She has such an amazing perspective and strives to let people know that they can push past negativity.

[@ngatiramona]

Flawless, inspirational and stunning. Misty, you are a real life hero. Bravo!

[@genejarvi2604]

Don't forget about Elizabeth Marie Tall Chief, Naive American. She danced with NYC Ballet in the 40's.

[@silvermediastudio]

Gene Jarvi No, they WANT you to forget about her. They want you to think Misty is in some way breaking new ground against racist whites.

[@TwilightChildren]

Maria Tallchief did not have to overcome the obstacles that an aspiring African-American dancer had to in the 1940s dance world. Yes she was told to change her surname to a Russian one but she wasSTILL being groomed to be a prima ballerina in a white dance world - a feat NO African-American would ever be considered for. The closest an African-America could get to the stage at the Met was through the back door with a mop and bucket in hand while Ms. Tallchief was dancing Firebird for an enchanted WHITE audience.

[@mithrilmoon1]

So did her sister, Marjorie Tallchief!

[@silvermediastudio]

@@TwilightChildren nice story you must have been there, first hand experience

[@rhoda6573]

@@silvermediastudio Tallchief's parents were wealthy. She had lessons from age three. So no, she didn't face quite as many obstacles.

[@kaysierbrown9961]

Reading the book “A girl named Misty” with my African American daughter,such an inspiration 🤗

[@IcyHot311]

Great example of excellent hard work and class in a woman. So nice to see all those little girls looking up to her with so much admiration.

[@jasmineherford1026]

Tbh I was also the only darker girl in my ballet class, everyone always looked down on me because of it. But I’m glad I didn’t gave up

[@storytimewithmrs.parker3774]

Breathtaking! Misty, you are an inspiration to young people everywhere.

[@jennterry6977]

Congratulations Misty!

[@Daya1828]

I just love that she brings color and vibrancy as well as talent and bravado to any company. The American Ballet should be so privileged to experience such beauty in classical ballet. I'm glad that Copeland is putting the spotlight on other talent that is different than the norm. America is evolving and so should the American Ballet. ♡

[@silvermediastudio]

Daya Tennille Washington Clearly you know nothing about ballet, or the Harlem Ballet company, that is 90% black, that also rejected Misty. What Misty does is contemporary dance and unfortunately it ruins what would otherwise be a ballet performance. It is like when you order grilled chicken and it comes out fried. Yes it is still chicken, but it is not what it is meant to be. Certain artistic styles aren't meant to evolve, there is purity and value in the form and standard that must be met. Another analogy, if you went to an African dance competition and there were people doing modern swing dance in zoot suits made of kente cloth, would you consider that African dance? Probably not.

[@tommccarthy6064]

My mom works at the metropolitan opera, she's met Misty. I haven't yet but I've met Isabella Boilsten. Misty really inspires me, when I grow up I want to be a professional ballerina just like her. Shes SO amazing!!! (from a 10 year old :p)

[@alakaholla5677]

*4EverEmma* McCarthy zxodkxlxlxellxlcopz lfx

[@kivalily]

ok but noone ever mentions her gift which is the ability to repeat choreo as she sees it.any dancer/performer understands the sheer economic value of a girl with beautiful lines and the correct body type (vogue skinny) regardless of her race or of people 'believing ' in her.Shes literally gifted but that shows how many gifted children have been missed by a loving,invested coach

[@kimbrakeley8496]

Just saw her in Swan Lake at the Met. She and her male lead were just stunning, it was very very beautiful. A performance to treasure, and the matinee was FULL. Full of beautiful little ballet loving girls of all sizes shapes and colors, and their loving parents, friends and families. It was a sight to behold. A wonderful wonderful production, a very special day. I will never forget it!

[@MRSOFFICER2012]

Such a wonderful dancer, Kids never give up on your dreams you can be great at whatever it is you strive to be.

[@michelleadamchak1330]

Misty Copeland dancing the Firebird was truly breathtaking to watch. She is flawless.

