Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Misty Copeland

Discover the career path of Misty Copeland, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Misty Copeland is a celebrated American ballet dancer and author. She is renowned for her groundbreaking achievement as the first African American woman to be promoted to principal dancer at the prestigious American Ballet Theatre (ABT) in its 75-year history, a milestone reached on June 30, 2015. Copeland's accomplishment is significant in promoting diversity and inclusion within the world of ballet.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1982: Debra Austin becomes Principal

In 1982, Debra Austin became a principal at Pennsylvania Ballet, one of the first black principal ballerinas at major American companies.

1990: Lauren Anderson becomes Principal

In 1990, Lauren Anderson became a principal at Houston Ballet, the first black principal ballerina at a major American company.

1996: First Ballet Class

In early 1996, Misty Copeland was convinced by Cantine to attend a ballet class at the local Boys & Girls Club, marking the beginning of her ballet journey at age 13. She began her ballet studies at the San Pedro Dance Center when Cynthia Bradley began picking her up from school.

1997: Los Angeles Music Center Spotlight Award

In 1997, Misty Copeland won the Los Angeles Music Center Spotlight Award, recognizing her as the best dancer in Southern California.

March 1998: First Place at Los Angeles Music Center Spotlight Awards

In March 1998, at fifteen years old, Misty Copeland won first place in the Los Angeles Music Center Spotlight Awards at the Chandler Pavilion. This recognition secured her title as the best young dancer in the Greater Los Angeles Area by the Los Angeles Times.

1998: San Francisco Ballet School Workshop

In 1998, Misty Copeland attended the summer workshop at the San Francisco Ballet School. She declined an offer to continue as a full-time student, encouraged by her mother and the Bradley family and also dreaming of a summer with American Ballet Theatre.

1998: Custody Battle and Professional Offers

In 1998, Misty Copeland's ballet teachers served as her legal guardians amid a custody battle with her mother. Despite these legal issues, Copeland, then an award-winning dancer, received professional offers. Both sides dropped legal proceedings and Copeland moved home to study under a new teacher, a former ABT member.

1999: Auditioned for Dance Programs

In 1999, Misty Copeland auditioned for and received offers from several dance programs for their summer programs. She performed with ABT as part of its Summer Intensive programs.

September 2000: Joined ABT Studio Company

In September 2000, Misty Copeland joined the ABT Studio Company, ABT's second company, performing the Pas de Deux in Tchaikovsky's The Sleeping Beauty.

2000: ABT Summer Intensive and Coca-Cola Scholar

In 2000, Misty Copeland participated in ABT's Summer Intensive Program, danced the role of Kitri in Don Quixote, and was declared ABT's National Coca-Cola Scholar. She was also selected to join the junior dance troupe.

2000: Joined ABT's Studio Company

In 2000, after participating in two summer workshops with American Ballet Theatre (ABT), Misty Copeland became a member of ABT's Studio Company.

2001: Joined ABT's Corps de Ballet

In 2001, Misty Copeland became a member of the American Ballet Theatre's (ABT) Corps de ballet.

2001: Joined Corps de Ballet and Lumbar Stress Fracture

In 2001, Misty Copeland became a member of the Corps de ballet in the ABT and was sidelined for nearly a year due to a lumbar stress fracture. This led to medical interventions that altered her body image and presented new challenges.

2003: Dance Magazine's "25 to Watch" and Role in La Bayadère

In 2003, Misty Copeland was named to Dance Magazine's "25 to Watch" and received favorable reviews for her roles in La Bayadère and William Forsythe's workwithinwork.

2004: Breakthrough Season and Meeting Biological Father

In 2004, Misty Copeland had her breakthrough season, receiving recognition for roles in various ballets. Also in 2004, she met her biological father for the first time and regretted that she had not done so sooner.

2005: Performance in Tarantella

In 2005, Misty Copeland's notable performance was a pas de deux in George Balanchine's Tarantella. She also danced the Lead Polovtsian Girl in "Polovtsian Dances" from Prince Igor.

2006: Giselle and Glow-Stop Performances

In 2006, Misty Copeland was acknowledged for her performance in Giselle and created a role in Jorma Elo's Glow–Stop. She also performed in Swan Lake in New York and at the Orange County Performing Arts Center.

