Misty Copeland of American Ballet Theater

[kwanfan1818]

She is a source of income: there was a video of a speech given by an ABT poohbah that was yanked from YouTube, in which he outlined the "star" strategy of bringing in guests for the revenue they generated and said, "and Misty."

There is no equivalent of "etoile" at ABT. There are corps, Soloists, and Principal Dancers. There is no concours for promotions, which is promotion by jury/committee: it's up to the AD. There have been Soloists promoted after they were ready for years, and there have been Soloists who grow a lot after the promotion.

 

[aftershocks]

Well I don't really think her technic is stellar at all, but she has an identity and a presence to compensate her other not so good aspects.
A bit huge compared to traditional ballerinas (not that she's fat !!), or more ... athletic ? I really do not think the classics suits her, she is a whole lot better when doing more modern work.

Wow, such a conceited and typical perspective. I guess you also think Michaela DePrince is "a bit huge," as well as too dark and thus also better suited to "doing more modern work." Attitudes such as yours are the kind which all dancers and anyone who is told they aren't good enough must battle to overcome.

In any case, there are plenty of dancers of African-American descent with the so-called "traditional" aesthetic look and superb technique who never made it to principal dancer with the top two American companies. And btw this "traditional" look of long slim legs, long arms, long neck, short torso, small bust was developed more in the modern age (late twentieth-century). It is kind of a New York City Ballet aesthetic type having evolved under Balanchine. There were some Balanchine ballerinas who did not strictly fit the "traditional" look but who brought something else which commanded Balanchine's attention. Ballerinas over the vast history of ballet have come in all shapes and sizes.

 

[aftershocks]

She is a source of income: there was a video of a speech given by an ABT poohbah that was yanked from YouTube, in which he outlined the "star" strategy of bringing in guests for the revenue they generated and said, "and Misty."

There is no equivalent of "etoile" at ABT. There are corps, Soloists, and Principal Dancers. There is no concours for promotions, which is promotion by jury/committee: it's up to the AD. There have been Soloists promoted after they were ready for years, and there have been Soloists who grow a lot after the promotion.

Not sure what your comments are intended to prove exactly in regard to Misty's promotion. If you actually thoughtfully read everything that's available about Misty's early life and training, and in particular her career trajectory as discussed in The New Yorker article I linked, as well as checking out all the other articles and videos maybe you would realize that quite a number of people in the ballet world, and people associated with ABT were always interested in Misty's precocious talent and eager to encourage her development. Encouragement, interest and support can be provided, but a lot is up to the dancer mentally and physically. Hard work, persistence, opportunity and luck are needed for everyone to make it, but especially if you have the distinction of being considered different.

The Firebird role was a huge opportunity for Misty and she grabbed it and capitalized on it. Despite coming down with an injury before opening night, she danced anyway because such an opportunity is rare, plus she knew everyone would be watching and a lot of people would be let down if she didn't dance on opening night. As a result, the injury worsened and nearly ended her career. Yet, in the process of having to take time off to heal, she learned something about herself and about her body which helped her to mature as a person and a dancer.

Misty's confidence, articulateness, self-belief and the way she gives back to others are most striking. The attention and media publicity she has received in recent years obviously are contributing factors in her rise as well, but she wouldn't be garnering any of that without backing everything up with her talent, desire and hard work.

Of course it's more than about sheer talent. Of course there's a political factor involved in company promotions. But clearly any dancer has to have talent to even be in the game in the first place.

You know, it's one thing to not like a dancer's look or to feel unmoved by their technique, but for @MarieM, and others to carry on in a dismissive and insulting fashion about whether Misty deserves the accolades and promotion is simply uncalled for.

 

[aftershocks]

I've seen Copeland do lovely and meh work in classical roles. Her meh work was as a fairy in "Sleeping Beauty," but I they were all meh, but one.

Debra Austin became a Principal Dancer at Pennsylvania Ballet. She danced Peter Martins' traditional production of "La Sylphide" and in the Company's "Bolero" during PA Ballet's visit to BAM. I saw her in the latter -- wished I had seen her in the former -- and she was terrific. Balanchine created the jumping solo in "Ballo della Regina" for her before she left NYCB.

