Misty Copeland is amazing.
Her talent and her body talent is other worldly.
I came across an article on Upworthy that showed Misty re-created into the muse of iconic Degas paintings. It is beautiful for so many reasons. But of course the deeper meaning behind this project is highlighting the change within ballet to be more inclusive.
Copeland as "Swaying Dancer (Dancer in Green)."
Misty Copeland has broken so many barriers becoming the first black woman to become a principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre. Hopefully this becomes the catalyst for a wider representation of dancers of all races, ethnicities and body types.
While I was very aware of Copeland, I did not know much about her background. She is the child of two biracial parents, and was raised in southern California. She had a very unstable home life and did not even start dancing until she was in her teens which is unheard of for a ballerina. One year after she started dancing she won a national competition which proves she was born to dance and has a pure, god-given talent. She overcame all of the drama and negative experiences in her childhood to pursue her dream, which is extremely inspirational.
I think the emotion she evokes in her performances, and even in these photos is because of the experiences she’s had. There are now thousands of little girls who can dream of being a ballerina and look up to a woman who looks like them and that’s powerful.
Copeland as Degas' "Dancer."
Copeland re-creating Degas' "The Star."