In honor of the start of Black History Month, I wanted to shine a light on one of my biggest inspirations as a dancer, the wonderful Misty Copeland.
She made it her goal in life to inspire young dancers, especially fellow African American ballerinas, that even if you don’t come from a wealthy background and you start dancing at a later age, you can become successful.
Being raised in San Pedro, California, she started taking ballet lessons at 13 years old, which is a pretty late start in the dance world. She was recognized and scouted by some of the most prestigious ballet schools in the country, such as San Francisco Ballet School and the American Ballet Theatre.
Even though she started ballet at an older age than most girls, she blossomed very fast and became a beautiful dancer. Later on, in 2015, she went on to become the first female African American principle dancer in ABT history.
Throughout her career, she’s been in endorsed by multiple different brands and companies, such as American Express, COACH, and many more. She was even given the opportunity to be apart of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition by former President Obama.
Her entire brand is all a bout giving back to the youth and being a positive role model for young people that are in the same situations she was in. She spends a lot of her time mentoring youth, which is why she’s received many awards for her work with the Boys and Girls Club.
When I was around 13 or 14, I read her best-selling book, “Life In Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina.” As someone who hasn’t always been into reading, this book was amazing and so inspirational to read as not only a dancer, but as a young person. Being a young dancer isn’t always the easiest, especially when the sport feels toxic at times. But her words really motivated me to keep going, keep learning, and keep pushing, because one day, I could maybe become as successful as her and live my dreams to the fullest.
Copeland’s book discusses her journey from being an underprivileged 13 year old girl to making it to the American Ballet Theatre and making history. She speaks on being vulnerable about her experiences and family life before her career and how it got her to where she is today. In my opinion, it’s a beautiful read for anyone and I would definitely check it out if you haven’t already.
As a dancer and a Black woman in America, Misty Copeland has truly made her mark on this world and even though she doesn’t perform as much anymore, she still continues to influence the dance world and Black youth of America.