Being in ballet class, being on the stage, being surrounded by my peers at American Ballet Theater every day, keeps me so humble and grounded. Being in ballet class, I feel, is like this meditation for me every morning.
Misty CopelandRead
My body is very different from most of the dancers I dance with. My hair is different than most I dance with. But I didn't let that stop me. Black girls rock and can be ballerinas.
Interpretation
Embrace your uniqueness and overcome barriers to pursue your passion.
Misty Copeland's quote highlights the importance of self-acceptance and resilience in the face of societal expectations. She asserts that despite any physical differences or stereotypes, individuals can excel in their passions, and specifically encourages black girls to pursue ballet, demonstrating that talent and dedication are not confined by race or appearance.
In practice
In a speech encouraging young dancers at a local studio.
Being in ballet class, being on the stage, being surrounded by my peers at American Ballet Theater every day, keeps me so humble and grounded. Being in ballet class, I feel, is like this meditation for me every morning.
Perseverance has always just been something that was in me. And it was a tool that came in very handy as a ballerina.
It's all so surreal, and I'm living my dream. And you know, principal or not, I'm getting to dance all the roles that I've dreamed of doing.
Be strong, be fearless, be beautiful. And believe that anything is possible when you have the right people there to support you.
I say over and over again that I am just standing on the shoulders of so many who have set this path for me, and they may not be seen or recognized or have been given an opportunity to have a voice, but I'm here representing all of those dancers. Dance Theatre of Harlem Virginia Johnson, Tai Jimenez, Lauren Anderson.
It's hard to be the one that stands out when, you know, in a ballet company, you're trying to create unison and uniform when you're in a corps de ballet.
If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies.
We pray that Aung San Suu Kyi and her country are now on a path to freedom
I'd learned a lot in the Army. I knew that above all things in the world I had to become so big, so strong that people and their hatred could never touch me.
The outcome of fear is disappointment and shyness is frustration.
I spoke without fear of contradiction. I simply did not suffer self-doubt.
I do not murmur, even if my heart break.
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