ETA: Here is Austin in "Ballo":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hv8T5M1j5D0&feature=youtu.be&t=6m4s

Woetzel has invited Copeland to his Vail International Dance Festival before. He has a sharp eye for talent, and he's not hesitant to support dancers in whom he believes.

I refuse to use Kevin McKenzie's judgement in support of anyone, but I suppose a broken clock is right twice a day.

What makes you an expert on ballet and what defines "meh work in classical roles"? Are you a former ballerina or someone in-the-know politically within the ballet world? Why do you think so little of Kevin McKenzie?

Thanks for mentioning Debra Austin @Artistic Skaters, and for posting the Austin clip @kwanfan1818:
https://www.carolinaballet.com/pages/staff-directory-entry/debra-austin
I know there have been a number of African-American dancers at SAB, some of whom did make the company. I didn't recall Debra Austin in particular and I wasn't aware of her subsequent career with PA Ballet. Most recently Jasmine Perry attended SAB, but she wasn't accepted into the company upon graduation. Perry is currently with the Los Angeles Ballet. There was a dark-skinned African-American dancer at NYCB in the 1990s, whose name I can't recall. She was in the corps for a number of years, and she danced in a few soloist roles (though never made soloist) before departing to dance briefly with Dance Theater of Harlem.

Ballo Della Regina is one of my favorite Balanchine ballets. I love Merrill Ashley, and I feel fortunate to have seen her dance live. I enjoyed her lovely book, Dancing for Balanchine. Merrill Ashley has so much to say about her work with Balanchine that is very thoughtful and revealing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmYiiP9-JgY (Merrill discusses Ballo Della Regina)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKKceu23_WY (More in-depth discussion by Merrill re the speed, the music, Balanchine's thoughts, what's required of ballerinas who dance this ballet)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFXFeztRGFE (a younger Merrill discusses those hops on pointe)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2N7vssZDmCo (Dance Talk interview with Merrill)

Unfortunately, I just noticed this recent sad news that former NYCB dancer, Albert Evans, passed away on June 20, at the age of 46:
http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2015/jun/23/albert-evans-former-nycb-dancer-has-died/

 

[kwanfan1818]

Not sure what your comments are intended to prove exactly in regard to Misty's promotion. If you actually thoughtfully read everything that's available about Misty's early life and training, and in particular her career trajectory as discussed in The New Yorker article I linked, as well as checking out all the other articles and videos maybe you would realize that quite a number of people in the ballet world, and people associated with ABT were always interested in Misty's precocious talent and eager to encourage her development. Encouragement, interest and support can be provided, but a lot is up to the dancer mentally and physically. Hard work, persistence, opportunity and luck are needed for everyone to make it, but especially if you have the distinction of being considered different.

If you actually thoughtfully followed the thread, you would have understood that my first point was in response to MarieM's comment in the post directly before mine, "I bet she is a source of income for ABT", to which I pointed out that the company has acknowledged this as fact, and it's not a matter of conjecture, and to her comment, "but IMO her technic to me is not of a prima Ballerina," I pointed out that there is no equivalent rank of "prima ballerina" at ABT, while "etoile" at Paris Opera is the equivalent, at least according to the judgement of POB management. To judge her promotion by POB standards is, IMO, misguided, as it is not the equivalent.

There isn't a critic or person in the ballet world yet who has claimed that Copeland currently has the technique of a prima ballerina. Many are on record to say that she has the combination of technique and interpretive and performance qualities to have earned the rank of Principal Dancer. The rest of what you said is irrelevant to either of my points.

What makes you an expert on ballet and what defines "meh work in classical roles"? Are you a former ballerina or someone in-the-know politically within the ballet world? Why do you think so little of Kevin McKenzie? What makes you so haughtily dismissive?

 

[Artistic Skaters]

You know, it's one thing to not like a dancer's look or to feel unmoved by their technique, but for you and @MarieM, and others to carry on in such a dismissive and insulting fashion about whether Misty deserves the accolades and promotion is simply uncalled for.

