Inspirational Women: Misty Copeland

Image courtesy of https://www.underarmour.com/en-us/misty-copeland

We wanted to start a new series on women who inspires us. These days, it’s not as obvious where progress is needed to be made in the fight for gender and minority equality. Yet these issues are still around, both domestically and internationally. These issues that infringe on our fight for equal opportunity and on our own unconscious bias. Therefore, I want this blog to highlight women who empower others and who are paving the way for the new generation.

Our first inspirational women, Misty Copeland, is a great role model for those looking to change stereotypes and break barriers .

Misty Copeland is the FIRST African-American principal dancer in the 75 years of the American Ballet Theatre (ABT). Which is one of the worlds elite ballet company. In ballet, women of colored often aren’t awarded covenant role, because the roles have a “look”. But thanks to Misty, and countless other women, who are changing this. Here are a list of 16 other ballet icons who are changing the face of ballet.

What is more incredible is her story isn’t a typical dancer success story. Raised by a single mother, who struggle financially, she began her dance training at a local Boys & Girls Club. Her teacher recognized her talent, and Misty started taking lessons at her ballet school at age 13 years old. This is consider late to start a ballet career. Then at age 15, she won first prize in the ballet category of the Los Angeles Music Center Spotlight Awards. Which lead to a full scholarship to the San Francisco Ballet summer program.

In 2000, Copeland won a full scholarship to the American Ballet Theatre intensive summer program. At the end of program, she was invited to join the ABT studio company, a selective program for beginner dancers. In 2001, she became a member of the ABT’s corps de ballet. The only African American woman in a group of 80 dancers. Eventually moving up the ranks despite her skin color and her fuller shaped body. She is not only a role model to younger dancer who don’t mirror the typical dancer mold, she is also an inspiration for every women, and men, who dream of overcoming in-diversities in their field.