Ballet star Misty Copeland was promoted to Principal Dancer at the American Ballet Theater today.
The talented and humble ballerina broke the news on social media. She becomes the first mixed-race female principal dancer in the company’s storied 75-year history.
Copeland, 32, is black, Italian and German. Her mother, Sylvia DelaCerna, is biracial (black and Italian) and her father, Douglas Copeland, is black. She did not see her father between the ages of 2 and 22.
Copeland managed to overcome adversity despite growing up in an unstable environment. Her mother married 5 times, and Copeland is the youngest of her 7 children.
Copeland was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world.
From The NY Times:
Her promotion — after more than 14 years with the company, nearly eight as a soloist — came as Ms. Copeland’s fame spread far beyond traditional dance circles.
She made the cover of Time magazine this year, was profiled by “60 Minutes” and presented a Tony Award on this year’s telecast. She has written a memoir and a children’s book, and has more than a half-million followers on Instagram. An online ad she made for Under Armour has been viewed more than 8 million times, and she is the subject of a documentary screened this year at the Tribeca Film Festival.
Watch the emotional moment Misty learned of her promotion.
