Misty Copeland
Biography
Misty Copeland is an American ballet dancer and author who has spent most of her career with American Ballet Theatre, one of the country's leading classical companies. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, and raised in San Pedro, Los Angeles, she began ballet at thirteen and within a few years was named the best dancer in Southern California at the Los Angeles Music Center Spotlight Awards. After summer workshops with ABT, she joined its Studio Company in 2000, the corps de ballet in 2001, and became a soloist in 2007. In June 2015 she was promoted to principal dancer, the first African American woman in that role in the company's 75-year history, and she retired in 2025. Copeland also wrote two autobiographical books, narrated the documentary A Ballerina's Tale, performed on Broadway in On the Town, danced on tour with Prince, and appeared on reality shows such as So You Think You Can Dance.
44years old
Turns 45 on September 10in 303 days
- Born Kansas City
- Star sign: VirgoThe sign runs August 23 to September 22
- Also credited as Misty Danielle Copeland
Movie Career
- Films
- 3
- Career span
- 7 years2016 to 2023
Every film, newest first
- 2023Black BarbieIMDb rating 6.1
- 2018The Nutcracker and the Four RealmsIMDb rating 5.6
- 2016Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the WallIMDb rating 7.4
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A first
Copeland attended the Summer Intensive Program on full scholarship and in 2000 was named ABT's National Coca-Cola Scholar. That same year, out of 150 dancers in the program, she was among six picked for the junior dance troupe.
A first
Copeland was promoted to soloist at ABT in August 2007, making her one of the youngest dancers ever elevated to that rank in the company.
A first
Copeland was the first black ballerina to dance the roles of Odette and Odile in Swan Lake at the Met, a milestone that came later in June.
A first
Copeland appeared on the cover of Time magazine in 2015 as the first dancer to do so since Bill T. Jones in 1994.
A first
In 2008, Copeland was the sole African-American woman in the dance company, a distinction she held throughout her whole ABT career.
Misty Copeland movies on Netflix
Worked with
Misty Copeland made one film with each of them. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Morgan Freeman's page
Helen Mirren's page
Richard E. Grant's page
Keira Knightley's page
Rosie Perez's page
Omid Djalili's page
All films by Joe Johnston
Lasse HallströmDirector, 1 film, 2018
All films by Lasse Hallström
All films by Spike Lee
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.