born september american ballet dancer leading classical ballet companies united_states june african american woman promoted principal dancer year history considered rose stardom despite starting ballet age age mother ballet teachers serving guardians fought custody battle award winning dancer fielding professional offers legal issues involved emancipation orders mother sides dropped legal proceedings moved home begin studying new teacher member won best dancer southern_california summer workshops member corps ballet described having matured contemporary sophisticated dancer addition dance career public speaker celebrity spokesperson stage performer written autobiographical books narrated documentary career challenges named influential people world time appearing cover performed broadway town toured featured dancer prince appeared reality television shows day life think dance endorsed products companies mobile pepper armour early life born kansas_city missouri raised community los_angeles california father german american african american mother italian american african american adopted african american parents youngest children mother second marriage younger half siblings mother fourth marriages father ages mother cheerleader studied dance trained medical assistant worked sales ages seven lived california mother mother husband sales executive family moved eventually married fourth husband attended seven saw film television subject new role model studied ballet formally teenage years enjoyed dance moves mariah carey songs youth following footsteps older sister starred drill team won statewide competitions captain drill team responsibilities sixth grade class treasurer hall monitor year natural grace came attention trained drill team coach mother separated robert living friends moved children small rooms sunset inn california early convinced attend ballet class local friend taught free ballet class club week attended classes spectator participating allowed club school ended bradley invited attend class small local ballet school san dance center initially declined offer mother car working hours day oldest sister working jobs began ballet studies age san dance center began picking school months study told ballet bradley wanted continue offered host agreed moved bradley family eventually signed management contract life story contract bradley spent near coast weekends home mother hour bus ride away spend years age fourteen winner national ballet contest won solo role introduced books videos ballet saw principal perform began mariah carey media noticed drew patrons performed san high school months study larger role don san dance center featured role chocolate african american version tale narrated soon followed presented ucla hall role modified especially included ethnic dances period received far personal attention bradley family mother children attending bradley parents young son addition bradley intensive ballet training husband modern dance teacher served instructor partner summer fifteenth birthday bradley began 10th grade free time dance years old won place march said time battled winners received scholarships victory 10th annual contest gifted high school students southern_california secured recognition los_angeles_times best young dancer attended summer workshop bradley selected workshop offers ballet programs auditioned new_york city ballet declined offer regarded classical ballet companies week workshop san_francisco placed advanced classes tuition plus expenses scholarship end workshop received offers continue time student school declined offer encouragement mother return home prospect continuing personal training bradley family dreams subsequent summer custody battle returned mother home frequent arguments mother resented influence soon decided cease study distraught fear able dance heard term emancipation san_francisco procedure common young performers secure financial residential independence introduced lawyer explained emancipation petition process encouraged absent home emancipation petition delivered mother ran away home days stayed friend filed emancipation papers mother reported missing told emancipation petition days running away returned mother police engaged lawyer applied series orders included year old son roommate order partly intended contact proper legal basis stalking harassment custody controversy highly publicized press especially los_angeles_times extra starting august september parts press coverage articles case heard claimed filing suit emancipation mother claimed turned mother intelligence noted management contract gave authority career stated wait eighteen seeking percent earnings stated sure dance emancipation papers orders dropped claimed understand term emancipation withdrew petition informing judge charges longer represented wishes wanted daughter life enrolled san high school junior year pace graduate original class sought advice finding new ballet school began ballet study ballet centre dancer dancing restricted schooling late parties appeared talk sat adults student junior year high school stated earnings ballet set aside savings account needed early career auditioned dance programs offer summer program performed summer intensive programs summer topic stay invited came responded mother insisted finishing high school important summer told likely invited stay graduated end summer asked skip senior year join studio company returned california senior year arranged pay performances housing accommodations academic arrangements studied scholarship summers declared summer intensive program danced role don strongest memory summer working calls seminal work push comes dancers summer intensive program selected join junior dance troupe september joined second company member corps ballet performed sleeping beauty months joining company sidelined nearly year stress fracture joined company weighed pounds feet inches tall age delayed situation common ballet dancers fracture doctor told inducing help strengthen bones prescribed birth control pills recalls month gained pounds small breasts double cup size altered cover instance hated sign different self conscious time life couldn dance strong busy trying hide breasts management noticed called talk body professional pressure conform conventional ballet aesthetics resulted body image struggles eating disorder says year new friendships outside including boyfriend helped regain confidence body explained curves integral dancer needed lose started dancing confidence joy soon staff began giving positive feedback think changed mind perfect dancer supposed look like years corps black woman company felt burden ethnicity ways contemplated variety career choices recognizing isolation self doubt standing way talent artistic director asked writer arts figure vice chair mentor introduced black women encouraged helped gain perspective early career reviews mentioned higher ranking dancers named class watch favorably reviewed roles member corps recognition continued roles amazed burning dreams pretty good year viii stood floor lift created illusion danced hungarian princess swan lake season regarded breakthrough season included picture book dancer connor titled getting closer dancer perspective met biological father time regretted sooner notable performance danced lead girl dances prince acknowledged meticulous classical performance style created role glow stop year returned southern_california perform danced reprised role hungarian princess swan lake new_york danced role old style performance continued earn praise danced fairy sleeping beauty roles played appointed