I traced the marley floor with my pointe shoes, and imagine myself on the stage, not as a member of the corps,… — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
When I was 16, I moved to Torrance, California to train at a more advanced studio, and by 19, I joined the… — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
My first ballet class was on a basketball court. I'm in my gym clothes and my socks trying to do this thing… — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
The woman represents ballet. She is most important, powerful and vital to it. Therefore, she is not "less than" a man. If… — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
Once you become a professional, to get through a ballet like 'Swan Lake' - four acts as the lead, changing character -… — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
I will push myself in different ventures that I believe will make me a better artist, dancer and person. — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
I would have young dancers come to me and ask me questions and want to know what my experiences were like: 'What's… — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
I had no idea what I was walking into, and the years and years of hard work it would take. I felt… — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
I'm definitely influenced by the music. We dance to music, and you have to listen to it and phrase your dancing and… — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
Going on stage and doing ballet, for the first time, was even more verification of, "This is what I'm meant to do.… — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
What makes people and companies and artistic directors and choreographers interested in working with dancers is the ability to kind of let… — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
I will never be the best dancer or artist. I will be growing until the day I retire. — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
I wanted to open the dialogue about race in ballet and bring more people in. It's just beautiful to see the interest… — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
I didn't care how much work it would take, and I didn't see the time invested as a waste or like I… — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
The ballet world I don't think is an art form that is quick to change or to adjust or evolve. — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
It's hard to change someone's ideas when they might not even really consciously know that they're being racist, or have racist ideas,… — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
When you see the body outside of a costume and see the strength that it takes, people would look at dance a… — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
I've always approached my career and my life, you know, one day at a time, as if this was the last day… — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
Everything I was being shown was ABT, so I grew up watching these videos of [Mikhail] Baryshnikov, Gelsey [Kirkland] and Paloma [Herrera].… — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
I never thought of myself as special or particularly good at anything. But once I started ballet, suddenly I had a new… — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
To have a platform like So You Think You Can Dance, where you're reaching this audience that's been created over the 10… — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
I was the first person in my family who was ever interested in dance, or fine art of any kind for that… — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
I think body-image issues are not just a dancer thing. I think we're much more in tune and aware because the body… — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
I think all dancers are control freaks a bit. We just want to be in control of ourselves and our bodies. That's… — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
Growing up, I was surrounded by R&B and Hip-Hop, and the closest thing I could find to dance was gymnastics which I… — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
I traced the marley floor with my pointe shoes, and imagine myself on the stage, not as a member of the corps, but as… — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
When I was 16, I moved to Torrance, California to train at a more advanced studio, and by 19, I joined the American Ballet… — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
To be empathetic to everyone around you, I think, is such a powerful thing to hold. — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
My first ballet class was on a basketball court. I'm in my gym clothes and my socks trying to do this thing called ballet. — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
There are muscles that we have in our feet that most human beings don't even know that we have. The strength that we have… — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
Be strong, be fearless, be beautiful. And believe that anything is possible when you have the right people there to support you. — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
The woman represents ballet. She is most important, powerful and vital to it. Therefore, she is not "less than" a man. If anything she… — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
If I'm put in a situation where I am not really sure what's going to happen, it can be overwhelming. I get a bit… — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
I never experienced getting nervous on stage. I think I was most comfortable there. — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
The word "prodigy" was thrown around a lot, but I didn't understand what that meant, or the weight of it. It didn't really mean… — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
I think that the ideal physique and look of a ballerina is always changing with different eras. And it's continuing to change. — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
Once you become a professional, to get through a ballet like 'Swan Lake' - four acts as the lead, changing character - the perseverance… — Misty Copeland Copy Share Image
