American dancer Misty Copeland knows about overcoming the odds and pushing through adversity to achieve a dream.
As the first African American female to be appointed as Principal Dancer with the prestigious American Ballet Theatre, Copeland knows more than a little bit about breaking out of the life she was given, to create the life she wanted. With that story to tell, it’s no surprise the 34-year-old was invited to Denver as a special guest of the Colorado Women’s Foundation annual luncheon, an event sponsored by the Denver Post Community Foundation.
The foundation’s goal is to create systemic change for women and girls in Colorado, empowering them to overcome stereotypes, tackle math, science and technology in school, achieve financial independence and reach their full potential.
Copeland’s story seems to align with that message. Her seemingly fairy tale adult life in the spotlight bears little to no resemblance to her humble beginnings.
To that end, Copeland has this message for the young girls and women of Colorado: “It’s so beautiful and so important to just own who you are and all of those things that make you different and special and unique as a human being.”
The world-renowned ballerina has managed to break out of a childhood in which she and her five siblings were raised by a single mother who struggled to make ends meet. At times, they lived in motels, with no stable place to call home.
It’s taken intense focus, perseverance and tireless dedication to rise out of those circumstances and shine under the bright lights on some of America’s most prestigious stages.
Before taking center stage at the CWF luncheon on Wednesday, Copeland granted a one-on-one interview with Denver Post TV. She said ballet was definitely an escape from her reality, and even today, the stage is a safe place where she finds peace.
Transcript
Molly Hughes: So you are here in Denver for the women’s foundation of Colorado luncheon as an honored guest. The foundation is all about creating systemic change for women and girls. What is it like to be you and to be able to use this platform?
Misty Copeland: You know it’s incredible. I never imagined that I would be in this position. But, you know, I feel like it makes sense. You know growing up in an environment where I was watching this woman, my mother, raising six children on her own.
And the way she carried herself, the way she, kind of, hid almost this pressure I think of what it was to be a single mother. It was definitely something that was instilled in me and maybe in a subconscious way. That I happened to find this field that’s, you know, one of the few that really celebrate women. You know, classical ballet is all about the woman and ballet wouldn’t exist if the ballerina wasn’t, you know, a part of it. So it’s very interesting how I found my path and just how much support I’ve gotten from incredible women along the way — who have gotten me to this point. And I think that’s why I understand what it is to be a role model and a mentor to so many.
Hughes: Do you have a particular message for them today, especially the young?
Copeland: I think it’s important to be yourself. And it’s so hard I think this day and age with social media and, you know, being able to access imagery so easily and it’s not always the most positive, and it’s really, kind of, giving you the structure of what you are supposed to look like — are supposed to be. And I think that it’s so beautiful and so important to just own who you are and all of those things that make you different and special and unique as a human being. And that’s something that I’ve really owned, and so many can relate to it.
Hughes: So you talked about your family growing up — one of six with a single mom. Was dancing something that you always desired to get into or how did that all come about?
Copeland: You know, all of my siblings were athletes. I think I was the only one that never really connected to any sport in particular. But I loved music, and there was music around the house. And I moved to it. I had no exposure to dance in any way.
My mother danced a little bit growing up and she was a professional cheerleader, so that was kind of in my background. I knew that about her, but I was always drawn to movement, and I was a really shy child and I never really spoke if I wasn’t, you know, in my home and surrounded by my siblings in a comforting environment. But movement was a way that I felt like I was expressing myself and I didn’t have the pressure of having to speak. But, yeah, I was always a natural mover.
Hughes: Did you at all get into dancing as an escape. Was there a component of escapism for you?
Copeland: Absolutely. I don’t think I was aware of that really at the time but it was always so chaotic at my house. You know, being one of six children — that’s just, you know, going to be that way. But especially growing up in the situations that we did, where we didn’t always have a home, we didn’t always have you know an environment that allowed for us to have our space and to kind of get to know who we were and understand who you were. It was we were just always surrounded by each other. And dancing was always I think a way for me to go away and find this space and some time for me. And once I discovered ballet it was so clear to me that it was such an escape from all of the obstacles at home, and, you know, that my mother’s divorces and not always, you know, living in a home — sometimes in a motel or staying with friends. And when I was in the studio is really the first time that there was this clarity, and it was something that was so beautiful that again was my own. And I never experienced that as a child. And to this day it still is an escape for me, you know, from all of the amazing opportunities I have. But it can be overwhelming sometimes. And when I’m on stage, it’s like no one can touch me. No one can speak to me, no one can judge me openly and outwardly with their voice. They may be doing it internally from the audience, but there’s just something that feels so sacred to me when I’m dancing.
Hughes: Is there any part of you that is bothered by the fact that the title is first African-American principal dancer in the ballet company?
Copeland: No. I think that this is something that I’ve had to accept and own, and I’m so OK with that. You know, this is a huge deal and for people to kind of take away that title just because I’ve reached this point — like it doesn’t make any sense. It is a big deal, and it doesn’t erase the history of the lack of diversity in classical ballet just because me as an individual — one person — has reached this point. So whenever people say, “You know, you’re here. Like, why do you have to talk about race? Why is every article about you being African-American. It has to be said. That message has to continue and I hope it does. When I’m retired in that it will continue to spark change.
Hughes: You’ve talked about how dance has given you the confidence to have a voice. What do you want to do with that voice and how do you see that being used?
Copeland: It’s really incredible. You know, as a dancer, I have I felt so comfortable being in front of, you know, large crowds of people, but I never was that way as a speaker just being in school having my name called on to read was terrifying. So to be at this point and to feel the comfort I do with speaking, I understand the value and the benefits of having a voice and being in this position and it’s powerful and it’s important I think especially as a black woman to be setting an example and kind of changing the way these labels and things are put on African-American women as to what they’re capable of. I think that it’s so important for me to have a voice and to use these incredible platforms I have like UnderArmour, Seiko and Dannon to be able to show the beauty of classical ballet and all the hard work that it takes and give us that same respect that these professional athletes are given.
Hughes: So the Under Armour campaign: The slogan, I believe, was: I will what I want.
Copeland: Yes.
Hughes: Does that fit you personally?
Copeland: To a T. You that you know that relationship with Under Armour, whenever I’m partnering up with these brands, it has to make sense for me.
I don’t have a lot of time. And classical ballet and American Ballet Theatre is my No. 1 focus and what I’ve worked my whole life for. So it has to really match up with who I am and what it is I’m saying and UnderArmour is definitely all of those things — you know, celebrating the athlete and the underdog and not really focusing on someone just because they’ve reached that level of success, but watching someone along their journey to get to that point of success and not really fitting the mold of what’s expected of us.
Hughes: I wanted to talk a little bit more about what your future holds, but your athleticism is so staggering. I think to hear that you suffered from body image issues, and things like that — which is so common for any woman — but is there cross training that comes with being a ballerina or just all this just happen from dance.
Copeland: I recently told my husband that I’m going to start giving him private lessons because there’s no shortcuts in becoming a ballerina. And I don’t think there’s really any cross training that can get you to this point. A ballerina’s body is built through the classical technique, so it really takes care of everything. But of course, in my down time, when I’m away from American Ballet Theatre, I give myself ballet class every day, but then I will also do cardio or run on the elliptical machine or all do pilates, or I’ll swim things like that. But the ballet technique is so smart and it’s so beautiful, and that’s why it’s been around for hundreds of years and people don’t need to change it because it builds this body on its own.
Hughes: One final message to the young ladies of Denver. Can you look into the camera and say a message to them?
Copeland: I would say again just to really own who you are and accept who you are and know that you are beautiful, and unique, and not to let other people’s words define you.