[@geeklinggirl]

Laura Streeter I do agree with you that her strength is contemporary, however I do think she is pretty talented classically as well. Maybe not in her adagio skills, but more her allegro. She has a strength that goes so well with allegro pieces.

[@Beautifullytragic6]

I bet she'll become a principal, so lovely!

[@oakleyward1741]

She does

[@sailormoonsims3785]

And here we are 2019! She's a principal you must be a fortune teller lol

[@sailormoonsims3785]

@Brooke Clayburn I have read it its amazing

[@jsmn5059]

Ballet has never been very popular in the black community in general... that should change.

[@silvermediastudio]

JSMN Harlem dance company, 90% black ballet studio and company... highly regarded, been around a long time. Nothing has to change except your ignorance and perceptions.

[@jsmn5059]

800lb Gorilla I only meant that ballet is not very popular among a lot of young black people. I never meant that blacks don't go see ballets or that there are no predominantly black dance troupes. I wish more young black people would get into ballet.

[@SW-nx4jz]

@@jsmn5059 I glad they don't. Ballet breaks and crushes the body. Most need major surgeries before they reach 30. That's not what everyone wants lol

[@maserati925]

It won’t. My mom took my dad (who’s black) to his first ballet and he didn’t understand anything he just laughed at the men’s “junk” showing in tights. It’s okay my that the majority of black Americans don’t like ballet or classical music it’s not their culture.

[@hummingnectarbird]

Tiffany Sky Tiffany, you have a misconception that’s perpetrated by Caucasians. I grew up in the South, watching ballet, listening to classical music, etc. I am also an equestrian. Your father said the same thing white men say who don’t know anything about ballet. How do I know? Because my white husband said something similar. But after I educated him on some info, he cane to enjoy it very much. Same with classical music and English riding. Educating someone first will give them an appreciation of it. I live on the East Coast now, but when I go visit the south, there are quite a lot of black ballerinas.

[@thisindiangirl48]

She is so so so lovely!

[@larahartley7607]

how very cute, especially the reporter at the end. he looked star-struck!

[@mrsKarrot86]

5 years later, shes principal.

[@sadiejasmine211]

Such beauty, strength and talent!

[@jens.1017]

Such grace and precision! She's incredible!

[@hummingnectarbird]

All Ms,Copeland is saying is that it was difficult for her because in the ballet world, the idea is white, no breasts, butt, or curves, ; nothing to take away from the lines of the dance. Also you must start at an very early age and the training is brutal. She has proven them wrong because she overcame all of that and has shown them that it is possible to have excellency despite what the stereotype is. The same thing is going on in the world of modeling bone thin models versus "real" size models. Ms. Copeland is African-American, only one of 2 who has made it to this elite position. Her message is for all the little girls out there, black and white, but espescially black, to ignore the status quo and pursue your dream. She has certainly done that. I love ballet and have watch most of the principal dancers and this woman is magnificent.

[@maserati925]

Most athletes don’t have large breast, buttocks so i can see why ballet is not any different. We want to see the art or sport not big boobs and ass wiggling on stage etc. has nothing to do with race or color in EU countries we even have black opera singers 🤦🏽‍♀️

[@hummingnectarbird]

Tiffany Sky Caucasians have big boobs and butts and have no problem putting it out there for all the world to see. Your problem is your envy of Misty. Instead of saying “I don’t like her”, which would have been honest, you have to try to tear down other people’s impression of her, attributing to her words that are not true. Misty did not get where she is by sucking up. The American Ballet Company wouldn’t put her on stage unless they were convinced of her talent. And ballerinas need not look as if they have anorexia nervosa to dance beautifully. I enjoy Misty’s body and what she’s able to do with it. Tell you what. When you get good enough to be up there on that stage with her, then you have the right to criticise her. Until then, kindly button it up.

[@Octarin]

Not only is she great at this but she's beautiful too... amazing! A new women's idol!!

