When Misty Copeland took her first ballet class at age 13, she had no way of knowing that she’d become one of the most famous ballerinas in the world. Despite starting her career later than most, Copeland began dancing for the prestigious American Ballet Theatre (ABT) in New York City when she was only 17.
From there, her career began a meteoric rise, with Copeland dancing key roles and winning awards. In 2015, Copeland became the first Black female principal dancer in ABT’s 75-year history. Since then, she’s dedicated herself to further diversifying the world of ballet.