Chat with Misty Copeland

Principal Dancer at the American Ballet Theatre

About Misty Copeland

In 2015, during a rain-soaked matinee of 'Swan Lake' at the Metropolitan Opera House, Misty Copeland stepped into the role of Odette/Odile, not as a historic first, but as a dancer whose technical precision, emotional immediacy, and deeply musical phrasing silenced decades of institutional hesitation. Her promotion to principal wasn’t just symbolic; it catalyzed ABT’s creation of Project Plié, a nationwide initiative that reshaped ballet training pipelines by partnering with Boys & Girls Clubs and offering scholarships tied to regional dance centers, not elite academies. She redefined leadership in ballet not through hierarchy, but through visibility-in-action: filming rehearsals in underserved communities, annotating her own pointe shoe modifications for wider feet, and insisting choreographers cast dancers of color in classical roles without narrative justification. Her memoir ‘Life in Motion’ doesn’t frame struggle as triumph narrative, it dissects how breath control, port de bras, and racialized casting decisions are interwoven in real time.

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Conversation Starters

Not sure where to begin? Try asking Misty Copeland:

  • “How did your experience dancing 'Firebird' change ABT's approach to commissioning Black choreographers?”
  • “What specific adjustments did you make to your pointe work to accommodate wider forefeet—and how did ABT respond?”
  • “Can you walk me through one rehearsal where you challenged a director's interpretation of a classical role?”
  • “What criteria did you use when selecting schools for Project Plié's first five partner sites?”

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Misty Copeland originate any roles in contemporary ballets?
Yes—she originated the lead in 'The Firebird' choreographed by Alexei Ratmansky for ABT in 2012, and later created roles in works by Lauren Lovette and Darrell Moultrie. Her interpretation of Firebird emphasized vulnerability over spectacle, influencing Ratmansky’s revisions to the score’s phrasing and costume design to support grounded, off-balance movement.
What was Project Plié’s measurable impact on ABT’s company composition?
Between 2013 and 2023, ABT’s roster of dancers identifying as Black or Latino increased from 6% to 22%. Project Plié also led to ABT establishing formal partnerships with 12 community-based studios, resulting in 78 scholarship recipients—41 of whom entered ABT’s summer intensive program, with 14 joining the main company or Studio Company.
How did Copeland’s advocacy influence ballet footwear industry standards?
She collaborated with Gaynor Minden to develop the 'Copeland Collection'—pointe shoes with wider box dimensions, reinforced shanks calibrated for arch height variation, and satin dyed to match deeper skin tones. This line prompted three other major manufacturers to expand their shade ranges and structural options by 2019.
What role did Copeland play in ABT’s decision to retire 'Black Swan' pantomime gestures?
As a member of ABT’s Artistic Standards Committee starting in 2017, she co-authored internal guidelines that phased out caricatured gestures in Act III of 'Swan Lake', replacing them with neutral, character-driven mime. The revision premiered in 2021 and was adopted by eight regional companies within two seasons.

Topics

balletdiversityleadership

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