How She Does It Best Of: Misty Copeland On Becoming America’s Most Beloved Ballerina
Ballet’s biggest superstar, Misty Copeland, will be stepping off the stage as the Principal Dancer for the American Ballet Theater this fall after 25 years with the company. So we thought this was a good time to revisit the conversation Misty and Karen Finerman shared during season 1 of the podcast.
To be a ballet dancer, you must be a dancer, an athlete, and a performer all at the same time. It is a competitive and complex hierarchy, with thousands of dancers funneling to just a small handful at the very top. There used to be an overwhelming lack of diversity in the professional ballet world, and Misty broke that barrier at ABT with her dedication and undeniable talent. Since then, she has worked to increase the diversity of dancers on stage and widened the audience for this beautiful art form. After retirement, she plans to continue using her voice as an author, producer, director of documentary films, and entrepreneur.
💬 In this episode:
- Misty shares the challenging circumstances she faced growing up
- How she was first introduced to ballet at the Boys & Girls Club at age 13 (which is late for those who turn professional)
- Why she decided to stay with ABT after not being promoted as quickly as other dancers
- Her experience collaborating with Prince
- The unique public scrutiny she faced as she advanced in the company, and how she handled it
- How being a dancer informed her role as a mom to her young son
- What she does if she forgets a move on stage (yes, it’s even happened to Misty Copeland!)
🔗 Resources & Links:
📲 Follow How She Does It on Instagram: @hsdipodcast👩💼 Learn more about Misty Copeland at mistycopeland.com
📸 Follow Misty on Instagram: @mistyonpointe
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