NEW YORK — Misty Copeland took one last spin on her pointe shoes Wednesday, showered with golden glitter and bouquets as she retired from American Ballet Theatre after a trailblazing career in which she became an ambassador for diversity in an overwhelmingly white art form.
Copeland, who a decade ago became the first Black female principal dancer in the company's 75-year history, was feted at its star-studded fall gala at Manhattan's Lincoln Center. Oprah Winfrey and Debbie Allen were among those who gave speeches of praise.
Winfrey spoke of the power of young people of color seeing Copeland lead iconic ballets like Swan Lake.
"Misty didn't just perform ballet," Winfrey said of the ballerina who has achieved a unique crossover fame. "She changed it. She redefined who belongs, who gets to be seen, and who gets to lead."
In a way, the gala was both a return and a departure for Copeland, 43. She was dancing with the company for the first time in five years. During that time, Copeland has been raising a son, Jackson, with her husband. The 3-year-old came onstage to hug his mother during curtain calls, wearing a tuxedo.
Copeland has also been continuing her career as an author — the second volume of her Bunheads series appeared in September — and working to increase diversity in the dance world with her namesake foundation, including "Be Bold," an afterschool program designed for young children of color.
But she decided to dust off the pointe shoes so she could have one last spin on the ABT stage — including as Juliet, one of the most passionate roles in ballet and her personal favorite. Copeland's Romeo in the balcony pas de deux was Calvin Royal III, who in 2020 became ABT's first Black male principal dancer in two decades.
The duo later reappeared for another duet, this time a modern one, in Wrecka Stow, by Kyle Abraham. For Copeland's final performance of the night, she performed Twyla Tharp's Sinatra Suite with another of her favorite partners, Herman Cornejo.
The night, which also celebrated ABT's 85th anniversary and was curated in large part by Copeland herself, included speeches and film clips about her career. And her fellow dancers performed excerpts of ballets in her honor. At the end, a beaming Copeland was given a quintessential ballet farewell, as colleagues, teachers, friends and family came out to greet her, one by one, with hugs and bouquets while glittery confetti poured from the rafters.
On to the next stage
Though Copeland has not closed the door on dancing altogether, it's clear an era is ending.
"It's been 25 years at ABT, and I think it's time," she told The Associated Press in an interview in June, when she announced her retirement. "It's time for me to move to the next stage."
She added: "You know, I've become the person that I am today, and have all the opportunities I have today, because of ballet, (and) because of American Ballet Theatre. I feel like this is me saying 'thank you' to the company. So it's a farewell. (But) it won't be the end of me dancing. … Never say never."
On the carpet Wednesday before her performance, she said: "I feel good. I feel ready to take this next step." She noted that she would be continuing her work promoting diversity: "There's so much work and effort that has to be continuous."
Allen told reporters that Copeland had "helped to redefine the face of ballet. She's inspired millions of people around the world and hopefully, American Ballet Theatre will not wait another 50 years before they have another beautiful Black principal dancer."
The evening at Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theater was streamed live to nearby Alice Tully Hall across the plaza, with attendance free to the public — another sign of Copeland's unique brand of fame in the dance world.
Copeland was born in Kansas City, Missouri, and raised in San Pedro, California, where she lived in near poverty and through periods of homelessness as her single mother struggled to support her and five siblings.
For a future professional dancer, she came to ballet relatively late — at 13 — but soon excelled and went on to study at the San Francisco Ballet School and ABT on scholarship opportunities. After a stint in the junior company, Copeland joined ABT as a member of the corps de ballet in April 2001, becoming a soloist six years later.
In June 2015, Copeland was promoted to principal dancer. Unlike other promotions, which are announced quietly, Copeland's was announced at a news conference — a testament to her celebrity. Only days before, she'd made a triumphant New York debut in Swan Lake in the starring role of Odette/Odile, drawing a diverse and enthusiastic crowd to the Metropolitan Opera House.
Trying times for DEI efforts
In the AP interview, Copeland acknowledged that it's striking that when she leaves ABT, there will no longer be a Black female principal dancer at the company.
"It's definitely concerning," Copeland said. "I think I've just gotten to a place in my career where there's only so much I can do on a stage. There's only so much that visual representation … can do. I feel like it's the perfect timing for me to be stepping into a new role, and hopefully still shaping and shifting the ballet world and culture."
She also noted this is an especially trying moment for anyone working in the area of diversity, equity and inclusion.
"It's a difficult time," she said. "And I think all we can really do is keep our heads down and keep doing the work. There's no way to stop the people that feel passionate about this work. We will continue doing it."
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