After a quarter of a century, Misty Copeland will be giving her final bow to the American Ballet Theatre.
The Associated Press called her career trailblazing, “in which she became an ambassador for diversity” in the world of ballet.
Copeland, 43, became a member of the ABT when she was a teen and was the first Black female principal dancer in the organization’s 75-year history a decade ago.
She started dancing when she was 13 and went to study at the San Francisco Ballet School and eventually the American Ballet Theatre. At first, she was part of the junior company, but in 2001 was a member of the corps de ballet by 18. In 2007, she was a soloist and in 2015, was named principal dancer, days after performing in “Swan Lake” as Odette/Odile at the Metropolitan Opera House.
The ballerina also appeared in a music video with Prince and went on tour with him in 2011.
A gala will be held in her honor on Wednesday night and she will take the stage, dancing with the ABT for the first time in five years. Oprah Winfrey and Debbie Allen will pay tribute to Copeland, who will perform excerpts from “Romeo and Juliet” and “Sinatra Suite.” She will also premiere a pièce d’occasion choreographed by Kyle Abraham, CNN reported.
She announced her retirement in June, saying, “It’s time for me to move to the next stage.”
Copeland is a mom of a young son, whom she has been raising with her husband during her five-year break from ABT, she is also an author and started a foundation called “Be Bold,” an afterschool program for young children of color, the AP reported.
She also hasn’t committed to leaving the world of dance forever.
“You know, I’ve become the person that I am today, and have all the opportunities I have today, because of ballet, (and) because of American Ballet Theatre. I feel like this is me saying ‘thank you’ to the company. So it’s a farewell. (But) it won’t be the end of me dancing. … Never say never,” she told the AP.
The gala cost $5,000 a ticket, but a live simulcast will be streamed for free at Alice Tully Hall, CNN reported.
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