Top 100 Misty Copeland Quotes
#1. I wanted to open the dialogue about race in ballet and bring more people in. It's just beautiful to see the interest that has exploded for such an incredible art form that I will forever be grateful to!
Misty Copeland
#2. Finding ballet was like finding this missing piece of myself.
Misty Copeland
#3. I was definitely a late bloomer and didn't really come into my own until I was probably in my 20s.
Misty Copeland
#4. Ballet became this escape for me. I feel like I was on my own a lot. I was searching for stability, so I was going off on my own and imagining what I thought stability was. Ballet became a way for me to cope.
Misty Copeland
#5. 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, just because ballet has been this way for hundreds of years.
Misty Copeland
#6. I think that training is the key, definitely, and I devoted my life to it.
Misty Copeland
#8. The best piece of advice that I remember probably on a daily basis is to accept everything about me that is different. That is what makes me special.
Misty Copeland
#9. 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
#10. My family didn't have very much money, so ballet wasn't even on my radar; I just found it randomly when I was 13 at a Boys & Girls Club. We were practicing in a basketball court in gym clothes with some old socks on. Even though it terrified me at first, I found that I really liked it.
Misty Copeland
#11. 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
#12. 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
#13. Be strong, be fearless, be beautiful. And believe that anything is possible when you have the right people there to support you.
Misty Copeland
#14. I feel like with 'On the Town,' it was the perfect production and the perfect opportunity.
Misty Copeland
#15. I think body-image issues are not just a dancer thing. I think we're much more in tune and aware because the body is our instrument and art, and we stare at ourselves in a mirror all day, but I feel like it's something that every woman experiences and every girl experiences.
Misty Copeland
#16. If the rhythm or beat of the music changes with a live orchestra, you have to think on your feet. If you feel like you are not on your leg, you have to make a decision to make it look as though nothing is going wrong.
Misty Copeland
#17. I know that I'm talented, and I know that I'm not in American Ballet Theater because I'm black - I'm here because I'm a gifted dancer.
Misty Copeland
#18. Once you become a professional, to get through a ballet like 'Swan Lake' - four acts as the lead, changing character - the perseverance is incredible. It takes a lot to make it through and keep the same energy throughout the entire performance.
Misty Copeland
#19. 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
#21. I don't want to be anything else other than a ballerina. I love what I do outside of my work, but at the end of the day, I have to sacrifice.
Misty Copeland
#22. 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
#23. I was on a path. I was going to become a principal dancer. I never let my mind rest.
Misty Copeland
#24. I wake up every morning, and I go to ballet class no matter what's going on the night before. That's my priority, and that's what makes me feel sane and not removed from the realities of my world.
Misty Copeland
#25. 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 anxious.
Misty Copeland
#26. I love heels. I'm 5-foot-2, and I like feeling tall.
Misty Copeland
#27. 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
#28. I'm definitely influenced by the music. We dance to music, and you have to listen to it and phrase your dancing and movement in a certain way to compliment the music. We have to work hand in hand, the dancer and the music.
Misty Copeland
#29. Finding great training, I think, is number one. I did a lot of research and found really great teachers, and it just takes - I took a year off from school and did independent studies so that I could devote all of my time to it. But I think that training is the key, definitely, and it's not a sport.
Misty Copeland
#30. 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
#31. Decide what you want. Declare it to the world. See yourself winning. And remember that if you are persistent as well as patient, you can get whatever you seek.
Misty Copeland
#32. There are no taking days off. There are no distractions. If I had that, I physically wouldn't be capable of going onstage and performing live theater. It's extremely demanding. I have to be in ballet class every day.
Misty Copeland
#34. I didn't care how much work it would take, and I didn't see the time invested as a waste or like I was missing out on anything. Ballet became my ultimate passion.
Misty Copeland
#35. It's all so surreal, and I'm living my dream. And you know, principal or not, I'm getting to dance all the roles that I've dreamed of doing.
Misty Copeland
#36. As a child, I had been told that I was exactly what a ballerina should be.
