En pointe and on top of world: Ballerina, film star breaks color barrier

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1 En pointe and on top of world: Ballerina, film star breaks color barrier By Associated Press, adapted by Newsela staff on Word Count 923 Misty Copeland appears in a documentary titled "A Ballerina's Tale," which is the story of her comeback from an injury to her leg. Copeland has just begun her first season as a principal ballerina with the American Ballet Theatre, and she's also a best-selling author and celebrity spokeswoman. Did we mention she's also been on Broadway? Photo: Oskar Landi/Sundance Selects via AP NEW YORK, N.Y. Misty Copeland is a prima ballerina, television personality, and the star of her own film. As the first African-American principal ballerina at the American Ballet Theatre, she is also a role model. Just this year, Copeland, 33, has appeared in a Broadway show, presented at the Tony Awards, and danced on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert." She has also attended dinner at the White House, and is now making her film debut in a documentary by filmmaker Nelson George.

2 Copeland is just beginning her first season as a principal ballerina with the American Ballet Theatre. A principal dancer is a star of a ballet company who often dances in leading roles. "I do feel that my career really is just now beginning," she says, laughing at how ridiculous that sounds for a 33-year-old ballerina. A Picture Of Grace Masking Daunting Demands Copeland made history by becoming the first female, African-American principal dancer in American Ballet Theatre's 75-year history. The new title came just days after her New York debut in "Swan Lake." In the famous role, she played Odette and Odile, two girls who look alike, so they are danced by the same ballerina. It is a demanding role for any dancer, but for Copeland, it was that much tougher because the world was watching. Copeland wishes that she had more time to quietly grow into the role. "I clearly am in a different position when I make these debuts and all the critics are coming," she says. "That doesn't happen to most dancers on their debuts." During her "Swan Lake" debut, Copeland also faced another challenge. She was in severe pain, and hardly anyone watching that historic performance even knew it. Copeland had surgery on her left leg three years ago, to repair a series of career-threatening fractures. "It's been three years and I'm still not jumping fully." It's All About The Dance, Not The Pain She says that in "Swan Lake," she dances many difficult steps on her injured leg and it is very painful, but says that the public is not supposed to know about the pain. Copeland says, "We're not MEANT to expose those things. We're on stage presenting this beautiful, effortless experience for the audience." She met George before her leg surgery. She was dancing in "Firebird," a huge leap in her career at the time, though she was in terrible pain, and had to pull out of later performances. Once Copeland had completed surgery, George suggested making a documentary film that would tell the story of her struggle. "I saw it as this unique window into an artist's life," George says, "when they're coming from a period of great heights, to go down and pick themselves back up." A Less-Than-Perfect Performance They began filming "A Ballerina's Tale" at one of Copeland's first ballet classes after surgery. The movie also includes footage of Copeland's first post-surgery guest performance with a small company in Brooklyn, New York, where she

3 performed a solo. She says that she was not at her best. "It's so hard to watch!" Copeland says. "But it was just something I had to do, for my own sanity and confidence." Sanity is good mental health. As a perfectionist, Copeland also worried about the deal that the audience was getting. "They don't know that I've gone through this surgery, and this may be the first time and the last time they will see me perform," she says. The film also touches on the obstacles such as loneliness and self-doubt that Copeland experienced as she came up through the heavily white field of classical dance. She comments in the film that some people think she focuses too much on the fact that she is not just a ballerina, but an African-American ballerina. Her Race Isn't A Factor And Yet It Is "It's brought up to me all the time that I focus too much on that, that art isn't about that, and you don't see color in art," she says. "But so much of the accomplishment that I have is that I'm a black ballerina. It's the fact that I am an African-American woman that makes it a feat." The documentary opens around the country this week. Though Copeland is thrilled to be a principal dancer, she says there is a downside. She actually dances less because there are many principals who want the starring roles. "It's kind of a scary thought," she says. "In the rest of my career, if that's 10 years, I may have 20 'Swan Lakes' and that's it." For now, Copeland will try to dance as much as she can, and fit in the rest when possible. Her schedule has been busy, with a recent two-week-only starring role in a Broadway play. George predicts that Copeland will try Broadway again, but she says that she is only thinking about ballet. "There's no, like, I'm gonna go off and be this celebrity and then I'll come in and do this performance," she notes. "It just doesn't work that way." For Copeland, the offers and opportunities keep coming, but ballet always comes first. She says, "I've never sacrificed a ballet class. I've never sacrificed a rehearsal, and that will NEVER happen. It's not a hard balance. The dance is always first." Evidence-based discussion prompt: If you could choose one word or phrase to describe both Misty Copeland and Jake Olson, which word or phrase would you choose? Why? Use evidence from the article above and this ( newsela.com/articles/usc-blindfan/id/9018/) article to explain your choice.

4 Quiz 1 Which section of the article BEST highlights Copeland's many different dancing experiences? Introduction [paragraphs 1-3] "A Picture Of Grace Masking Daunting Demands" "It's All About The Dance, Not The Pain" "A Less-Than-Perfect Performance" 2 Read the section "Her Race Isn't A Factor - And Yet It Is." Select the paragraph that explains why Copeland feels that becoming a principal dancer is more of an accomplishment for her than for other dancers. 3 What is the MOST significant reason Nelson George thought it was important to make a movie about Misty Copeland? He wanted to show how she struggled after her surgery to return to being a great dancer. She has done many interesting things including present at the Tony Awards and have dinner at the White House. She is the first African-American women to be a principal ballerina with the American Ballet Theature. He saw her dance, thought she was amazing, and wanted others to see how great she was. 4 Copeland would most likely AGREE with which of the following statements? Race is not important in art, and she should not focus on it. A dancer can take time off from dancing to do other things and then return to the ballet. An audience deserves a terrific show no matter what the dancer is dealing with. It is important to try many different types of performances to know what you are best at.

5 Answer Key 1 Which section of the article BEST highlights Copeland's many different dancing experiences? Introduction [paragraphs 1-3] "A Picture Of Grace Masking Daunting Demands" "It's All About The Dance, Not The Pain" "A Less-Than-Perfect Performance" 2 Read the section "Her Race Isn't A Factor - And Yet It Is." Select the paragraph that explains why Copeland feels that becoming a principal dancer is more of an accomplishment for her than for other dancers. Paragraph 12: "It's brought up to me all the time that I focus too much on that, that art isn't about that, and you don't see color in art," she says. "But so much of the accomplishment that I have is that I'm a black ballerina. It's the fact that I am an African-American woman that makes it a feat." The documentary opens around the country this week. 3 What is the MOST significant reason Nelson George thought it was important to make a movie about Misty Copeland? He wanted to show how she struggled after her surgery to return to being a great dancer. She has done many interesting things including present at the Tony Awards and have dinner at the White House. She is the first African-American women to be a principal ballerina with the American Ballet Theature. He saw her dance, thought she was amazing, and wanted others to see how great she was. 4 Copeland would most likely AGREE with which of the following statements? Race is not important in art, and she should not focus on it. A dancer can take time off from dancing to do other things and then return to the ballet. An audience deserves a terrific show no matter what the dancer is dealing with. It is important to try many different types of performances to know what you are best at.