[@Mad_Madalyn]

People dodging the racial aspect of things must be blind. You cannot deny that in many avenues of the art world, there is a certain ideal of beauty that seems to be the "obvious" choice, the natural choice, the expected choice, a choice the audience is expected to relate most to - despite us all being people. And it's an ideal that's antiquated, an ideal that's based on stereotyping others, an ideal that *still* very much exists in modern media despite how far our society has progressed. It's the ideal that ultimate poise, grace, charm, elegance, intellect, beauty, *perfection* - is porcelain.

[@xxes11xx]

Archangel Michael In terms of ballet, I am more concerned about how the modern style of direcing ballet is going to spoil my next favorite ballet piece than about whether the lead is white, Asian, black or purple.... the most amazing dancers I had seen were Asian, and yes Russian.... but the Russian ballerinas are considered the ideal of ballet not because of their physical appearance, but because the skill and style they teach in Russia is the best.... And I come from a country where we hate Russians, so that is something coming from me.... I cannot deny my eyes beauty and in terms of ballet, I see skill, directing, costumes, the background.... I usually do not even remember what color of hair the lead had, much less her skin.

[@Mad_Madalyn]

xxes11xx I think it's wonderful you have this point of view and I quite agree. I don't know a hell of a lot about ballet, but there's definitely a such thing as "typecasting" and "colorism", and it's in many forms of art, from animation, to film, to what I would suspect - dance. I greatly want people to be more accepting of diversity, but there are lot of people in power who stand in the way of that, and there are cultural ideals of beauty that are really twisted and discriminatory in nature. A large of part of the world definitely deems light skin as superior, while also marginalizing anyone from the African diaspora. And as you say, it's not only the lack of diversity in the art world that bothers me, it is the quality in our modern era. Things definitely aren't like they used to be. I find that the quality of art in many avenues has dwindled, and so it doesn't surprise me that a modern interpretation of ballet is also subpar as you say.

[@xxes11xx]

Archangel Michael Well, I am sure it would be a very enjoyable debate between the two of us iif we ever run into each other in real life.... :D The only thing I must address is this superiority of beauty.... yes, you are right to some extent, but you also need to understand the scientific facts about the ideals of beauty.... first of all, it is very different for men and women (in what they deem beautiful for the female body). But the very interesting fact comes from men..... they will, most likely, find their ideal of beauty to be that of his surroundings when he was growing up.... therefore, if the men lived in a very diversified environment, he will find beauty in diversity.... if he grew up in a homogeneous society, well, you can fill in the rest.... the point is, in terms of what men find beautiful, it is very hard to overcome nature/nurture there. Of course, these ideals then spill into what they find beautiful in, let's say ballet, which is, as Misty pointed out, not a very diversified group of people (though there are many Asians dancing classical ballet). If people never learn to find beauty in diversity before a certain point in their life, it is very hard to change it then. I have to go to work now, I will try to respond more in the evening. Have a wonderful day.

[@silvermediastudio]

Archangel Michael If you didn't notice, they made the ENTIRE piece about race when they mentioned race. Yet they failed to mention the entire ballet company in Harlem that his highly respected, yet, she didn't make that one either? Hmm.. and her stories (the one here, the one in the UA advert, and the one in her book) don't match once... some say she was discovered at 13, some say she was rejected at 13, some say she was discovered at 15... so many inconsistencies that it sounds like she changed publicists and couldn't get the story(ies) straight. I know, facts are hard to deal with sometimes. So much better to live in a fantasy world of happy endings.

[@silvermediastudio]

Archangel Michael Misty doesn't even really do "ballet." It's more like contemporary dance. She is basically a gymnast doing what she thinks ballet looks like.

[@natatatat3971]

Got her book...great read. She's an inspiration to many. :)

[@tweetlebugzz]

They act like the american ballet community is racist, but yet they had no problem seeing misty's talent. I don't think racism is the real reason there are almost no black ballerinas that reach the top. I think that there are just a lot fewer African Americans who are interested in ballet in the first place and because there are so few of them, it makes it even harder for them to break through the barriers that do exist. Misty has proven that if you are talented enough and driven enough, there is no place you can't go.

