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 That it's possible to do positive things and I think that's how we're going to set an example to be respected as women in the world. Misty Copeland example world thinking 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 gymnastics growing-up thinking I believe that I definitely developed into a refined and graceful woman due to ballet. It has shaped me in every way. Misty Copeland ballet believe way 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 anything to me, until I was older and could look back on it. Misty Copeland weight mean looks The higher you go up in rank, usually the longer you can dance. Misty Copeland higher But I think the more you eat healthy clean foods the more you create them. Misty Copeland clean healthy thinking I never experienced getting nervous on stage. I think I was most comfortable there. Misty Copeland nervous stage thinking To have a platform like So You Think You Can Dance, where you're reaching this audience that's been created over the 10 years that they've been on the air. People who didn't know anything about dance and aren't going to go to the theater are learning about it, even if it's ballroom and jazz, by just turning their television ono. They're building this audience that's advanced and educated enough to introduce them to ballet. Misty Copeland air years thinking I'm definitely very careful about the things that I want to be a part of, but it's also important for me to get dance out there to more people. Misty Copeland important want people Going on stage and doing ballet, for the first time, was even more verification of, "This is what I'm meant to do. This is what I'm going to do. I'm going to make it somehow." Misty Copeland ballet stage firsts When I was younger, my feet would hurt a lot, but you build up calluses and strength and you don't feel as much pain there. Misty Copeland pain hurt feet I don't think a lot of people really understand the commitment it takes to being a character that an actor in Hollywood would take to approaching a role that they're doing. Misty Copeland character commitment thinking I've gotten nothing but warmth from the Black community and positive feedback. Misty Copeland feedback black community My career came together very quickly. I only trained for four years before I became a professional, so I didn't have a lot of time to sit back and be inspired before I took my first ballet class. Misty Copeland ballet-class careers years I want to share the ballet world with everyone. Misty Copeland ballet want world I know there are a lot of eyes on me now from young girls, and it makes me so proud. The only Black woman examples aren't Rihanna and Beyoncé. It makes me proud that I am a classical ballerina and they can look at me and see another way to succeed. That is setting a new standard. Misty Copeland black girl eye I believe I am yet to dance my favorite role, but I am pretty open to adapting to different characters. I would love to be Odette in Swan Lake one day. I think that would be the ultimate role. Misty Copeland character believe thinking How difficult it is to exist, that we are athlete and artist. We have injuries. People don't see the hard side of being a ballerina. They just see this beautiful and effortless thing, and they assume it's easy and cute. I hate when people say it's cute! Misty Copeland hate cute beautiful I was 17 when I moved to NYC . I'm now 32. But I do know I can't see myself living anywhere else. I love the food, the fashion, art, the intelligence of this city and the people that live in it. Misty Copeland fashion cities art Ballet is number one, everything else is scheduled in the small windows when I'm not in the studio taking class, rehearsing, on stage or on tour. Misty Copeland ballet class numbers
