Quote

My career came together very quickly. I only trained for four years before I became a professional, so I didn't have a lot of time to sit back and be inspired before I took my first ballet class.

Misty Copeland

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

Misty Copeland
Age: 42
Born: 1982
Born: September 10
Actor
Author
Ballet Dancer
Dancer
Kansas City
Missouri
Misty Danielle Copeland
Together
Became
Back
Career
Firsts
Careers
First
Took
Ballet
Years
Came
Trained
Time
Class
Professional
Four
Quickly
Didn
Inspired

More quotes by Misty Copeland

Image
Meeting Raven Wilkinson and having her as a mentor, it was that kind of support from the generations that came before me that helped to lift me up and give me the confidence to then be able to give back and bring other minorities with me on this journey.
Misty Copeland
Image
I try to consider people's perspectives and not just my own.
Misty Copeland
Image
I know that I'll forever be involved in ballet. This is where my life was meant to be, and I don't see myself straying completely away, ever.
Misty Copeland
Image
I had no idea what I was walking into, and the years and years of hard work it would take. I felt like an outsider and like it was never going to happen. But even if I would have known, I think I still would have done it. Dancers are perfectionists, and that's what keeps us going and growing.
Misty Copeland
Image
Ballet.something pure in this crazy world
Misty Copeland
Image
I definitely like to be natural and more relaxed and not wear a lot of makeup.
Misty Copeland
Image
Even if I weren't learning new roles and getting the opportunity to be coached by incredible people, I still think I would be so excited to have an opportunity to continue to push myself and grow, as an artist.
Misty Copeland
Image
My first ballet class was on a basketball court. I'm in my gym clothes and my socks trying to do this thing called ballet.
Misty Copeland
Image
I never experienced getting nervous on stage. I think I was most comfortable there.
Misty Copeland
Image
You're always working to improve, and you're always being critiqued on your next performance. It's not about what you've done. There's always room to grow.
Misty Copeland
Image
When people meet me in person, they're usually surprised at how petite I am because there's just [an] idea that because I'm black I just look a certain way.
Misty Copeland
Image
I think anything that affects me in my personal life is going to help me be a better artist on stage.
Misty Copeland
Image
I was 17 when I moved to NYC . I'm now 32. But I do know I can't see myself living anywhere else. I love the food, the fashion, art, the intelligence of this city and the people that live in it.
Misty Copeland
Image
I will never reach perfection.
Misty Copeland
Image
The fact that I was African American was never addressed, and that allowed me to just be a student, like anyone else. I was not aware of how rare it was to be an African American, how rare it was to have four years of training under my belt, and how, even though I could imitate people and fake it, unprepared I was to become a professional.
Misty Copeland
Image
I haven’t come from the typical path or background of someone who would make it to this level as a ballerina. When it came to my childhood-growing up in a single-parent home, often struggling financially-my mother definitely instilled in me and my siblings this strength, this will, to just continue to survive and succeed.
Misty Copeland
Image
I learned how to communicate and articulate myself from ballet. It's just insane to me, when they don't think of that as a part of our education.
Misty Copeland
Image
The woman represents ballet. She is most important, powerful and vital to it. Therefore, she is not less than a man. If anything she is more than in this field.
Misty Copeland
Image
My body is very different from most of the dancers I dance with. My hair is different than most I dance with. But I didn't let that stop me. Black girls rock and can be ballerinas.
Misty Copeland
Image
When you see the body outside of a costume and see the strength that it takes, people would look at dance a different way and see how athletic it is. You're not just born like that.
Misty Copeland