Misty Copeland
#37. I definitely like to be natural and more relaxed and not wear a lot of makeup.
Misty Copeland
#38. 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
#39. Though I have tremendous support from lots of people, there are so many others waiting to tear me down.
Misty Copeland
#40. 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
#41. I think American Ballet Theatre is setting that standard now for classical ballet, that you can dream big, and it doesn't matter what you look like, where you come from, what your background is.
Misty Copeland
#42. A young girl reached out to me to be her mentor one day, which I didn't really know anything about. What I did remember was what it was to be alone as an African-American dancer in the ballet world and wanting to connect with someone who looks like me.
Misty Copeland
#43. I grew up poor in San Pedro, California, sleeping on the floor of shady motels with my five siblings and not always sure when or where I'd get my next meal.
Misty Copeland
#44. 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
#45. I was the first person in my family who was ever interested in dance, or fine art of any kind for that matter - I came from a very humble beginning in San Pedro, California.
Misty Copeland
#47. The classical ballet world is so exclusive and small, and a lot of people don't know about it.
Misty Copeland
#48. Just to get into a company like ABT is a dream come true, but to have all of these opportunities on top of it, I don't think it will hit me until I'm 70. I'll be like, "Oh, my god, remember that amazing life you had?" It's an incredible honor to be a part of something like ABT.
Misty Copeland
#49. Success is not easy and I think everyone should know that hard work and perseverance and being open to giving back are so much more powerful than stepping all over people to get to the top.
Misty Copeland
#50. I think I'm pretty laid back. I like cooking, being at home, and going to concerts. And I love to shop!
Misty Copeland
#51. I think anything that affects me in my personal life is going to help me be a better artist on stage.
Misty Copeland
#52. I just try to approach every opportunity on stage, as if it's my first time and my last time.
Misty Copeland
#53. What you put into your body is just as important as how hard you dance. I believe with the right training and an understanding of how to take care of your body, you can mold it to be whatever you want it to be.
Misty Copeland
#54. Whenever there was chaos in my house, whether it was arguing, being in a cramped space with all of us kids and screaming, I found an empty space where I could just put music on and move.
Misty Copeland
#55. I believe that I definitely developed into a refined and graceful woman due to ballet. It has shaped me in every way.
Misty Copeland
#56. Perseverance has always just been something that was in me. And it was a tool that came in very handy as a ballerina.
Misty Copeland
#57. I feel like going to class every morning is so humbling. You're always working to improve, and you're always being critiqued on your next performance. It's not about what you've done. There's always room to grow.
Misty Copeland
#58. Ballet found me. I was discovered by a teacher in middle school. I always danced, my whole life. I never had any training, never was exposed to seeing dance, but I always had something inside of me.
Misty Copeland
#59. When I was dancing, I felt in control and happy. I'm a Virgo, so I really like to be in control.
Misty Copeland
#60. I've always approached my career and my life, you know, one day at a time, as if this was the last day that I'm going, because you never know as an athlete and as a dancer. You never know what can happen today, tomorrow.
Misty Copeland
#61. It's a European art form, and you're used to seeing a certain type of person as a ballerina. And I don't look like a lot of the girls around me.
Misty Copeland
#62. I ended up training only for four years before I was accepted into American Ballet Theater in New York City.
Misty Copeland
#63. Finding ballet gave me passion for the first time in my life. I was always very shy and just wanted to fit in; I never daydreamed about what I wanted to be when I grew up. But dancing gave me a connection to my personality that made me grow.
Misty Copeland
#64. 40 years old is about the time a principal dancer would start to think about retirement, but some go on to dance a little bit longer than that.
Misty Copeland
#65. I traced the marley floor with my pointe shoes, and imagine myself on the stage, not as a member of the corps, but as a principal dancer. It felt right. It felt like a promise. Some day, somehow, it was going to happen for me.
Misty Copeland
#66. Being one of the few African American women to make it to this level in a classical ballet company, the level of American Ballet Theatre, takes a lot of perseverance.
