The Biography of Misty Copeland, The First Black Woman at The Royal Ballet

When Misty Copeland was a child, she loved to compose her own dance with Mariah Carey songs. As she grew older, her talent about dance more brighter. This is the reason why she became to the captain of Dana drill team when she going to the Danna Middle School. It gave her the strength that helps her promote in her career and make her skill more professional.

In 1996, thanks to Cantine, Copeland has the chance to attend a free ballet class and she made everyone surprise about her talent before she participating. Although she refuses to go to class because no one in her family can pick up her to the dance school, her teacher, Cynthia Bradley has begun to pick her up from school. Although her mother disagrees to let Copeland study the Ballet, Bradley wants her to continue to study and offer to become her host.

Thanks to that recommendation, Misty Copeland together with her mom has signed a management contract with Bradley. She has trained in three years with Bradleys before she won the national ballet contest as well as her first solo role in the age of fourteen. From this time, Copeland learns more about the ballet in the book and the videos and also from Bradley’s husband. At the age of fifteen, Copeland won the first place in the Los Angeles Music center spotlight Awards in March 1998. Although she gets the full tuition as well as expense scholarship in the school she refuses it and getting back to her home to continue training and dream to become the dancer with ABT.

When she can participate the ABT studio and get pay with her performance as well as the accommodation, she had to get back to California to finish her high school because of her mom insisted. Then in September 2000, she officially joined the ABT Studio company and performed the Pas de Deux in Tchaikovsky ’s the sleeping beauty. Everyone recognizes her talent because she learns very quickly and reproduces it exactly. The highlight in her career was the time she became the soloist at ABT in 2007, one of the youngest ABT dancers. Moreover, she was the first Africa American woman get in this position.

Five years later, Copeland was recognized by The Council of Urban Professionals as their Breakthrough Leadership Award winner. In 2015, Misty Copeland became the first African-American woman to be a principal ballerina in ABT’s 75-year history. Across her story, she has announced in the You Tube video sharing the fact that how was she think when people focus too much when she is the black dancer. She thinks that no matter race you are, what genders, everyone can be successful.

The truth is that there is never been a black woman at the royal ballet and she has proof that who she is. When she sharing her story publicly, she also sent the message to everyone, every class that if you have talented, no matter what is your background, your class, you can still succeed with your own path. She had made many masterpieces and created many choreography such as the role of Princess Florine in The Sleeping Beauty, the cowgirl in Rodeo, Bianca in Othello and so on.