[@MsDesiree39]

PRECISELY!!! She made it and that means others can too.

[@gerrialexander4984]

Congratulations Misty! Absolutely beautiful!

[@amirahballerina1399]

She's a Principal!! I'm so happy she got Promoted😄😄😄

[@TheRobinRedbreast]

Wow she is amazing. Now I MUST go buy tickets to The Ballet. :-)

[@latalullah6655]

Congratulations on Principal, Misty!

[@Kimchiallthetime1123]

She is just fabulous. :D

[@silvermediastudio]

bacon strips Maybe she'll learn to dance ballet now?

[@queenempress2541]

Awww how precious!!

[@walksonair]

What a beautiful spirit.

[@silvermediastudio]

walksonair Now if only she could get her story straight about her childhood, maybe I could respect her as a person. No, she makes up whatever suits at the time to promote herself. It's shameful.

[@empressraven]

+800lb Gorilla WOW you sound like a straight up HATER.

[@ArtsyChick24]

+Raven Hill he's just a troll. ignore it and it will go away :)

[@jodybb2151]

she is such an inspiration.

[@silvermediastudio]

Why is she an inspiration?

[@jodybb2151]

When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a ballarina, my mom told me to leave to" leave that to dem little white girls, I don't have money to waste on that" .. I wish I had someone to push me, because I'm so in love with the beauty and art of ballerina.That's why she is an inspiration to me. She is doing something I wish I could do.

[@teareeutley3770]

She is a super hero

[@AnaPanama1]

Congratulations Ms. Copeland...principal ballerina!

[@emeraldsandrubies]

Beautiful, Misty!

[@maserati925]

If I was a ballerina I wouldn’t have the news stations call me African American because my mom is german and dad is black American therefore I’m biracial. They could use POC if they want to play identity politics.

[@littleginger101]

Love her so much!

[@shanecegrimm9370]

#x bbqb bn '@

[@junnypiggy]

wow, did not realise that ballerina's were all white up until this... she is gorgerous!

[@silvermediastudio]

For one, they aren't.. the piece is race bait. Two, her ballet is average at best. Really shameful, but that's the world we live in.

[@minkajazzy8986]

800lb Gorilla Are you a ballerina? Or involved in the Ballet society? I'm not (not yet, anyway), so I would like to know the source of your claim.

[@silvermediastudio]

janet holmes Yeah, you are full of insults, really supports your position.

[@silvermediastudio]

Minka Jazzy I do not dance ballet but I watch a lot of ballet and dated a professional dancer for many years, she taught me what to look for.

[@leolion4022]

love her...their could be dozens of Copelandd if people didn't deliberately keep others down for fear of competition

[@silvermediastudio]

They don't, this entire piece is race bait and SJW progressive garbage. Copeland was not selected to dance at a ballet school in Harlem, that is... wait for it... 90% black. Because she wasn't good enough.

[@sarahtaylor1871]

Misty you are a beautifully brave heart.

[@GremelMontgomery]

Thank U for Sharing Love G :)

[@Windsong14]

She is simply beautiful. It's really sad when you walk by a car and inside a family of three are living in it. A single Mom, and two children. I'ts -23 outside in the dead of winter, and they call that car home. It doesn't matter what color your skin is, the simple truth is this, they are homeless. So unless you have been where they are you cannot understand their demise because everyone's demise is different, said no one ever.

[@victorlopez327]

Always chase your dreams Never give up like I always wanted to be a ballerina like her and I became one:)

[@justsayin1643]

ok I fell in love she is flawless

[@silvermediastudio]

Aside from the fact that her ballet is actually pretty average.

[@bboy1022]

woah buddy i saw her first

[@sweetaliena]

800lb Gorilla It's true, she's an average classical ballet dancer. There's way better dancer than her. She's more a contemporary dancer than classical.

[@larahartley7607]

sweetaliena and you are an expert how? you can't even use correct english grammar. i think if kevin thinks she is good enough for a classical role, then she is good.