Misty Copeland
#67. Knowing that it has never been done before makes me want to fight even harder.
Misty Copeland
#68. The ballet world I don't think is an art form that is quick to change or to adjust or evolve.
Misty Copeland
#69. In a ballet company, you're trying to create unison and uniform when you're in a cour de ballet.
Misty Copeland
#70. All you can do is be your best self. I'm representing more than just me. I think everyone should be like that.
Misty Copeland
#71. 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. But then again, it's a give and take. The older you get, you may feel pain in your back or your hips.
Misty Copeland
#72. You can do anything you want, even if you are being told negative things.stay strong and find motivation
Misty Copeland
#73. It's hard to be the one that stands out when, you know, in a ballet company, you're trying to create unison and uniform when you're in a corps de ballet.
Misty Copeland
#74. It's weird for minorities even just to buy tickets to the ballet. We feel like it's not a part of our lives and we're not a part of that world.
Misty Copeland
#75. 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
#76. At least in my performances, the audience has become so diverse in a way that I don't think ballet has ever experienced.
Misty Copeland
#77. Ballet was so structured. I'd been craving something that could guide me.
Misty Copeland
#78. Ballet found me, I guess you could say. I was discovered by a teacher in middle school. I always danced my whole life. I never had any training, never was exposed to seeing dance, but I always had something inside of me. I would love to choreograph and dance around.
Misty Copeland
#79. I have the opportunity, which most people don't experience nearly as much, of being in front of a mirror up to 10 hours a day. Staring at your body, you really get to know every little detail of how to make yourself look your best.
Misty Copeland
#80. I want the ballet world to be given the respect that it deserves and to be seen by more people - for so many to experience the beauty that I've received from the ballet world.
Misty Copeland
#81. [He] said don't let them take you over. Walk into the room knowing you are the best. Shoulders back, chin up. Their attitudes will totally change.
Misty Copeland
#82. Once I became a professional, maybe 19 or 20, I really started to try to figure out who I was, as a woman and as an individual.
Misty Copeland
#83. I think, as a child, there weren't dreams. I can't recall as a child having some ultimate dream and thinking that it was possible.
Misty Copeland
#84. I was aware of my race from a very young age. Not in a negative way. Coming from an interracial background, I think it is important to understand who you are.
Misty Copeland
#85. 'The Firebird' just symbolizes a lot for me and my career. It was one of the first really big principal roles that I was ever given an opportunity to dance with American Ballet Theatre, and it was a huge step for the African-American community, I think, within the classical ballet world.
Misty Copeland
#86. I think I get almost every piece of clothing that I buy altered and taken in just to fit me exactly the way it should.
Misty Copeland
#87. 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. So, I just used those avenues I found available right in my milieu to express what was inside of me.
Misty Copeland
#88. I want to bring awareness to the lack of diversity in ballet, and feel like that's a large part of my purpose.
Misty Copeland
#89. 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
#90. I would have young dancers come to me and ask me questions and want to know what my experiences were like: 'What's it like being a black dancer?' So I just felt like it was necessary for me to share my experiences with them.
Misty Copeland
#91. I knew that I just didn't have it in me to give up, even if I sometimes felt like a fool for continuing to believe.
Misty Copeland
#92. I didn't want to be the best at anything; I just wanted to blend in. And that was kind of my existence throughout my family experiences at home of just kind of blending in in the background through my other siblings, which was easy to do.
Misty Copeland
#93. Being in ballet class, being on the stage, being surrounded by my peers at American Ballet Theater every day, keeps me so humble and grounded. Being in ballet class, I feel, is like this meditation for me every morning.
Misty Copeland
#94. I had always been proud of my body - its strength and grace enabled me to pursue my passions.
Misty Copeland
#95. 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
#96. My favorite role of all? Whatever I'm working on in the moment.
Misty Copeland
#97. 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. I didn't know anything about it.
Misty Copeland
#98. 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
#99. I've gotten nothing but warmth from the Black community and positive feedback.
Misty Copeland
#100. 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
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