Misty Copeland
Once every decade or so, a super talented dancer comes along and takes the ballet world by storm. Currently she’s Misty Copeland, the thirty-two year old dancer just named as a principal for the American Ballet Theatre. The fact that she is an African-American is highlighted but, her raw talent is the true measure of her success.
Like every über successful performer she’s become an overnight sensation. Of course it took her nearly twenty years to attain that status! She wasn’t all dancer to the exclusion of high school like many dancers seem to be. She kept her life in balance and maintained a 3.8 grade average through her junior year.
Misty began late for a dancer. At twelve she’d never taken a lesson. Many dancers in today’s companies started lessons at age three or four, joined dance academies and audition from there into ballet companies. Misty climbed to fame like the others, through hard work, but with few advantages. Through her perseverance and the help of adults who recognized her natural ability, she rose through the ranks and recently attained star status. She’s currently signed on to perform in On the Town on Broadway (between ballet seasons).
Life wasn’t easy, but she remained dedicated and determined, dancing through a lumbar stress fracture and dealing with an eating disorder. Both are typical situations many dancers face, but few rise to her level of excellence.
If you wish to know more about her, check out the link below. You’ll also find photos of her, references to her book, Life in Motion and other details about her amazing life so far. Share her story with your young friends and relatives. Her tenacity inspires each of us to be and do our best
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