Misty Copeland on Her 25-Year Career and Taking a Final Bow

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It’s been more than a decade since I last stepped into a light-filled ballet studio that smelled faintly of resin, wood, and super-strength hairspray, but I still find myself slipping easily into the dance variations I’ve memorized like a prayer…tombe, pas de bres, glissade, jeté. Now that I’ve replaced my Freed of London pointe shoes with comfortable shearling slippers, I use these four steps to habitually move from one room to another in my house. As I absentmindedly stretched while making my tea, I found myself reaching for the back of the couch as a makeshift ballet bar for balance. I always seem to think better when I pull my hair away from my face and put it in a bun on the top of my head.

Sure, we may no longer spend Friday nights icing sore muscles after a week of classes and rehearsals or sewing ribbons onto our pointe shoes like our lives depend on it, but I believe ballerinas will never truly stop being ballerinas. It becomes part of your DNA as soon as you fall in love with the art form and moves with you long after you finally step out of the spotlight. I spent years training for it and consider myself fortunate to have achieved it on the same timeline as Misty Copeland, American Ballet Theater’s first black principal dancer. Copland was the first dancer I truly remember seeing in person, and remains one of my biggest inspirations as an artist. I interviewed Copeland to learn more about her career’s most defining moments, next steps, and beauty rituals.

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Introducing Misty Copeland: Former American Ballet Theater Principal Dancer and Writer

In her 25 years at American Ballet Theatre, she not only gave us some of the greatest performances ever known (in my mind, the heartbreakingly beautiful rendition of the heartbreakingly naive Juliet Capulet), but she also paved the way for other brown ballerinas like me to follow. Although she is the definition of a “ballet prodigy,” Copeland didn’t start dancing until she was 13 years old. However, her meteoric rise in the dance world ignored centuries of tradition built to limit her success as a black dancer. Her pioneering career prompted a reexamination of many norms once accepted by the community, from the hues of pointe shoes to the reframing of the narrative of a predominantly European ballet troupe.

On October 22, 2025, she retired with a dramatic final performance by Sergei Prokofiev. romeo and juliet Calvin Royal III, Twyla Tharp’s Balcony Pas de Deux Sinatra Sweet with Herman Cornejo Rekka Stowea contemporary work by Kyle Abraham of Lincoln Center. The event was watched by thousands of people in person and online. Two months later, she quietly underwent hip replacement surgery. But just recently, Copeland made a surprise appearance at the 98th tournament. Academy Awards as part of Ryan Coogler’s musical direction sinner. She also appeared as the cover star of “The Strength Issue,” a collaborative platform by Aveeno and Togethxr with athletes Sophia Wilson, Cameron Brink, and Ari Truwitt.

That said, Copeland didn’t originally dream of becoming a ballerina, but for someone as introverted as she is, expressing herself through every movement was like another language. She grew up in a family that emphasized musicality and lyricism rather than focusing on spoken communication. As a high school student, Copeland became captain of the drill team and caught the attention of a coach who encouraged him to hone his natural abilities in training. Copeland’s ballet journey began on the basketball court at the Boys and Girls Club as part of a free program. “It wasn’t until I stepped into a ballet studio that it clicked. I finally felt like I was seen and I felt like I had a voice that fit me. I loved acting, but it didn’t mean anything to me, but for some reason, ballet technique gave me a new language,” Copeland says. On stage, she felt free, in control, powerful and powerful, and knew early on that as long as she could dance, there was no going back.

There are probably many defining moments in a dancer’s career where they feel as if they have discovered their true potential, but there are usually a few moments they can remember that changed the trajectory of their career. For Copland, it was when he was given the opportunity to play the lead role in an Igor Stravinsky film. firebird. As a soloist, she became the first black woman to play that role within the company. “For me, it was more than just the chance to prove myself. It was to be able to see the black community come and see themselves leading ballet on this stage at Lincoln Center (Metropolitan Opera House),” she explains.

