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Misty Copeland is an American dancer who is known for being the first African American woman to be promoted to principal dancer in the 75-year history of the American Ballet Theatre.
While Copeland was born in Kansas City, Missouri, on September 10, 1982, she was raised in the San Pedro community of Los Angeles, California. When Copeland was 13-years-old, she began her ballet studies at the San Pedro Dance Center in California.
In 1999, Copeland was asked to join the American Ballet Theatre Studio Company before she even graduated high school. Copeland’s mother wanted her to graduate high school before moving to New York, so Copeland returned to California for her senior year of high school. In September of 2000, she headed back to New York City to join the ABT Studio Company. Copeland became a member of its Corps de ballet in 2001.
In 2018, Copeland appeared in the Disney family holiday film The Nutcracker and the Four Realms.