2007: Became an ABT Soloist

In 2007, Misty Copeland became a soloist for the American Ballet Theatre (ABT), described as having matured into a more contemporary and sophisticated dancer.

2007: Performance in Cinderella and The Sleeping Beauty

In 2007, Misty Copeland danced the role of Blossom in James Kudelka's Cinderella and the Fairy of Valor in The Sleeping Beauty. Her performance continued to earn her praise.

2008: Only African-American Woman in ABT

As of 2008, Copeland was the only African-American woman in the dance company during her entire ABT career, enduring cultural isolation in an international ballet community lacking diversity.

2008: Performances in Twyla Tharp's Baker's Dozen and Paul Taylor's Company B

During the 2008–09 season, Misty Copeland garnered praise for her performances in Twyla Tharp's Baker's Dozen and Paul Taylor's Company B.

2008: Performances at the Metropolitan Opera House

In the summer of 2008, Misty Copeland's performances in Don Quixote and Sleeping Beauty at the Metropolitan Opera House were well received.

March 2009: Filming Music Video with Prince

In March 2009, Copeland filmed a music video with Prince for a cover of "Crimson and Clover", from his 2009 album Lotusflower, improvising ballet movements to his direction.

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2009: Performances at the Met and ABT's Trip to Beijing

During the 2009 Spring ABT season at the Met, Misty Copeland performed Gulnare in Le Corsaire and leading roles in Taylor's Airs and Balanchine's Pas de Deux from Swan Lake. Late in 2009, she performed in ABT's first trip to Beijing at the new National Center for the Performing Arts and created a role in Aszure Barton's One of Three.

2010: Featured in T-Mobile's ads for BlackBerry

In 2010, Misty Copeland was featured in T-Mobile's ads for the BlackBerry.

2010: Performances at the Met and Guggenheim Museum

In 2010, after recovering from a stress fracture, Misty Copeland performed in Birthday Offering at the Met and at the Guggenheim Museum danced to David Lang's music. She also created the Spanish Dance in Alexei Ratmansky's new version of The Nutcracker.

April 2011: Performance with Prince on Lopez Tonight

In April 2011, Misty Copeland performed alongside Prince on the Lopez Tonight show, dancing to "The Beautiful Ones."

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2011: Unveiling of dancewear line M by Misty

In 2011, Misty Copeland unveiled a line of dancewear, M by Misty, which she designed.

2011: Hulu web series and So You Think You Can Dance guest judge

In 2011, Misty Copeland was featured in Season 1, episode 5 of the Hulu web series A Day in the Life. Also in 2011, Copeland was a guest judge for the 11th season of FOX's So You Think You Can Dance.

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2011: Recognition by Essence and Performances in London and at the Met

In Black History Month in 2011, Misty Copeland was selected by Essence as one of its 37 Boundary-breaking black women in entertainment. That same month, she toured with Company B and performed at Sadler's Wells Theatre in London. Her Summer 2011 ABT solos included the peasant pas de deux in Giselle and, in Ratmansky's The Bright Stream at the Met in June, her reprise of the Milkmaid was called "luminous, teasingly sensual".

March 29, 2012: Starring in The Firebird

On March 29, 2012, Copeland starred in The Firebird, with choreography by Ratmansky at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California. The performance was hailed by Laura Bleiberg in the Los Angeles Times as one of the year's best dance performances.

June 2012: Lead in The Firebird at the Met and Injury

In June 2012, The Firebird was again performed at the Met, with Copeland set to alternate in the lead. After only one New York performance in the role, Copeland withdrew from the entire ABT season due to six stress fractures in her tibia.

May 2013: Return to the Stage in Don Quixote

In May 2013, after her injury, Copeland returned to the stage dancing the Queen of the Dryads in Don Quixote. Nelson George began filming a documentary about her comeback.

June 2013: Reprising Gulnare in Le Corsaire

In June 2013, Copeland reprised her role as Gulnare in the pirate-themed Le Corsaire. She also played an Odalisque in the same ballet.

