” Dance … even if you have nowhere to do it but your living room.”
– Kurt Vonnegut
Dear friends,
We hope this Sunday morning finds you and yours safe and looking forward to some level of isolation relief over the next few weeks. Recently we ran across something originally published in the British Psychological Research Digest that said, “If you’re seeking emotional connection … and chills down your spine, you may find watching professional ballet dancers will do the trick just as much as listening to the music you love.
Clearly that truth can be fully realized when watching the virtuoso artistry of Misty Copeland, and so today we share with you some of her remarkable talent so that you too can bear witness.
Misty Copeland is a living icon who despite all the odds being stacked against her, rose to greatness, becoming the first African-American woman ever promoted to principal ballerina in the 75 year history of the prestigious American Ballet Theater.
She is an enormous talent, with an amazing and triumphant story of overcoming the dual challenge of being born poor and black to becoming the most celebrated ballet dancer in the world. Hers is an unforgettable journey beautifully chronicled in her best selling biography,
A Life in Motion : An Unlikely Ballerina
Misty Copeland at Vail International Dance Festival dancing in Romeo and Juliet, Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux and White Swan Pas de Deux. More than a dancer, Misty Copeland, has committed herself, her gift and her global stature to making a difference. Whether publicly taking on the issue of racial disparity in the world of ballet or being a role model and mentor to black and brown ballerinas all around the world, Misty’s passion is giving back.
Her latest project, a worldwide effort to raise money for struggling dancers during the current health crisis, is just one more example of that commitment.
In her own words…
“Start unknown, finish unforgettable. I may not be there yet, but I am closer than I was yesterday. This is for the little brown girls. All you can do is be your best self. I’m representing more than just me. It’s time to write our own story.”
– Misty Copeland
Here’s hoping that her words and her work inspired you as much as they have inspired us!
Wishing you a fabulous Sunday, the Carr Center