By Morgan Stephens
Misty Copeland made history by becoming the first Black principal dancer in the 75-year history of the American Ballet Theatre in 2015. Unlike other young ballerinas, Copeland did not begin to study ballet until the age of 13 and had to overcome her family’s struggle with poverty — making her path to success even more challenging. A once in a generation talent, Copeland also had to push through physically. The same year she was promoted to principal dancer, she endured a tibia stress fracture. Yet, she not only returned to excel as a performer; she also became a vocal advocate for dancers battling injuries while trying to meet often unrealistic expectations about the resiliency of dancers’ bodies. In addition, she has been open about the intense scrutiny Black dancers face when attempting to build careers in classical ballet. Copeland gave birth to a son in 2022 and returned to dance, celebrating her “new body” and founding the Misty Copeland Foundation to educate young dancers. Now retired and recovering from a total hip replacement in 2025, she still danced at the 2026 Oscars to the delight of her fans. She now works to inspire young dancers everywhere and recently published “Bunheads (Act 2) Dance of Courage,” a follow-up to her best-selling book for young readers, “Bunheads (Act 1).” Copeland is undoubtedly fierce and we can’t wait to see what she does next.
Morgan Stephens is a freelance writer in Washington, D.C.
Design: Jaiden Thomas