[@sweetaliena]

Lara Hartley well, my mother tongue is french so my english is not the best. i've seen her dance small soloists classical variations and contemporary roles. she's far better and stronger in contemporary. and you? did you see her dance live? also, kevin mckenzie is not a reliable source to say who's good in classical or not. his promotions are questionable and abt is really mediocre at the moment.

[@sissyntchou3374]

The book is awesoem

[@kraven624]

Yay! Misty!

[@karvroom69]

The fact she had severe fractures in her tibia WHILE DANCING is actually insane to me

[@TheElizabethCrown]

Awesome!

[@larahartley7607]

read the great story of misty's life in the new yorker. she admits they had a good life and then they had a bad life... you never know what is said in a video interview because of how it is edited.

[@cheskamigo]

very inspiring......:)

[@alainberlaty1394]

She looks pretty mixed to me, I'm a mixed former ballet dancer.

[@dwanagrech4517]

Brava Misty! Vamanos!

[@2damnfunny]

13? That's really good. They always so you need to start much earlier.

[@aishaafi572]

i luv misty

[@spottertruk]

A beautiful dancer is a beautiful dancer; regardless. Leave "race" out of it! It's not appropriate.

[@etcetera1995]

Pretty hard to leave race out of it when the entire corps de ballet looks like a loaf of white bread.

[@spottertruk]

True enough, but check out the latest USA gymnastics team. And Copeland has had a tremendous influence on dance. So has Alvin Ailey and the Dance Theater of Harlem.

[@etcetera1995]

Amy Bonomo That's why it's called 'progress,' not the end result.

[@spottertruk]

Indeed! :)

[@rosireed3969]

Amy Bonomo really!!!!

[@patriciaalarcon4167]

❤ Misty Copeland

[@NatureAG]

💕💕💕

[@foreverlovegreen8843]

Once we get completely rid of those we were born before 1970's then yes, racism will leave. BLACK women have it the hardest and thats the truth we are only good for demeaning things and nothing good. It's sad to say but we are not at the top of anything major which is why it is a fight for us...we have to always prove we are the best in anything we do. Regardless of what it may be. Its easy to say can we just let it go when its not you who are in the struggle.

[@MsDesiree39]

Ha. if u r talented you can get anywhere u want to, just as she did, just as Lebron did and these were not rich pple when they were kids. You have to work hard as they do!

[@silvermediastudio]

Copeland was rejected from a ballet school in Harlem that is 90% black. Because she wasn't good enough, not because of her race or her body shape. There have been native, black, asian, and latino ballet dancers since the 1940s. They don't tell you that in this piece, because it's progressive SJW race bait.

[@sissyntchou3374]

I Read the book

[@alainberlaty1394]

Ballet was invented in Italy, develop in France and perfected in Russia, all 3 Caucasian population countries.

[@blah7983]

Misty Copeland isn’t that great tbh. I wish we would promote Michaela Prince or Precious Adams as the role model for aspiring black ballerinas. And Michaela has an even more intense sob story for the execs in charge responsible for Misty’s promotion who tryna profit off diversity.

[@grapeball20]

yeah I have watched her other performances, not even at principal level. Both Prince and Adams however are great

[@xxes11xx]

Many classical ballet dancers are Asian as well... not just white.... but congrats to Misty, she is beautiful and I hope the modern style of directing ballet does not meet her career, since it is horrible.

[@silvermediastudio]

Oh my lord... "woe is me, we were homeless, I'm black... " This madness has got to stop.

[@MRSOFFICER2012]

I don't think her race had anything to.do with being homeless, I believe it was just about the struggle and where she came from. People.from.all races definitely have been homeless so I don't think it was about her race.

[@silvermediastudio]

MRSOFFICER2012 I never said her homelessness had to do with her being black. Did you fail 2nd grade reading comprehension? The entire piece was about her race.