included roles role appointed august youngest dancers promoted described early accounts african american woman promoted 1980s male preceded african american woman dance company entire career male african american company left international ballet community lack diversity unusual african american endured cultural isolation described press classical ballet feels female dancer focus ballet history trail performer role model extra significance standout peers season avant garde works performed presented regina role earning praise created leading role close choreographed musical portrait close performances works season recognized described sophisticated contemporary corps dancer summer met season performances don sleeping beauty received season received publicity roles baker dozen spring season met performed leading roles taylor airs swan lake fellowship year included training late year performed trip beijing new created role performed birthday offering met museum danced music created artist residence new version premiered early received kennedy center remake banned comic ballet black history month selected essence boundary breaking black women entertainment month toured company performed london created role danced chamber new_york_times found piece intimate met noted gives sudden hints need emotional duet going explain viewing know emotionally structurally summer solos included peasant met june reprise called sensual reprised role july los_angeles performance described sly flower girl described don august performed colorado november danced taylor black tuesday began achieving solo roles length standard works relatively modern pieces starred choreography center arts california premiered march performance hailed los_angeles_times year best dance performances year recognized professionals breakthrough leadership award winner danced role met praise new_york_times noted adult complexity performed met june alternate lead leading role backstage described prestigious date new_york performance role withdrew entire season stress sidelined seven months october surgery return stage danced queen don began filming documentary leverage chance present comeback reprised role june pirate themed played ballet later year danced choreography bach violin minor solo violin revival performed lead role met according los_angeles_times writer african american woman dance role month praised dual role queen mercedes don new_york_times critical dance felt impressive role later met staged program act consisting theme variations featuring praised work lead choreography violin piano performed flower girl wrote tips like hold flawless theme variations according critical dance june met danced fairy autumn frederick cited energetic role missed varied texture significantly interesting hands month played mistress role described seductive june performed role performed double role swan lake september company toured brisbane australia ascension prominent roles occurred principal dancers entered final seasons retirement early october performed pieces including principal role bach chicago auditorium theatre october new_york debut principal roles created role chance rain december revived played role princess month kennedy center honors described sublime new_york_city affiliate march danced role princess sleeping beauty center arts california american debut swan lake washington ballet opposite brooklyn prince april john kennedy center performance company presentation swan lake year history played selected time result appeared cover time making dancer cover june created small role wheat flower sleeping beauty month debut romeo juliet short notice days scheduled debut performance june later june new_york debut double role swan lake described epic role world ballet performance met regarded success performance role anticipated achievement wide ranging media outlets broad spectrum fans supporters anderson hand present stage viewed performance sign promotion principal forthcoming principal dancer june african american woman promoted principal year history achievement groundbreaking african american principal major companies principal houston ballet principal major american company according documentary tale black female principal dancer major international company accepted role ivy smith broadway revival town played weeks august september debut broadway favorably reviewed new_york_times washington_post media october new_york performed revival choreography variations brought seductive mix sex appeal month created role loss danced brought center arts december reprised role january reprised role princess sleeping beauty kennedy center choreographed spring schedule includes leads productions swan lake romeo juliet appearances modeling writings ventures stage television film appearances march filmed music video prince cover crimson single studio album prince asked dance song improvised ballet movements described instructions feel music request instruction began taking acting lessons new_york_city new_jersey portions prince welcome america tour performed song beautiful ones opening number center madison square garden prince previously invited onstage concert nice france april performed alongside prince tonight dancing beautiful ones featured season episode web series day life guest judge 11th season fox think dance new line cinema optioned memoir life motion screen adaptation oxygen network expressed interest producing reality master class aspiring young dancers documentary film debuted film festival april film released video demand october day limited release theaters aired february pbs independent lens series featured minutes segment correspondent june served presenter included international best dressed list published vanity_fair october performed late musical accompaniment played bach cello suite walked runway new york fashion week february support red women campaign increase awareness dangers heart disease women appeared march issue harper poses ahead exhibition strange new beauty feature praised media outlets boston_globe argued contemporary ballet performers ballet themed work seriously february president barack_obama interviewed video series time essence magazines topics race gender achievement creating opportunity young people cast dance lead role forthcoming disney film realms based story ventures writing unveiled line called designed produced celebrity released memoir life motion unlikely authored children picture book titled illustrator message empowerment young people color november announced book planned health fitness guide modelling endorsements featured ads pepper spokesperson national initiative pipeline leadership ballet brand ambassador created doll sponsored athlete armour paid ballet career armour women focused campaign widely publicized resulted named week campaign recognized best ads year best campaign targeting women credited leading surge demand armor products honors won fellowship arts funds study master teachers trainers outside year recognition young artists extraordinary talent goal providing additional resources order fully realise potential named ambassador named nutrition received honorary doctorate contributions classical ballet helping art form promotion principal dancer named glamour women year espn impact athletes greatest impact women sports fascinating people won award best dance social media personal life lives fiancé attorney manhattan couple introduced evans cousin announced engagement evans cover story essence magazine free time enjoys cooking preferring lot people published works life motion unlikely isbn isbn
Misty Copeland