Misty Copeland

Misty Copeland is an American ballet dancer who became the first Black woman promoted to principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre in 2015.

American Ballet Theatre: An American ballet company based in New York City, founded in 1939. Copeland joined the company in 2001 and became its first Black female principal dancer.
Odette and Odile: The dual roles of the white swan and black swan in Tchaikovsky's ballet Swan Lake. Copeland made her ABT debut in these roles in 2014.
Black ballet dancers: Ballet performers of African descent whose careers have developed within a historically exclusionary art form. Copeland's visibility has focused attention on Black dancers' opportunities and barriers.
Gelsey Kirkland: An American ballerina known for her performances with the New York City Ballet and American Ballet Theatre. Kirkland's earlier ABT career offers a comparison with Copeland's later rise to principal dancer.
Twyla Tharp: An American choreographer known for work that combines classical ballet with modern dance. Tharp cast Copeland in the lead role of her ballet The Upper Room.
The Firebird: A ballet by Igor Stravinsky, first performed in Paris in 1910. Copeland danced the title role in Alexei Ratmansky's production at ABT.
Ballet body ideals: Physical standards promoted in ballet training and casting, often tied to narrow ideas of appearance. Copeland has discussed scrutiny of her muscular build and its place in ballet.
New York City Ballet: A ballet company founded in 1948 and based at Lincoln Center in New York City. It provides a major American-company counterpart to Copeland's institutional home.
Cynthia Bradley: A ballet teacher who trained young dancers in San Pedro, California. Bradley became Copeland's mentor and helped her pursue professional ballet training.
The Upper Room: A 1986 ballet by Twyla Tharp set to music by Philip Glass. Copeland's performance in this work brought her wider attention at ABT.

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American balletRelated: Her public prominence intensified discussion of access and representation in ballet.