Wonder Woman of the Week: Misty Copeland

Women across the world are shattering expectations in peaceful political protests all across the globe. This comes as little surprise when the current phase of feminism has women like this week’s spotlight as role models. The Wonder Woman this week grew up in poverty in a country where people of her race continue to face discrimination. But that discrimination forged this ballerina into the most formidable dancers in the United States. Not only did she face opposition for her race, but for nearly every aspect of her body which challenged the very status of the prima ballerina- top dog in the world of dance. She overcame those obstacles however and is currently one of the most celebrated dancers in contemporary ballet. The Wonder Woman of the Week is Misty Copeland.

Misty Copeland self-identifies her childhood as that of an anxious child. Born in Kansas City in 1982, Copeland was the fourth of six total siblings of mixed ethnicity. After living in motels rooms frequently moving between jobs, Copeland’s family eventually settled in San Pedro, California. But after the final settlement in California, Copeland’s stepfather became physically abusive toward both his wife and stepchildren. Young Copeland found an escape in dance; developing a passion and respect for the movement of Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci. Copeland’s young passion for dance led her to taking ballet lessons with the local Boys and Girls Club. There, instructor Cynthia Bradley encouraged Copeland to realized the girl’s potential and eventually adopted Misty and continued her training. [1]

In 2000, Misty Copeland completed an intensive summer program resulting in the American Ballet Theatre’s (ABT) Studio Company choosing Copeland and 150 other dancers to join the company’s ranks. Those accomplishments did not however cement Copeland’s career in the field. In a response to one of Copeland’s applications, one ballet troupe told the young woman, “You lack the right feet, Achilles tendon, turnout, torso length and bust. You have the wrong body for ballet. And at 13, you are too old to be considered.” For the next ten years, Copeland was the only black ballerina in the ABT and made headlines in 2007 when she became the first African American soloist for the company. [2]

In 2008, Misty Copeland earned the Leonore Anneberg Fellowship in the Arts and became the National Youth of the Year Ambassador for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America in 2013. In 2014, US President Barack Obama appointed Copeland to the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition. In the same year, the ballerina won the Dance Magazine Award and published a best-selling memoir about her life. Copeland continues to perform with the American Ballet Theatre- performing the lead in nine separate ongoing performances for 2017. [3]

Misty Copeland grew up in motel rooms with under the physical and emotional abuse of a father figure. She went on to make a career out of her childhood passion, overcame the obstacles of indifference, and went on to become a household name in her field. Even beyond the realm of ballet enthusiasts, Copeland’s story has reverberated into conversations among civil rights activists, national politicians, and fitness experts alike. After shattering her own boundaries and continuing lead performances in ballet today, Copeland advocates for expanding the diversity of dancers in the field working with children of mixed socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds to get more underrepresented youth involved in dance.

“Misty Copeland Biography.” Biography.com. A&E Entertainment; nd. Web. 25 January 2017.

Tan, Avianne. “Misty Copeland: From Kid Raised in Motel Room to Principal Ballerina With Broadway Show Gig.” ABC News. Disney Entertainment; 1 August 2015. Web 25 January 2017.

“Misty Copeland Principal Dancer.” American Ballet Threatre. nd. Web. 25 January 2017.