The path to your success is not as fixed and inflexible as you think. Misty Copeland More Quotes by Misty Copeland More Quotes From Misty Copeland My goal has always been to be a principal dancer with ABT. Misty Copeland principal dancer goal Hopefully, I'll be a part of ABT, in some way, forever. I think I'll always be a part of ballet and try to push diversity, for as long as I live. Misty Copeland diversity long thinking Just as a child, before I ever knew what ballet was, there was something in me where I was always searching for something structured, something that was bigger than me, and something so historical that I could be a part of. I didn't find that until I stepped into the ballet world, and it was overwhelming, the feeling of being a part of something that's bigger than you. Misty Copeland ballet feelings children 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 clothes basketball class Everything I was being shown was ABT, so I grew up watching these videos of [Mikhail] Baryshnikov, Gelsey [Kirkland] and Paloma [Herrera]. Paloma and Angel [Corella] were the first people I ever saw dance live. Misty Copeland video angel people The fact that I was African American was never addressed, and that allowed me to just be a student, like anyone else. I was not aware of how rare it was to be an African American, how rare it was to have four years of training under my belt, and how, even though I could imitate people and fake it, unprepared I was to become a professional. Misty Copeland fake people years Even if I weren't learning new roles and getting the opportunity to be coached by incredible people, I still think I would be so excited to have an opportunity to continue to push myself and grow, as an artist. Misty Copeland artist opportunity thinking When people meet me in person, they're usually surprised at how petite I am because there's just [an] idea that because I'm black I just look a certain way. Misty Copeland black people ideas It's really amazing that I was discovered and that I've been given these great opportunities to travel the world and work with amazing artists. I'm very blessed. Misty Copeland artist blessed opportunity I absolutely love what I do. And I want to dance for as long as I can and feel good about what I'm putting out there on the stage. But my goal has always been to be a principal dancer with ABT. Before I knew that there had never been a black woman, that was always my goal. I wanted to dance Odette-Odile and Kitri and "Don Quixote" and Aurora in "Sleeping Beauty." So that's still my goal. But knowing that it's never been done before, I think makes me fight even harder. Misty Copeland fighting sleep thinking What makes people and companies and artistic directors and choreographers interested in working with dancers is the ability to kind of let go of everything you think you know and be a blank canvas. Misty Copeland letting-go people thinking I'm a pescatarian, so I don't eat red meat or pork. So my dinners usually consist of seafood in some way. And maybe cookies after! Misty Copeland cookies pork meat I think anything that affects me in my personal life is going to help me be a better artist on stage. Misty Copeland artist helping thinking I try my best to really think about things before I react and respond. Misty Copeland trying thinking I ended up training only for four years before I was accepted into American Ballet Theater in New York City. Misty Copeland cities new-york years I will never reach perfection. Misty Copeland perfection I will never be the best dancer or artist. I will be growing until the day I retire. Misty Copeland dancer growing artist I know that most of the time I have to work overtime to do everything that I want to. Misty Copeland knows want A lot of people think, "Oh I'm going to eat whatever I want and then go to the gym." And I've definitely been one of those people and it just doesn't give me the results that I need to have the physique of a ballerina. Misty Copeland giving people thinking Maybe I'm seeing myself in a different way than the people in the audience see me, 'cause to me, I think I look like a ballerina and I feel like a ballerina. But maybe I'm not seeing what other people are seeing. Misty Copeland people way thinking