2013: Dr. Pepper ad and spokesperson for Project Plié

In 2013, Misty Copeland was featured in an ad for Dr. Pepper. Also in 2013, she represented Coach, Inc. and became a spokesperson for Project Plié, a national initiative to broaden leadership within ballet.

May 2014: Lead Role in Coppélia and Performances at the Met

In May 2014, Misty Copeland performed the lead role of Swanilda in Coppélia at the Met and was praised in the dual role of Queen of the Dryads and Mercedes in Don Quixote. Later in May, she performed in Theme and Variations, Duo Concertant and Gaîté Parisienne.

June 2014: Performances in Cinderella, Manon, and La Bayadère

In June 2014, Misty Copeland danced the Fairy Autumn in Frederick Ashton's Cinderella and played Lescaut's Mistress in Manon. She also performed the role of Gamzatti in La Bayadère.

2014: Sponsored athlete for Under Armour

In 2014, Misty Copeland became a sponsored athlete for Under Armour, with her women-focused ad campaign widely publicized and recognized.

2014: Release of memoir Life in Motion and children's book Firebird

In 2014, Misty Copeland released a memoir, Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina, co-authored by Charisse Jones. Also in 2014, her children's picture book, titled Firebird, with illustrator Christopher Myers, was released.

March 2015: Princess Florine in The Sleeping Beauty

In March 2015, Misty Copeland danced the role of Princess Florine in The Sleeping Beauty at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California.

April 2015: A Ballerina's Tale Debuts at Tribeca Film Festival

In April 2015, A Ballerina's Tale, a documentary film about Misty Copeland, debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival.

May 2015: Roles in Rodeo, Othello, and Giselle

In May 2015, Misty Copeland played Cowgirl in Rodeo, Bianca in Othello, and Zulma in Giselle.

May 2015: Feature on 60 Minutes

In May 2015, Misty Copeland was featured on 60 Minutes in a segment with correspondent Bill Whitaker.

June 2015: Debut as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet

In June 2015, Copeland created the small role of the Fairy Fleur de farine (Wheat flower) in Ratmansky's The Sleeping Beauty. The same month, she made her debut as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet a few days before her scheduled performance on June 20.

June 30, 2015: Promotion to Principal Dancer

On June 30, 2015, Misty Copeland achieved a career milestone by becoming the first African American woman to be promoted to principal dancer in the American Ballet Theatre's 75-year history.

July 2015: Release of Misty Copeland: Power and Grace

In July 2015, a black and white book, Misty Copeland: Power and Grace, was released by photographer Richard Corman, with an introduction by Cindy Bradley. The book contains photographs of Copeland dancing at sunrise on and around a baby grand piano that washed ashore under the Brooklyn Bridge.

August 25, 2015: Broadway Debut in On The Town

On August 25, 2015, Misty Copeland began playing the role of Ivy Smith in the Broadway revival of On The Town for two weeks, receiving favorable reviews.

October 2015: Release of A Ballerina's Tale in theaters

In October 2015, A Ballerina's Tale, a documentary film about Misty Copeland, was released in theaters.

October 2015: Performance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

In October 2015, Misty Copeland performed on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert accompanied by cellist Yo-Yo Ma, who played "Courante" from Bach's Cello Suite No. 2.

December 2015: Reprising Clara in The Nutcracker

In December 2015, when ABT brought Ratmansky's Nutcracker to Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Misty Copeland reprised the role of Clara.

2015: Soloist Until Promotion

From 2007 to 2015, Misty Copeland worked as a soloist until she was promoted to principal dancer.

2015: Brand ambassador for Seiko

In 2015, Misty Copeland became a brand ambassador for Seiko.

2015: Named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People

In 2015, Misty Copeland was recognized as one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine, appearing on its cover. She has also become a public speaker, author, celebrity spokesperson, stage performer, and has endorsed products from various companies.

January 2016: Reprising Princess Florine

In January 2016, Copeland reprised the role of Princess Florine in The Sleeping Beauty at the Kennedy Center, choreographed by Ratmansky.

February 2016: Airing of A Ballerina's Tale on PBS

In February 2016, A Ballerina's Tale was aired as part of PBS' Independent Lens series.

February 2016: Interview with President Barack Obama and runway walk

In February 2016, Misty Copeland and President Barack Obama were interviewed together in a video series with Time and Essence magazines. The same month, she walked the runway at New York Fashion Week to support the American Heart Association's "Go Red for Women" campaign.

2016: Mattel Barbie doll and Dannon Oikos spokesperson

In 2016, Mattel created a Misty Copeland Barbie doll. Later that year, the Dannon Company hired Copeland as a spokesperson for its Oikos brand.

2016: Launch of Égal Dance inclusive dancewear line

In 2016, Misty Copeland launched another dancewear line, Égal Dance, marketed as inclusive for all body types.

2016: Voice acting in Peg + Cat episode

In 2016, Misty Copeland voiced herself on an episode of the animated TV series Peg + Cat, "The Dance Problem/Follow The Bouncing Ball".

February 2017: Debut of Under Armour activewear collection

In February 2017, Misty Copeland debuted her own collection of activewear for Under Armour. Shortly afterward, she criticized statements by Under Armour's CEO Kevin Plank praising Donald Trump.

July 2017: Digital ad campaign for Under Armour and Estée Lauder spokesperson

In July 2017, Under Armour launched a digital ad campaign featuring Misty Copeland, and at the end of that month she became the spokesperson for an Estée Lauder fragrance.

2017: Guest Artist with La Scala Theatre Ballet

In 2017, Misty Copeland appeared as a guest artist with La Scala Theatre Ballet when it visited Southern California.

2017: Guest judge on World of Dance

In 2017, Misty Copeland appeared as a guest judge on World of Dance.

2017: Release of Ballerina Body

In 2017, Misty Copeland released the book Ballerina Body, a health and fitness guide.

2018: Lead role in The Nutcracker and the Four Realms

In 2018, Misty Copeland danced the lead ballerina role in the Disney film, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, based on the story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King".

2019: Dancing Harlequinade

In 2019, Misty Copeland danced Harlequinade opposite Calvin Royal III, in a rare instance of a black couple dancing together in ballet.

2019: Performance at the American Music Awards

In 2019, Misty Copeland danced with Craig Hall during Taylor Swift's performance of her song "Lover" at the American Music Awards.

May 2020: Co-founding of Swans for Relief fundraiser

In May 2020, Misty Copeland co-founded a fundraiser called Swans for Relief, which compiled videos of 32 ballerinas from 14 countries dancing The Dying Swan, raising funds for COVID-19 relief for the dance community.

2020: Performance at the Grammy Awards

In 2020, Misty Copeland performed at the Grammy Awards.

2020: Release of children's book Bunheads

In 2020, Misty Copeland released a children's book, Bunheads.

2021: Release of Black Ballerinas: My Journey to Our Legacy

In 2021, Misty Copeland released Black Ballerinas: My Journey to Our Legacy.

2021: Ford Mustang Mach-E promotion

In 2021, Misty Copeland was engaged by Ford to promote the Mustang Mach-E online.

2022: Co-founding of sports apparel label Greatness Wins

In 2022, Misty Copeland co-founded sports apparel label "Greatness Wins".

2022: Founding of The Misty Copeland Foundation

In 2022, Misty Copeland founded The Misty Copeland Foundation, which provides after-school programs for children aged 8 to 10, combining ballet training, health and wellness, musicianship, mentoring, and tutoring.

2022: Release of The Wind at My Back

In 2022, Misty Copeland released another memoir, The Wind at My Back: Resilience, Grace, and Other Gifts from My Mentor, Raven Wilkinson, co-written with Susan Fales-Hill.

2023: Starring in and co-producing "Flower"

In 2023, Misty Copeland starred in and co-produced "Flower", a short film about a dance teacher caring for her disabled mother and facing homelessness.

2025: Retirement from ABT

In 2025, Misty Copeland retired from ABT with a gala farewell performance.

2025: Dancing in a video for "Wicked: For Good"

To help promote the release of the 2025 film Wicked: For Good, Misty Copeland danced, as Cynthia Erivo sang, in a "reimagined" video version of the song "No Good Deed".