Misty Copeland is a role model, a giver of grace, and a true life superhero. Misty has been on my radar since I saw her on a commercial years and years ago. What caught my eye was her incredible strength. I want my girls to see powerful women like Misty as role models. I want my boys to see powerful women as role models. Having a black daughter, it means a lot to My Guy and me that we have books with people and characters who look like Hope. And it’s important to us to talk about race and opportunity and heart daily. And I mean daily!
I stumbled upon the Misty book adventure while shopping on Etsy for black ballerina artwork for Hope’s room. I kept coming across Misty. And insert a dive into all things Misty. Enjoy!
Littles:
I Look Up to Misty Copeland by Anna Membrino is such a great board book for wee ones. This book includes not only a few of Misty’s incredible traits but also beautiful personal quotes. I love this for the ballerina in our house and the non-dancers. Misty’s attitude is something we all strive for.
Emerging Readers:
When I Grow Up – Misty Copeland by Lexi Ryals goes in depth into Misty’s start in ballet and her years training to become a principal dancer. I am so fangirl-ing on Misty and her perseverance. She didn’t start ballet until she was 13 years old and she was killing it before she was 18! This is a good-sized reader for kiddos who are reading independently but this would be super for a read-aloud!
Good for my soul: Check out Misty’s nonprofit she created with the Boys and Girls Club of America, Project Plie. This group seeks to “increase racial and ethnic representation in ballet and diversify America’s ballet companies.” How fantastic is that?!
Adult:
Life In Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina by Misty Copeland was nothing like I expected! So many interesting take-aways (see below).
Misty didn’t start ballet (or any other form of dance) until she was 13. To say she is a prodigy for picking up this art so fast, so much later than her contemporaries, to excel to principal status so quickly at American Ballet Theater is just beyond exclamation points.
She is an absolte force. Not because she’s a woman. Or because she’s black. Or because she came to the profession late. Or because she had a tumultuous upbringing and a hardly-supportive mother. That may be part of her story. She is a force because of her attitude, her ability, her aptitude to learn quickly and at the last-minute, her grit, her loyalty to her teachers and dance company and friends, her grace in challenging times and her talent. This book was such a great read. And what an incredible look into the world of ballet.
Professionals sure make their art look easy, right? What looks so effortless from a theater seat or my couch took zillions of hours of practice and money and driving time and missed opportunities. It is fascinating! At age 19, Misty weighed less than 100 pounds and had never menstruated. That’s how hard she was pushing her body – mind blown.
Misty is a brown-skinned professional in a very white-dominant industry. She acknowledges this throughout her book. Misty takes her role as boundary-breaker extremely seriously. And that has pushed her through some of the lowest of her days, to do it for others like her.
…but I know I will also dance for those who aren’t here, who have never seen a ballet, who pass the Metropolitan Opera House but cannot imagine what goes on inside. They may be poor, like I have been; insecure, like I have been; misunderstood, like I have been. I will be dancing for them, too. Especially for them. This is for the little brown girls.
Life In Motion; Misty Copeland, 7
Misty was passed over for the color of her skin. She was asked to change her body because she doesn’t fit the stereotypical mold of a professional ballerina. Nobody’s asking me, but since you did, I think that body is total gold and I see her as the definition of power and grace.
Misty details her upbringing and the unhealthy dynamics with her mother’s husbands. One was racist and volatile, another intensely strict. Her siblings and mother all lived in a motel for years. She lived with one of her ballet company teachers for two years. She changed from public school to homeschool to public school again.
I absolutely recommend this book, especially if you’ve ever taken a ballet or dance class. Ever. It gave me so much perspective. But it also gave me such incredible insight into the important concept of race and opportunity and economics and the trajectory of some who have to fight the variables at play.
Now, I hate to share something negative because I wholeheartedly liked this book. But. Being honest here. Misty calls her mom ‘Mommy.’ When I started the book, I assumed she called her that because she was recalling her youth in the beginning. But she kept calling her Mommy. And even the final chapter includes references to Mommy. It just feels weird. Again. Hate to even say it. Because I’m all about ‘you do you.’ Truly. But shoot, Mommy after elementary school feels a little…head-scratching?
Firebird by Misty Copeland came out TODAY! You better believe that I ordered it!
Not necessarily a book about Misty, but this was such a beautiful story about a little girl dreaming to become a prima ballerina and getting the opportunity to see Janet Collins dance at the Metropolitan Opera. So many dancers came before Misty who helped the industry take notice of talent, not race.