Misty Copeland, the barrier-breaking ballet dancer, is giving her last performance at the American Ballet Theatre (ABT)
As the first Black woman to serve as a principal dancer at the renowned company, Copeland will have her farewell from the company on Wednesday, Oct. 22, in New York City.
The gala performance will include selections from Copeland’s repertoire, including excerpts from Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake, and George Balanchine’s Theme and Variations. The evening will also feature special tributes from Debbie Allen and Oprah Winfrey.
Copeland joined the American Ballet Theatre Studio Company in 2000, and the ABT corps de ballet in 2001. She was promoted to soloist in 2007, and to principal dancer in 2015, becoming the first Black female principal dancer in the company’s history. That same year she made her Broadway debut, when she joined the cast of On the Town in the role of Ivy Smith. Copeland’s farewell performance will also be her first appearance on stage in five years.
On the final performance, Copeland attested that she is emotional and grieving moving on from the company that has been her homebase.
“It’s emotional in every way. ABT has been my home since I was a teenager. I’m allowing myself to feel the gratitude, the sadness, and the excitement all at once,” she revealed. “Preparing for this transition has meant trusting the foundation I’ve built and giving myself the grace to feel it all and the freedom to dream beyond the stage.”
“While she is bidding farewell to ABT, Copeland is not retiring from dance. Beyond her artistic triumphs, she is a cultural icon, bestselling author, and passionate advocate for equity in the arts,” a news release noted.
“Through The Misty Copeland Foundation’s signature BE BOLD program, she has dedicated herself to ensuring that ballet is affordable, accessible, and fun for children of all backgrounds to experience the transformative power of dance.”
“I want kids to know they don’t have to have everything figured out.”
One of Copeland’s latest endeavors includes a new book, Bunheads: Act 2 which takes readers deeper into the world of dance.
One of the biggest lessons Copeland wants readers to take away is that “Courage isn’t about being fearless, it’s about stepping forward even when you’re nervous or unsure. I want kids to know they don’t have to have everything figured out.
She also noted in the statement that representation is built into every page she writes. “These characters reflect the world I want every child to see in a ballet studio, diverse, supportive, and full of possibility,” she declared. “By telling stories where young dancers of color are simply there, chasing their dreams, we normalize inclusion and expand the idea of who belongs in this art form.”