Misty Copeland and Her Extraordinary Story “Finding ballet was like finding a missing piece of myself.” This quote explains how ballet helped Misty Copeland find who she really is and what her passion in life is. Misty Copeland is an important and influential figure in history that had a positive impact on the world because she inspires other dancers to believe in themselves and not to let your race or your figure effect that. Misty Copeland was born on September 10, 1982 in Kansas, Missouri. Growing up Misty’s mother, Sylvia Delacerna, was constantly re marrying new men which caused Misty and her siblings to have to pack up and move frequently. Misty and her family finally settled in San Pedro California where she went to high school at San Pedro High School.
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She started her career when she was on her middle school’s drill team. The team's coach saw her talent in dance and recommended to her mother she join Cynthia Bradley ballet classes at her local Boys & Girls club. This was just the start of her career though. In 1998 when she was fifteen years old, Misty won first place in the ballet category at the Los Angeles Music Center Spotlight Awards. The following summer, she was accepted into the intensive summer program held at the San Francisco Ballet equipped with a full scholarship. In order to become who she is today, Misty Copeland had to overcome a custody battle between her mother and the Bradley’s because at that time she was living in a motel with her mother and her siblings. After that was over, Misty became a member of ABT’s corps de ballet, where she was the only African American in a group of 80 dancers. Other than race, her more full-figured body type was different than the other dancers and she was regularly reminded about it. Misty was able to set those things aside, and show off her incredible dancing
She started her career when she was on her middle school’s drill team. The team's coach saw her talent in dance and recommended to her mother she join Cynthia Bradley ballet classes at her local Boys & Girls club. This was just the start of her career though. In 1998 when she was fifteen years old, Misty won first place in the ballet category at the Los Angeles Music Center Spotlight Awards. The following summer, she was accepted into the intensive summer program held at the San Francisco Ballet equipped with a full scholarship. In order to become who she is today, Misty Copeland had to overcome a custody battle between her mother and the Bradley’s because at that time she was living in a motel with her mother and her siblings. After that was over, Misty became a member of ABT’s corps de ballet, where she was the only African American in a group of 80 dancers. Other than race, her more full-figured body type was different than the other dancers and she was regularly reminded about it. Misty was able to set those things aside, and show off her incredible dancing