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Born
Copeland was born in Kansas City, Missouri and raised in the San Pedro community of Los Angeles, California.[11] She is of African American, German and Italian descent.[14] Copeland is the youngest of Sylvia DelaCerna's four children from her second marriage. Her siblings from that marriage are Erica Stephanie Copeland, Douglas Copeland Jr., and Christopher Ryan Copeland. She also has two younger half-siblings, Lindsey Monique Brown (a former track star at Chico State University) and Cameron Koa -
She Was Introduced to ballet
The Bradleys introduced Copeland to books and videos about ballet. When she got to see Paloma Herrera perform at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Copeland began to idolize her as much as she did Mariah Carey.[14] After three months of study Copeland was en pointe.[17] The media first noticed Copeland when she drew 2,000 patrons per show as she performed as Clara in the The Nutcracker after only eight months of study.[14] A larger role in Don Quixote and a featured role in The Chocolate Nutcracker, -
She was Considered a Prodigy
Copeland is considered a prodigy who rose to stardom despite not starting ballet until the age of 13. By age 15, Copeland's mother and ballet teachers, who were serving as her custodial guardians, fought a custody battle over her. Meanwhile, Copeland, who was already an award-winning dancer, was fielding professional offers.[9] The 1998 legal proceedings involved filings for emancipation by Copeland and restraining orders by her mother.[10] Both sides dropped legal proceedings, and Copeland move -
She won her first ballet competiton
When she was fifteen years old, Copeland won first place in the Los Angeles Music Center Spotlight Awards and subsequently began her studies with Diane Lauridsen[2] of Torrance's South Bay Ballet at the Lauridsen Ballet Center.[11][19] The competition was held at the Chandler Pavilion on March 24, 1998,[20] and Copeland said it was the first time she ever battled nervousness.[2] The winners received scholarships between $500 and $2500.[21] Copeland's victory in the 10th annual contest among gift -
Became a Member Of a ballet studio
In 1997, Copeland won the Los Angeles Music Center Spotlight Award as the best dancer in Southern California. After two summer workshops with the ABT, she became a member of the Studio Company in 2000, a member of the corps de ballet in 2001, and a soloist in 2007.[11] Stylistically, she is considered a classical ballet dancer.[12] As a soloist since the autumn of 2007, she has been described as having matured into a more contemporary and sophisticated dancer.[13] -
Present Day Today
Today, at 30 years old, Misty Copeland is the first black female in two decades to be a soloist at the American Ballet Theatre. This week, she stars in the Met’s production of “Le Corsaire,” just eight months after suffering a nearly career-ending injury. She has danced with Prince, become an advocate for opening up ballet to minorities and the underprivileged and has come to represent the future of ballet in America: more modern, inclusive, elastic.
