Misty Copeland hangs up her boots after retirement show

Misty Copeland took one last spin on her pointy-toed shoes on Wednesday, being showered in gold glitter and bouquets as she retired from American Ballet Theater after a pioneering career in which she became an ambassador for diversity in a predominantly white art form.

Copeland, who became a decade ago The first black principal dancer In the company’s 75-year history, he was celebrated at a star-studded fall gala at Lincoln Center in Manhattan. Oprah Winfrey and Debbie Allen were among those who delivered speeches of praise.

Winfrey spoke of the power of young people of color who see Copeland leading popular ballets like “Swan Lake.”

“Misty didn’t just do ballet,” Winfrey said of the ballerina who achieved unique fame. “It changed it. It redefined who belonged, who could be seen, and who could lead.”

In a way, the concert was both a homecoming and a departure for Copeland, 43. She was dancing with the company for the first time in five years. During that time, Copeland raised her son, Jackson, with her husband. The 3-year-old, dressed in a tux, took to the stage to hug his mother during curtain calls.

Copeland also continued her career as an author – her second volume “HeadsThe chain debuted in September — and is working to increase diversity in the dance world through its namesake foundation, including "Be bold," An after-school program designed for young children of color.

But she decided to dust off her ballet shoes so she could do one last turn on the ABT stage — including the role of Juliet, one of the most emotional roles in ballet and her personal favorite. Romeo Copeland’s balcony pas de deux was Calvin Royal III, who in 2020 became ABT’s first black principal dancer in two decades.

The duo later reappeared in another duet, this time a modern duet, on Kyle Abraham’s “Wrecka Stow.” In 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 largely organized by Copeland herself, included speeches and film clips about her career. Her fellow dancers performed excerpts from the ballet in her honor. In the end, an elated Copeland bid farewell to Ballet, as colleagues, teachers, friends and family came out to greet her, one by one, with hugs and bouquets as confetti fell from the rafters.

On to the next stage

Although Copeland hasn’t completely closed the door on dancing, it’s clear that that era is over.

“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 on to the next stage.”

She added: “You know, I’ve become the person I am today, and I have all the opportunities I have today, because of ballet, (and) because of American Ballet Theater. I feel like I’m saying ‘thank you’ to the company. So it’s goodbye. (But) it won’t be the end of me dancing. … Never say never.”

“I feel good. I feel like I’m ready to take that next step,” she said on the carpet Wednesday before her performance. She indicated that she will continue her work to promote diversity: “There is a lot of work and effort that must be ongoing.”

Allen told reporters that Copeland “helped redefine the face of ballet. She has inspired millions of people around the world, and we hope that American Ballet Theater will not have to wait another 50 years before they have another beautiful black principal dancer.”

The evening at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater was broadcast live to nearby Alice Tully Hall across the arena, with attendance free to the public — another sign of Copland’s unique reputation in the world of dance.

Copeland was born in Kansas City, Missouri, and grew up in San Pedro, California, where she lived in near poverty and periods of homelessness as her single mother struggled to support her and her five siblings.

For a future professional dancer, she came to ballet relatively late – at the age of 13 – but she quickly excelled and went on to study at the San Francisco Ballet School and ABT for 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 press conference – a testament to her fame. Just days before, she had made her New York debut in “Swan Lake” in the title role of Odette/Odile, attracting a diverse and enthusiastic audience to the Metropolitan Opera.

Tough times for DEI efforts

In the AP interview, Copeland acknowledged that it is striking that when she leaves ABT, there will be no black principal dancer in 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 stage. There’s only so much visual acting can do. I feel like this is the perfect timing for me to take on a new role, and I hope to continue to shape and change the world and culture of ballet.”

She also noted that this is a particularly difficult moment for anyone working in the field 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 people who feel passionate about this work. We’re going to keep doing it.”

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