[@MRSOFFICER2012]

800lb Gorilla Actually I managed 2nd grade and Graduate school well enough to manage a Phd. SMH, why do you have to result to insults? I would think as an adult people could have a conversation without insults, however from your homeless comment I should have known better than to even respond in the first place, have a great day and this piece was about way more than race, however it's obvious you don't get it.

[@tbjw1]

MRSOFFICER2012 800lb Gorilla is a troll. Pay no attention to it's comments. It is best to allow it to rant to it's self rather than feed them with the attention they so desperately need.

[@silvermediastudio]

MRSOFFICER2012 It would take a PhD to write out an entire paragraph that says absolutely nothing. If you didn't notice, they made the ENTIRE piece about race when they mentioned race. Yet they failed to mention the entire ballet company in Harlem that his highly respected, yet, she didn't make that one either? Hmm.. and her stories (the one here, the one in the UA advert, and the one in her book) don't match one... some say she was discovered at 13, some say she was rejected at 13, some say she was discovered at 15... so many inconsistencies that it sounds like she changed publicists and couldn't get the story straight. I know, facts are hard to deal with sometimes. So much better to live in a fantasy world of happy endings. "SMH" says the "Phd."

[@potatohead4871]

Nobody is saying the ideal dancer is wight she's just making that up

[@kimkuczynski6443]

Go Copeland!

[@playnejanehernandez3173]

Far behind is her technique

[@theresematheny8926]

I’m a dancer

[@alanareason1499]

I want to be a ballerina I can I look like her

[@Ken1Isis]

They Discourage All NonEuropean to NOT do ballet...Even says ohhh no Your but will get to big or its very expensive..etc when you do the history you'll be surprised at who taught the European ballet

[@silvermediastudio]

Bullshit, this entire piece is race baiting propaganda.

[@iam1_iam]

why is the USA so obsessed with race????

[@Daya1828]

The whole world is, we just make room for it because America's entire existence is based on race and slavery--control, power and money because of it. Race is a staple in this country, like it or not.

[@silvermediastudio]

Only black people and white liberals are obsessed with race. Everybody else is sick of hearing about it.

[@tweetlebugzz]

Uchechi Jahi that is not true! Try having white skin and walking into a Hispanic grocery store Or a black neighborhood. Racism goes both ways.

[@zvelf]

zuzuforever This liberals and black people statement is such a blatant bit of agitprop. It's no more accurate than saying all white Republicans are racists.

[@silvermediastudio]

Voip Essential Oh please. There are plenty of white, asian, latino and black ballet dancers. There's a highly regarded ballet school, IN HARLEM, that is 90% black. Oh guess what, Misty was rejected from that school, too, based on her MERIT (or lack thereof). Funny how that part of the story gets left out. And regarding black women... what, are ALL black women thick and busty? Of course not, there are plenty of slender black women in the world, and no doubt some of them have the talent and work ethic to become ballet dancers. In fact, many of them have. This entire piece is racist, bigoted, and biased. Disgusting.

[@doceigen]

Why doesn't every street corner hip hop artist have a million dollar contract? So when the flood gates are opened, directed talent efforts like Misty's, will no longer be worth the bother, I mean how many guys make it into the NBA? Do you think if they lowered the average height in the NBA to 5' 6" that people would pay to watch it? I would not have bothered to become a top scientist/engineer, if everyone else had been doing it. Just saying.

[@ferdhinico.3402]

I'm sorry but she is not black.....she's biracial, or maybe even triracial but shes not a true black woman......she's mixed race, let's call it for what it is.....if a real black woman tried, she wouldn't even get close to where she's s at, these stars need to stop using the same old line, "I was dirt poor and African American" so they could try to sell a book. Stop that. The girl is clear as ice yet she tries to say she's African American. Smh

[@morgan.r_taylor]

Mixed women everywhere are racially profiled as african american. As a mixed girl in ballet, everyone sees me as a lighter skinned African American.

[@djr7144]

Whites still go by the one drop rule.

[@tombrock03]

How much black is she or was the white blood her savior.

[@wendyverdades3013]

USA has this problem but the rest of the world not so much.