Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina Young Readers Edition

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 10:30:19 -0700

From growing up in a run-down motel which she called home for years, to glamorous New York City, Misty Copeland made her mark, becoming the first female to be a principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre (ABT). Most girls and boys who dream of becoming ballerina’s start at the ripe age of three or four. But not Misty. Instead, she started at age thirteen. Misty said later that, “I was a late bloomer, starting ballet when I was only thirteen.” Although it seemed too late to start, Misty, with determination and support from teachers, became a “prodigy”. But Misty didn’t stop there. By the age of nineteen, she joined the Corps De Ballet at ABT. Even then, Misty said that her “ultimate dream was to become a principal dancer” which would later come to fruition. But before she could fulfill her dream, Misty set out to work hard and make her mentors and family proud. Famous ballerinas, such as Raven Wilkinson, were pleased and amazed with Misty. Even with struggles and injuries, Misty pushed forward, determined to show aspiring ballerinas that it’s never too late to make a difference. Even with her hard upbringing, Misty made history when she became the first woman to be a principal dancer at ABT. Through Misty’s life we can see that support and passion are some of the best qualities you need to achieve your dreams. She shows that passion and support can get you far. With Misty’s influence, young boys and girls can be inspired to dream big and work hard for what they want. Misty’s life proved that it doesn't matter where you come from or what ethnicity you are, you can still achieve great things.