VUE

C opeland began practicing ballet at 13 which, in the classical ballet world, is what many would consider a late start. For her though, this meant making every moment, every movement, count that much more—and she did. In just a few short months, under the guidance of her teacher, Cindy Bradley, Copeland was dancing en pointe (for ballet newbies, that's the technique in which the dancer supports their body weight on the tips of their fully extended feet). Within her first year, she experienced her first performance; an achievement many aspiring dancers could only dream of. There was no doubt Copeland was a prodigy, but with no way of getting to her classes, she was told she had to give up ballet. This prompted Bradley to take her under her wing, and over the next couple years, Copeland would spend an abundance of time living with Bradley and her family. And despite an ensuing custody battle surrounding Copeland's petition for emancipation, the young dancer went on to take first place in the Los Angeles Music Center Spotlight Awards in 1998—and never looked back. Copeland joined ABT's corps de ballet in 2001 and by 2007, became the company's second African-American female soloist in two decades. She made history again in 2014 as the first African-American woman to take on the lead role of "Odile-Odette" in ABT's "Swan Lake." Following this in 2015, Copeland debuted as "Juliet" in "Romeo & Juliet" at ABT's Metropolitan Opera House, shortly before being promoted to Principal Dancer, the first African-American ballerina to achieve this feat in ABT's 75-year history. Today, Copeland has become an icon and symbol for younger generations of women to pursue their dreams. And though she still faces adversity today—mainly stemming from the scrutiny she's received for her muscular physique—Copeland continues to inspire and impress at every turn. VUE had the privilege to speak with Copeland on the eve of her opening night performance in ABT's "The Nutcracker." They say our best work stems from adversity. If you're American Ballet Theatre's (ABT) Principal Dancer Misty Copeland, there's no truer statement. Growing up in San Pedro, California, a young Copeland had dreams of one day gracing a stage as a ballerina, but having spent much of her early years living in a motel room with her mother and five siblings, the path to greatness wasn't one paved in gold. V U E N J . C O M 75 POINT OF VUE

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