Spotlight on Misty Copeland
I was young
Everyone was doing it--
Blonde ponytails, pink tutus
And then there was me...
If I'd noticed,
Maybe I would've quit
But I loved it
And I wanted to shine.
Twirl and twirl
On pointed toe,
Ribbons and colors
Music and art--
Sugar plum fairy dreams
Swirling through snowflakes
And me in the background
Awaiting my chance...
Expensive dreams,
Pirouetting in front of me
Taunting and haunting
Until at last I concede.
Misty Copeland is a soloist in the American Ballet Theatre. According to some sources, she is the first black soloist for ABT [1, 4]. Another, however, states that she is the first black soloist in 20 years and the third in the theatre's history [2]. Either way, she has climbed the ranks even from a general late start at ballet. Performing as soloist in multiple productions as well as alongside Prince [3, 4], Copeland is breaking the mold in the ballet world and changing the image in an otherwise white art. |
[2] Huffington Post: Misty Copeland talks to Vogue Italia ...
[3] ABT Bio of Misty Copeland
[4] Huffington Post: Misty Copeland on Prince and the Curvy Ballerina Revolution