Misty Danielle Copeland (born September 10, 1982) is an American ballet dancer for American Ballet Theatre (ABT), one of the three leading classical ballet companies in the United States. On June 30, 2015, she became the first African American woman to be promoted to principal dancer in ABT's 75-year history. Copeland began ballet at age 13 and quickly rose to stardom. In 1998, she was involved in a custody battle between her ballet teachers, who were her custodial guardians, and her mother. Both sides eventually dropped legal proceedings, and Copeland began studying under a former ABT member.
In 1997, Copeland won the Los Angeles Music Center Spotlight Award as the best dancer in Southern California. She joined ABT's Studio Company in 2000, its corps de ballet in 2001, and became a soloist in 2007. From 2007 to 2015, she was described as a more contemporary and sophisticated dancer. Copeland has also worked as a public speaker, celebrity spokesperson, and stage performer. She authored two autobiographies, narrated the documentary A Ballerina's Tale, and was named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in 2015. She has performed on Broadway, toured with Prince, appeared on reality TV shows, and endorsed several brands including T-Mobile, Coach, Dr Pepper, Seiko, Dannon, and Under Armour.
United States
