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Misty Copeland makes history as first black principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre
Source: Mashable
Once again, Misty Copeland is making history.
The African-American ballerina has been promoted to the rank of principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre. She is the first black female principal dancer in the company's 75-year history.
Copeland joined ABT's corps de ballet in 2001, later becoming a soloist at the company in 2007. In 2014, she told the New Yorker that her next goal was "to become the first African-American principal dancer with ABT." One year later, here we are.
It's been a year of firsts for the famous dancer, who also became the first black ballerina at ABT to star as the Swan Queen in Swan Lake. At the Kennedy Center in D.C., she and co-star Brooklyn Mack became the first African-Americans to star in Swan Lake together at the historic performance institution.
Read more: http://mashable.com/2015/06/30/misty-copeland-american-ballet-theater/?utm_cid=hp-hh-sec
32 replies
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Congrats to her for staying with her dream in the face of so much opposition!
2 African Americans make history performing lead roles in Washington Ballet’s ‘Swan Lake’
Read more: http://www.wjla.com/articles/2015/04/2-african-americans-make-history-performing-lead-roles-in-washington-ballet-s-swan-lake--113063.html#ixzz3eaMwQ2le
Follow us: @ABC7News on Twitter | WJLATV on Facebook
WASHINGTON (WJLA) – In an historic move, two African-American ballet dancers performed the lead roles in the Washington Ballet's "Swan Lake" Thursday evening at the Kennedy Center. It's the first time this has been done in a major ballet company and challenges the idea of what principal roles in classical ballets should look like.
Misty Copeland, 32, danced the role of Odette/Odile and 28-year-old Brooklyn Mack danced the role of Prince Siegfried. Copeland is a soloist with the American Ballet Theater in New York City. Mack is a principal dancer with the Washington Ballet.
Washington Ballet Artistic Director Septime Webre asked Copeland to perform the role last year, when she was visiting D.C.
She says he told her, "I think it's time the ballet world sees someone like you dancing the lead in a very iconic ballet."
Copeland's response: "I felt like it couldn't be a more appropriate place. All the work Septime has done, diving in and making changes with the ballet world and diversifying it. It's not just this gimmick of this time with ‘Swan Lake’ and Brooklyn and I. He's really been out there doing the dirty work for 15 years or so. I just felt like this is an incredible opportunity and place for two African-American dancers to be doing this for the first time."
Read more: http://www.wjla.com/articles/2015/04/2-african-americans-make-history-performing-lead-roles-in-washington-ballet-s-swan-lake--113063.html#ixzz3eaMjaHcQ
Follow us: @ABC7News on Twitter | WJLATV on Facebook
Read more: http://www.wjla.com/articles/2015/04/2-african-americans-make-history-performing-lead-roles-in-washington-ballet-s-swan-lake--113063.html#ixzz3eaMwQ2le
Follow us: @ABC7News on Twitter | WJLATV on Facebook
WASHINGTON (WJLA) – In an historic move, two African-American ballet dancers performed the lead roles in the Washington Ballet's "Swan Lake" Thursday evening at the Kennedy Center. It's the first time this has been done in a major ballet company and challenges the idea of what principal roles in classical ballets should look like.
Misty Copeland, 32, danced the role of Odette/Odile and 28-year-old Brooklyn Mack danced the role of Prince Siegfried. Copeland is a soloist with the American Ballet Theater in New York City. Mack is a principal dancer with the Washington Ballet.
Washington Ballet Artistic Director Septime Webre asked Copeland to perform the role last year, when she was visiting D.C.
She says he told her, "I think it's time the ballet world sees someone like you dancing the lead in a very iconic ballet."
Copeland's response: "I felt like it couldn't be a more appropriate place. All the work Septime has done, diving in and making changes with the ballet world and diversifying it. It's not just this gimmick of this time with ‘Swan Lake’ and Brooklyn and I. He's really been out there doing the dirty work for 15 years or so. I just felt like this is an incredible opportunity and place for two African-American dancers to be doing this for the first time."
