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Misty Copeland is first black dancer to lead US ballet group | Misty Copeland is first black dancer to lead US ballet group |
(about 14 hours later) | |
The American Ballet Theatre has named Misty Copeland its principal dancer - the first time a black ballerina has held the prestigious role. | The American Ballet Theatre has named Misty Copeland its principal dancer - the first time a black ballerina has held the prestigious role. |
Ms Copeland, 32, made her debut this month, starring in Swan Lake in New York, one of the most coveted roles in ballet. | Ms Copeland, 32, made her debut this month, starring in Swan Lake in New York, one of the most coveted roles in ballet. |
In recent years, Ms Copeland has found fame outside of the ballet world. | In recent years, Ms Copeland has found fame outside of the ballet world. |
She has appeared in commercials and TV shows and wrote a best-selling memoir. | She has appeared in commercials and TV shows and wrote a best-selling memoir. |
"We haven't had a ballet dancer who has broken through to popular culture like this since Mikhail Baryshnikov," said Wendy Perron, an author and former editor of Dance Magazine. | "We haven't had a ballet dancer who has broken through to popular culture like this since Mikhail Baryshnikov," said Wendy Perron, an author and former editor of Dance Magazine. |
The moment of her promotion was captured on video and shared on Instagram. | |
"Misty, take a bow," said Kevin McKenzie, the company's artistic director, as Ms Copeland fought back tears. | |
Born in Kansas City, Missouri and raised in San Pedro, California, Copeland began dance training at the relatively late age of 13 at the San Pedro City Ballet. | |
She studied at the Lauridsen Ballet Centre, San Francisco Ballet School and American Ballet Theatre's Summer Intensive on a full scholarship. She joined the main company as a member of the corps de ballet in April 2001 and was appointed a soloist in August 2007. | |
The dancer has also appeared in a Diet Dr Pepper commercial and danced with Prince on his 2010 tour. | |
And she has been unusually outspoken about her desire to become the first black woman to be named a principal dancer at the American Ballet. | |
"My fears are that it could be another two decades before another black woman is in the position that I hold with an elite ballet company," she wrote in her 2014 memoir. "That if I don't rise to principal, people will feel I have failed them." | |
In March, Ms Copeland told the BBC she thought it was important to talk about being a black woman in the very white world of American ballet. | |
"It's incredible to be a brown swan," she said of her current role in Swan Lake. | |
Her performance is already credited with bringing a new diverse audience to ballet. | |
"In the racially under-represented world of ballet, Misty has already had an historic impact," said Damian Woetzel, a former principal dancer for New York City Ballet. "Now, as a groundbreaking principal dancer, she will continue to inspire." | "In the racially under-represented world of ballet, Misty has already had an historic impact," said Damian Woetzel, a former principal dancer for New York City Ballet. "Now, as a groundbreaking principal dancer, she will continue to inspire." |
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