At the time, Copeland and her managers spent time going into public schools in under-resourced and underrepresented communities to talk about what it meant to be a part of the sport and art form. Regarding her performance, firebirdthe audience was filled with the same community that showed up for her. “Seeing them all come together that night at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, so black! It was so shocking to see the movement towards diversity and inclusion in ballet happening in real time,” Copeland explains. When one of the theater’s longtime managers asked if all these enthusiastic audience members were related to her, she replied that although the 3,000 were not related, she considered them all family.

setting the stage for change

Thirteen years later, when Ms. Copeland decided to take her final bow as a principal with American Ballet Theater, she felt secure in her decision. The dancer decided to become a “designer”, choosing at the appropriate time for himself what his program would be, rather than leaving it to someone else’s conditions. “I didn’t want to be dragged down by pointe shoes! I knew I was in control, and I wanted it to be a really impactful moment for me,” she says. While she watched firebird As one of the most important roles she has undertaken, she has selected the excerpt below. romeo and juliet. She was originally scheduled to perform the ballet at the Royal in early 2020 as her lover Romeo Montagu, but the performance was postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak.

For Copland, taking on the role of Juliet Capulet was an opportunity to expand her acting abilities, effectively changing the way she viewed her artistry and the types of roles she had imagined herself playing. “For the first time in the company’s history, we were able to cast Calvin as two black leads, which was really important,” Copeland explains. she also Sinatra Sweet Tharp’s work resonated with her since she was 16, when she first encountered it. As for the high emotions of the night, she was completely relaxed and departed intending to enjoy her time on stage while trying not to worsen her back injury.

Copland’s advocacy for inclusivity and diversity in the ballet world doesn’t end with his departure from American Ballet Theatre, as he regularly spotlights figures like Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Ashton Edwards, who are also champions of change. “There are people who are joining the push for inclusion and want to see change, and things have moved on! A lot has changed during the pandemic, especially in the ballet world,” Copeland says.

One of the biggest conversations that arose around equality in ballet was about dark-skinned dancers having to “pancake” their pointe shoes to change their skin tone. Ms. Copeland began pancaking pointe shoes when she started dancing at age 13. As a professional dancer, she was initially provided with shoes custom-made to match her skin tone, but the shoes were discontinued when the company behind her decided they were too expensive to manufacture as a dancer with her skin tone wouldn’t need any other pointe shoes. Then she revealed a heartbreaking truth. The first time Copeland put on pointe shoes was not for his own pancakes, but for his farewell performance. “It took me 25 years of my professional career to see that change happen. That was my last performance,” she says. “Isn’t that weird?” Major ballet schools and companies are starting to allow pointe shoes and tights in shades other than pink as a uniform nude color, but it’s not yet an industry standard.

power in numbers

Copeland’s appearance on the cover of the Aveeno x Togethxr Strength Issue is a true testament to the athleticism of ballet as a sport and art form. While Copeland credits her career as a professional dancer for building a platform and establishing a voice for change in the ballet world, she said she has also advocated for elevating the voices and strength of women at the intersection of sport and dance. “As dancers, we’re also athletes, but we’re not always seen that way. So when this partnership opportunity arose, it made perfect sense because it was with Aveeno.” and I’m a big fan of Togethxr’s work with female athletes. ”

She respects The Strength Issue as consistent with everything she’s been pushing to change the narrative about how women’s strength is talked about and perceived. “As dancers, we place great emphasis on our bodies throughout our training, and it’s at the forefront of everything we do. Ballet taught me how important it is to have rituals that prepare you for the day and calm your mind,” she continues. Copeland views her anti-aging habits the same way. “My routine reflects the mindset I have when watching a ballet class. I don’t want a lot of steps, but quality. For me, it’s hydration,” she says. “I’m 43 years old and have had a lot of injuries because I’ve spent years on stage with lights hitting my skin. I love Aveeno’s songs. healing ointment For them! ”

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