Every Day Is Special: September 10 - Happy Birthday, Misty Copeland

September 10 - Happy Birthday, Misty Copeland

Posted on September 10, 2019

In an earlier post, I shared the anniversary of a ballet first: an African American woman being named a principal dancer of the American Ballet Theater.

That was in 2015! The "color barrier" that existed in ballet took a long time to come down, especially compared to many other forms of art and entertainment.

The dancer who broke that barrier is, of course, Misty Copeland, who was born on this date in 1982. Copeland remains one of the few black ballerinas who is a soloist and/or principal dancer.

Ballet dancers start young and work hard...

Ballet is such a rigorous and highly respected form of dance, most successful dancers begin training at a very young age, from four to six years old. It's the kids who can afford the time and money for many dance classes per week - and sometimes private instruction as well - who excel.

BUT!

Copeland broke all the "rules" and expectations I just mentioned. She didn't start ballet classes at age 4, or 5, or 6. As a matter of fact, she didn't even take any sort of dance classes as a child. As a young teen, she participated in her middle school's drill team - and her coach noticed her ability to move.

Copeland's first dance class - at the
Girls & Boys Club - she took in gym
shorts and sneakers!

That coach encouraged Copeland to take a free ballet class offered once a week in her local Boys & Girls Club. (Not a ballet academy! Not a dance studio! Just a freebie Boys & Girls Club once-a-week class!)

The teacher of that class, Cynthia Bradley, invited Copeland to attend her small ballet school, but it was not local. It would take at least half an hour of freeway driving to get from Gardena to San Pedro (both in Southern California), and longer during rush hour. Copeland couldn't drive - she was only 12 to 13 years old! - and her mom couldn't drive her - she didn't have a car and was working 12 to 14 hours a day! - and her big sister couldn't drive her - she was working two jobs!

Bradley saw so much promise in Copeland that she gained permission to pick her up from school and took her every day to the ballet school!

Ballet dancer en pointe

Most dancers need from two to four years of training in ballet - with a really good attendance record in their ballet classes! - before they are invited to go en pointe. (Dancers must also be old enough and strong enough - most likely age nine or above.) But Copeland only trained for three months before she got the nod!

Copeland had five siblings, and her mother regretfully told her that she would have to give up ballet - the family just didn't have the money or time to help her develop her talent. Again, Bradley stepped in with a suggestion: she invited Misty to live with her family. That's how Copeland ended up with her teen years in a sort of split life. Her weekdays were at the coast, living with a Jewish family, homeschooling and dancing, taking classes, training, and even watching videos about ballet. On the weekend, she took a two-hour-long bus ride to go home to where her large family lived in two rooms at the Sunset Inn.

Copeland received a LOT of attention. She was called a prodigy at age 13, when she first began serious training, and between eight months to a year later she already began winning dance awards and solos and opportunities to perform in larger and larger venues. At age 14 she was already getting media attention.

Age 16

What a strange and magical journey to stardom!!

But I'm sure you don't need me to say it:

Misty Copeland was a prodigy, and she was really lucky to have someone notice her and put in the time and effort to make sure she had access to training - but she still had to work really, really, really, really hard to get to be where she is!

Here is a taste of where she is and has been: