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 renowned American ballet dancer, notably with the American Ballet Theatre (ABT). She made history on June 30, 2015, by becoming the first African American woman to achieve the rank of principal dancer in ABT's 75-year history, marking a significant milestone in the world of ballet.
1997: Wins 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: Wins first place in 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. She was recognized by the Los Angeles Times as the best young dancer in the Greater Los Angeles Area.
1998: Attends San Francisco Ballet School summer workshop
In 1998, Misty Copeland attended the summer workshop at the San Francisco Ballet School, declining offers from the Joffrey Ballet, ABT, and Dance Theater of Harlem. At the end of the six-week workshop, she received an offer to continue as a full-time student at the school but declined.
1998: Custody battle and professional offers
In 1998, Misty Copeland's ballet teachers and her mother engaged in a custody battle. At the same time, Copeland, already an award-winning dancer, was receiving professional offers. This period involved legal issues such as filings for emancipation by Copeland and restraining orders by her mother. Eventually, both sides dropped legal proceedings, and Copeland moved home to study under a new teacher.
1999: Auditions for dance programs
In 1999, Misty Copeland auditioned for several dance programs and received offers from each to enroll in their summer program. She performed with ABT as part of its Summer Intensive programs.
September 2000: Joins ABT Studio Company
In September 2000, Misty Copeland joined the ABT Studio Company, the second company of ABT.
2000: Earnings from ballet set aside
In 2000, DelaCerna stated that Misty Copeland's earnings from ballet were set aside in a savings account and only used as needed.
2000: Joins ABT's Studio Company
In 2000, Misty Copeland became a member of the American Ballet Theatre's (ABT) Studio Company, marking an advancement in her professional ballet career.
2000: Joins ABT Summer Intensive program and declared Coca-Cola Scholar
In 2000, Misty Copeland performed with ABT as part of its Summer Intensive programs and she was declared ABT's National Coca-Cola Scholar. In the 2000 Summer Intensive Program, she danced the role of Kitri in Don Quixote.
2001: Becomes a member of ABT's Corps de ballet
In 2001, Misty Copeland became a member of the American Ballet Theatre's (ABT) Corps de ballet, further solidifying her position within the company.
2003: Named to Dance Magazine's '25 to Watch'
In 2003, Misty Copeland was named to the 2003 class of Dance Magazine's "25 to Watch".
2004: Breakthrough season and meets biological father
The 2004 season is regarded as Misty Copeland's breakthrough season. In 2004, she met her biological father for the first time and regretted that she had not done so sooner. She was also included in the 2004 picture book Getting Closer: A Dancer's Perspective by Rosalie O'Connor.
2005: Performs in Tarantella and Prince Igor
In 2005, Misty Copeland's most 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: Acknowledged for classical performance in Giselle and creates role in Glow-Stop
In 2006, Misty Copeland was acknowledged for her meticulous classical performance style in Giselle and created a role in Jorma Elo's Glow–Stop. That year, she also returned to Southern California to perform at Orange County Performing Arts Center and danced one of the cygnets and reprised her role as the Hungarian Princess in Swan Lake in New York.
August 2007: Appointed Soloist at ABT
In August 2007, Copeland was appointed a soloist at ABT, becoming one of the youngest ABT dancers promoted to that position.
2007: Dances role of Blossom in Cinderella and Fairy of Valor in 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. Other roles that Copeland played before she was appointed a soloist by ABT included Twyla Tharp roles in In the Upper Room and Sinatra Suite as well as a role in Mark Morris's Gong.
2007: Becomes ABT Soloist
In 2007, Misty Copeland was appointed as a soloist for the American Ballet Theatre (ABT).
2007: Performances at New York City Center and Creation of a Leading Role
In 2007, during her first season as a soloist at New York City Center, Copeland received good reviews for her role in Balanchine's 'Ballo della Regina'. She also created a leading role in Jorma Elo's 'C. to C. (Close to Chuck)', and her performances of Tharp's works were recognized.
2008: Praised for Performances in Twyla Tharp and Paul Taylor Works
During the 2008-09 season, Copeland received 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, Copeland's performances in 'Don Quixote' and 'Sleeping Beauty' at the Metropolitan Opera House were well received.
March 2009: Filmed Music Video with Prince
In March 2009, Copeland filmed a music video with Prince for his cover of "Crimson and Clover" from his 2009 album Lotusflower.
2009: Performances at the Met and in Beijing
In 2009, Copeland performed Gulnare in 'Le Corsaire' and leading roles in Taylor's 'Airs' and Balanchine's 'Pas de Deux from Swan Lake' during the ABT season at the Met. She also participated in ABT's first trip to Beijing and created a role in Aszure Barton's 'One of Three'.
2010: Featured in T-Mobile's ads for the BlackBerry
In 2010, Misty Copeland was featured in T-Mobile's ads for the BlackBerry.
2010: Performances after recovering from a stress fracture
In 2010, after recovering from a stress fracture, Copeland performed in 'Birthday Offering' at the Met and danced at the Guggenheim Museum. She also created the Spanish Dance in Alexei Ratmansky's new version of 'The Nutcracker'.
April 2011: Performed with Prince on Lopez Tonight
In April 2011, Copeland performed alongside Prince on the Lopez Tonight show, dancing to "The Beautiful Ones."
2011: Launch of Dancewear Line, M by Misty
In 2011, Misty Copeland unveiled her dancewear line, M by Misty.
2011: Recognition and Performances
In early 2011, Copeland was well received at the Kennedy Center in 'The Bright Stream'. She was also selected by Essence as one of its 37 Boundary-breaking black women in entertainment. In May, she created a role in Ratmansky's 'Dumbarton'.
March 29, 2012: Starred in The Firebird Premiere
On March 29, 2012, Copeland starred in Ratmansky's 'The Firebird' at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California, which was hailed as one of the year's best dance performances.
June 2012: Performed in The Firebird and withdrew from ABT season due to injury
In June 2012, Copeland performed in 'The Firebird' at the Met. After only one performance in the lead role, she withdrew from the entire ABT season due to six stress fractures in her tibia.
May 2013: Danced the Queen of the Dryads in Don Quixote
In May 2013, Copeland returned to the stage, dancing the Queen of the Dryads in 'Don Quixote'. Nelson George began filming a documentary on her comeback.
June 2013: Reprised Role in Le Corsaire
In June 2013, Copeland reprised her role as Gulnare in 'Le Corsaire' and played an Odalisque in the same ballet.
2013: Advertisement for Dr. Pepper, Representation for Coach, Inc. and Spokesperson for Project Plié
In 2013, Misty Copeland was featured in an ad for Dr. Pepper, represented Coach, Inc., and became a spokesperson for Project Plié.
May 2014: Performed the Lead Role in Coppélia and More
In May 2014, Copeland performed the lead role of Swanilda in 'Coppélia' at the Met, reportedly becoming the first African American woman to dance the role. She was also praised in the dual role of Queen of the Dryads and Mercedes in 'Don Quixote' and featured in a program of one-act ballets at the Met.
June 2014: Danced Fairy Autumn and other Roles
In June 2014, at the Met, Copeland danced the Fairy Autumn in Frederick Ashton's 'Cinderella', Lescaut's Mistress in 'Manon', and Gamzatti in 'La Bayadère'.
2014: Sponsored Athlete for Under Armour
In 2014, Copeland became a sponsored athlete for Under Armour, leading to a women-focused ad campaign and recognition as an ABC World News Person of the Week.
2014: Release of Memoir and Children's Book
In 2014, Misty Copeland released her memoir, "Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina", and her children's picture book, "Firebird".
March 2015: Danced Princess Florine in The Sleeping Beauty
In March 2015, Copeland danced the role of Princess Florine in 'The Sleeping Beauty' at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California.
April 2015: Premiere of "A Ballerina's Tale" at Tribeca Film Festival
In April 2015, the documentary film about Copeland titled "A Ballerina's Tale" debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival.
May 2015: Performed in Rodeo, Othello, and Giselle
In May 2015, Copeland played Cowgirl in 'Rodeo', Bianca in 'Othello', and Zulma in 'Giselle'.
May 2015: Copeland Featured on 60 Minutes
In May 2015, Misty Copeland was featured on 60 Minutes in a segment with correspondent Bill Whitaker.
June 2015: Debut in Romeo and Juliet and Swan Lake
In June 2015, Copeland created the role of the Fairy Fleur de farine in Ratmansky's 'The Sleeping Beauty'. She also debuted in 'Romeo and Juliet' and made her New York debut in the Odette/Odile double role from 'Swan Lake'.
June 30, 2015: Promoted to Principal Ballerina at ABT
On June 30, 2015, Copeland became the first African-American woman to be promoted to principal ballerina in ABT's 75-year history.
July 2015: Release of "Misty Copeland: Power and Grace"
In July 2015, the book "Misty Copeland: Power and Grace," featuring photographs by Richard Corman, was released.
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.
October 2015: Theatrical Release of "A Ballerina's Tale"
In October 2015, the documentary film "A Ballerina's Tale" about Misty Copeland was released in theaters.
December 2015: Reprised the role of Clara in The Nutcracker
In December 2015, Copeland reprised the role of Clara when ABT brought Ratmansky's 'Nutcracker' to Segerstrom Center for the Arts.
2015: Brand Ambassador for Seiko
In 2015, Copeland became a brand ambassador for Seiko.
2015: Continues as Soloist
In mid-2015, Misty Copeland was described as having matured into a more contemporary and sophisticated dancer during her time as a soloist for the American Ballet Theatre (ABT).
January 2016: Reprised role of Princess Florine in The Sleeping Beauty
In January 2016, Copeland reprised the role of Princess Florine in 'The Sleeping Beauty' at the Kennedy Center, choreographed by Ratmansky.
February 2016: Interview with President Obama and runway walk at New York Fashion Week
In February 2016, Misty Copeland and President Barack Obama were interviewed for Time and Essence magazines on race, gender and opportunity. Also in February 2016, she walked the runway at New York Fashion Week for the American Heart Association's "Go Red for Women" campaign.
February 2016: "A Ballerina's Tale" aired on PBS' Independent Lens
In February 2016, the documentary film "A Ballerina's Tale" about Misty Copeland was aired as part of PBS' Independent Lens series.
2016: Launch of Égal Dance Line
In 2016, Copeland launched Égal Dance, a dancewear line marketed as inclusive for all body types.
2016: Mattel Barbie Doll and Dannon Spokesperson
In 2016, Mattel created a Misty Copeland Barbie doll. Also in 2016, the Dannon Company hired Copeland as a spokesperson for its Oikos brand.
2016: Voice Acting Role on Peg + Cat
In 2016, Misty Copeland voiced herself on an episode of the animated TV series Peg + Cat, titled "The Dance Problem/Follow The Bouncing Ball".
February 2017: Debuted activewear collection for Under Armour and criticized Under Armour CEO's statements
In February 2017, Misty Copeland debuted her own collection of activewear for Under Armour. Shortly afterwards, she criticized statements by Under Armour founder and CEO Kevin Plank that praised Donald Trump.
July 2017: Under Armour Ad Campaign and Estée Lauder Spokesperson
In July 2017, Under Armour launched a digital ad campaign featuring Misty Copeland, and at the end of July 2017, she became the spokesperson for an Estée Lauder fragrance.
2017: Guest Artist with La Scala Theatre Ballet
In 2017, 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, Copeland appeared as a guest judge on World of Dance.
2017: Release of "Ballerina Body"
In 2017, Copeland released the book "Ballerina Body", a health and fitness guide.
2018: Lead Role in "The Nutcracker and the Four Realms"
In 2018, Copeland danced the lead ballerina role in the Disney film, "The Nutcracker and the Four Realms".
2019: Danced in Harlequinade
In 2019, Copeland danced in 'Harlequinade' opposite Calvin Royal III, marking a rare instance of a black couple dancing together in ballet.
2019: Performance at the American Music Awards with Taylor Swift
In 2019, Copeland danced with Craig Hall during Taylor Swift's performance of her song "Lover" at the American Music Awards.
May 2020: Co-founding Swans for Relief Fundraiser
In May 2020, Misty Copeland co-founded the "Swans for Relief" fundraiser, which created a YouTube video featuring 32 ballerinas dancing The Dying Swan to raise money for COVID-19 relief for dance companies.
2020: Performance at the Grammy Awards
In 2020, Misty Copeland performed at the Grammy Awards.
2020: Release of "Bunheads"
In 2020, Misty Copeland released her children's book, "Bunheads".
2021: Release of "Black Ballerinas: My Journey to Our Legacy"
In 2021, Copeland released "Black Ballerinas: My Journey to Our Legacy".
2022: Founded The Misty Copeland Foundation
In 2022, Copeland founded The Misty Copeland Foundation, to provide affordable ballet training, alongside health and wellness, musicianship, mentoring and general tutoring components for children ages 8 to 10.
2022: Co-founded sports apparel label "Greatness Wins"
In 2022, Misty Copeland co-founded the sports apparel label "Greatness Wins".
2022: Release of "The Wind at My Back: Resilience, Grace, and Other Gifts from My Mentor, Raven Wilkinson"
In 2022, Misty Copeland released her memoir, "The Wind at My Back: Resilience, Grace, and Other Gifts from My Mentor, Raven Wilkinson", co-written with Susan Fales-Hill.
2023: Silent documentary "Flower" featuring Copeland released
In 2023, silent documentary "Flower" featuring Copeland was released.
2024: Screening of "Flower" at The Bentonville Film Festival
In 2024, The Bentonville Film Festival hosted a screening of "Flower", a 2023 silent documentary featuring Copeland.
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