I think I always felt a connection to music and to movement. Growing up, I was surrounded by R&B and Hip-Hop, and the closest thing I could find to dance was gymnastics which I watched on TV. Misty Copeland More Quotes by Misty Copeland More Quotes From Misty Copeland I had no idea what I was walking into, and the years and years of hard work it would take. I felt like an outsider and like it was never going to happen. But even if I would have known, I think I still would have done it. Dancers are perfectionists, and that's what keeps us going and growing. Misty Copeland hard-work years thinking The woman represents ballet. She is most important, powerful and vital to it. Therefore, she is not "less than" a man. If anything she is "more than" in this field. Misty Copeland ballet powerful men I remind myself everyday just how lucky I am to do what I love! I feel so fortunate and I'm just trying to take my life one day at a time. Misty Copeland one-day everyday trying I just want to leave a positive memory of setting an example and bringing our youth with us. Misty Copeland example want memories Ballet.something pure in this crazy world Misty Copeland ballet crazy world I do think that it's a responsibility when there are so few of us as African Americans to kind of get to that place of success in a positive light. We should take a stance and stand for something and use that platform for positivity. Misty Copeland positivity responsibility thinking Something happens when you feel that energy and excitement from the audience. And you do, I don't know, four pirouettes. You jump higher than you ever have. And it's just this really magical thing that happens in those moments. Misty Copeland pirouettes four energy Going on stage and transcending the audience and becoming this otherworldly thing makes you a dancer. It's not so black and white. Misty Copeland dancer black-and-white becoming I learned how to communicate and articulate myself from ballet. It's just insane to me, when they don't think of that as a part of our education. Misty Copeland ballet insane thinking It's difficult to exist as a woman, especially I think as a powerful woman. You want to stand strong and you want to be considered and equal. Misty Copeland powerful strong thinking I don't believe in dieting, I don't believe in having certain moments in your life where you're healthy and then moments when you're like, "I'm going to eat whatever I want." It's just finding what works for your body and always eating healthy. Misty Copeland dieting healthy believe I never knew I wanted to become a ballerina. I was discovered at the age of 13. I had a love for movement even though I had no exposure to dance other than what I saw in music videos, like hip-hop music videos. But I knew that I loved moving. Misty Copeland hip-hop age moving I'm a classical ballet dancer, and at the end of the day I want to be with American Ballet Theater, performing classical ballets. Misty Copeland dancer ballet the-end-of-the-day I shouldn't even be wearing a tutu. I don't have the right legs, my muscles are too big. Misty Copeland muscles legs bigs To be an artist and to be recognized by another artist who is, you know, just something you can't even put into words, someone that is so far beyond what the normal human being experience is in terms of creativity and originality. That was kind of a moment where I thought wow maybe I do have something more that makes me special. Misty Copeland creativity artist special For me, I was in school and I pushed myself to be a good student, just because that's the type of person I was, but I never had a connection to any of it. I don't think my brain functioned in a way that was at its height, when I was in school. I needed something like art to really value the way my mind works. I wasn't reaching my full potential by sitting in a classroom and reading from a book. My mind didn't work that way. Misty Copeland reading book art I know that I'll forever be involved in ballet. This is where my life was meant to be, and I don't see myself straying completely away, ever. Misty Copeland were-meant-to-be ballet forever When you see the body outside of a costume and see the strength that it takes, people would look at dance a different way and see how athletic it is. You're not just born like that. Misty Copeland athletic different people Meeting Raven Wilkinson and having her as a mentor, it was that kind of support from the generations that came before me that helped to lift me up and give me the confidence to then be able to give back and bring other minorities with me on this journey. Misty Copeland ravens journey giving I think that I'm so fortunate to have found classical ballet. It completely changed my life and it shaped the person that I am today, on and off the stage. Misty Copeland ballet today thinking