Read more: http://www.wjla.com/articles/2015/04/2-african-americans-make-history-performing-lead-roles-in-washington-ballet-s-swan-lake--113063.html#ixzz3eaMjaHcQ
Follow us: @ABC7News on Twitter | WJLATV on Facebook
Bravo!
To see a wonderful performance AND to meet someone who has made history!
Last edited Sun Feb 11, 2018, 09:26 PM - Edit history (9)
Well, you know what happens to the color of peeled apples after a while...Balanchine via The Dance Theater of Harlem, which has been doing classical ballet since 1969.
Congrats, Misty -- but would this be happening if your skin was the color of roast coffee?
rocktivity
that complained about the the swans looking "too powerful"...
rocktivity
They're supposed to be thin and petite and minimally muscular...and pale...
rocktivity
Her technique and artistry are beautiful! My daughter and I love it 
Last edited Sun Feb 25, 2018, 12:13 AM - Edit history (3)
MoscowTimes.com: ...A female instructor helping to select dancers for the...Bolshoi Ballet Academy('s)...240th-anniversary celebration...stops in front of...Precious Adams, an 18-year-old American from Detroit. "What are you doing here?" the instructor asks curtly, then tells her to leave the audition room...
The (Academy) has become increasingly open to foreign students -- including about 20 Americans -- who...pay (a) yearly tuition of...about $21,000...But unlike the rest of her class, which includes...dancers of various complexions and a biracial American...Adams said her dark skin has singled her out and prevented her from being cast in roles, particularly in group pieces...
She began ballet lessons at age five, and at nine she joined a nearby studio led by...a graduate of the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet in St. Petersburg. She then...stud(ied) in Toronto, New York City and Monaco before applying to the Bolshoi after winning a scholarship to study Russian and ballet at the school's stateside summer intensive program...Adams said she has grown accustomed to the casual racism of Russian society. She does not go out alone at night, she has gotten used to the stares from passersby, and her headphones silence remarks from people on the metro...One teacher...suggest(ed) that she experiment with skin bleaching...
Performance time, in her words, "directly relates to you getting a job. If I can say I've only performed on stage four times out of the past three years, it doesn't look good." (But) Adams...(also) argu(es) that the valuable experience she is gaining serves as an answer to those who question why she came here to train. "I am really just here to get the best training that I can so I can go and be amazing somewhere else, where it is not so racially discriminatory," she said...
She was invited to...Switzerland('s)...Prix de Lausanne, a competition in front of Europe's top ballet companies where the winner can essentially choose her employer.
The (Academy) has become increasingly open to foreign students -- including about 20 Americans -- who...pay (a) yearly tuition of...about $21,000...But unlike the rest of her class, which includes...dancers of various complexions and a biracial American...Adams said her dark skin has singled her out and prevented her from being cast in roles, particularly in group pieces...
She began ballet lessons at age five, and at nine she joined a nearby studio led by...a graduate of the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet in St. Petersburg. She then...stud(ied) in Toronto, New York City and Monaco before applying to the Bolshoi after winning a scholarship to study Russian and ballet at the school's stateside summer intensive program...Adams said she has grown accustomed to the casual racism of Russian society. She does not go out alone at night, she has gotten used to the stares from passersby, and her headphones silence remarks from people on the metro...One teacher...suggest(ed) that she experiment with skin bleaching...
Performance time, in her words, "directly relates to you getting a job. If I can say I've only performed on stage four times out of the past three years, it doesn't look good." (But) Adams...(also) argu(es) that the valuable experience she is gaining serves as an answer to those who question why she came here to train. "I am really just here to get the best training that I can so I can go and be amazing somewhere else, where it is not so racially discriminatory," she said...
She was invited to...Switzerland('s)...Prix de Lausanne, a competition in front of Europe's top ballet companies where the winner can essentially choose her employer.
She won TWO "prix-ses" at Prix de Lausanne -- how shiftless and lazy of her...
PreciousAdams.com:
As of September 2014 I will be a professional Artist with the English National Ballet in London, England.
rocktivity