Maybe you missed the posts by kwanfan 1818 from the previous page in support of MC's promotion . They do not seem dismissive to me. For any number of reasons, not every piece of work is going to be the same level of quality.

 

[aftershocks]

Okay, sorry to have missed that you were making distinctions in opposition to @MarieM's comments @kwanfan1818. Since you clarified, I get the points you are making in opposition to MarieM's comments.

Still, you appear to be dismissive of Kevin McKenzie, for some unexplained reason. That's why I ask about your insider knowledge and background in ballet. In any case, I'm not exactly sure what supportive points if any you are making in reference to Misty's promotion, talent, career, etc.

I only brought up McKenzie after seeing the ABT documentary and reading some of his reflections about Misty's development in The New Yorker article. I'm not touting his views as some kind of defense of Misty's promotion. Clearly, McKenzie is ABT's Artistic Director and he had something to do with the decision to promote Misty. I personally don't think Misty's promotion needs defending. But I do think negative comments sometimes should be addressed.

I did see your previous post to the effect that "haters are gonna hate," in response to some of the negative remarks about Misty's promotion.

For me personally, Misty Copeland is not my favorite ballerina, but she has some very special qualities. I enjoy watching her and I respect her talent, and I very much admire the way she has been giving back so much to young aspiring dancers.

 

[Spun Silver]

Is this a fan thread about Misty Copeland or a discussion of her promotion?

Ballet, like skating and all the arts, is something that people feel passionately about. Name a star, there is someone who will dismiss him or her and have reasons for doing so. That's just how it is. Get used to it.

 

[aftershocks]

I started the thread before Misty's recent promotion simply because I came across information and videos about her and I was particularly impressed by an interview she gave (see my original post). Kudos to Misty for setting the example that you can achieve regardless of whoever says you can't. I didn't know anything about Misty Copeland and I had never heard of her until I saw her dance at the Kennedy Center Honors tribute to Patricia McBride, as I stated in my original post.

As with most threads on FSU, the conversation runs its course in a variety of ways. Not really a surprise.

I am in love with ballet and with figure skating. I lost close touch with ballet and dance though when I moved away from New York. So it is refreshing to learn about one of the ballet world's rising stars, especially someone like Misty who is so articulate and passionate about what she does.

As far as getting used to people throwing shade on a dancer they don't like, that's fine as everyone will never have the same likes and dislikes. Different strokes for different folks. However, I don't plan to get used to dismissive insults, especially when there's a tinge of prejudice involved regarding the subject's looks and ethnic background. I tend to champion outsiders and underdogs. IMO, the status quo involved in any institution always needs to be shaken up.

 

[aftershocks]

A bit OT, but Tanaquil LeClerq, one of the greatest of all ballerinas whose career was cut short by polio is profiled in the American Masters film, Afternoon of a Faun. She lived a very private life out of the public eye post her illness and long recovery. Of course, she was confined to a wheelchair paralyzed from the waist down, but her spirit and feisty personality endured. She taught at Dance Theater of Harlem for many years, unhampered by being in a wheelchair.

I love the anecdote in the below clip re LeClerq's quip to a movie theater owner who made the mistake (as non-physically handicapped people sometimes do) of thinking LeClerq was not in full control of her faculties simply because she was sitting in a wheelchair: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcxxjAmJHdg

The entire documentary is worthy of being viewed in its entirety:
http://video.pbs.org/video/2365268839/

LeClerq also wrote a children's book (now out of print, but available at some libraries) while still married to Balanchine, entitled Mourka: Autobiography of a Cat, about her and Balanchine's former alley cat they rescued. It is said that Mourka was Balanchine's feline muse, and that Mourka learned to do entre-chats, pas de chats, and a grand jete! There are some famous photos of Balanchine with Mourka online (some of which also appear in the book, photographed by Martha Swope):

http://vaganovaboy.tumblr.com/post/47634999769/randombeautysls-randombeautysls-mr-b-and
http://sheris-musings.tumblr.com/post/25076070805/mourka
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FOyzBgnnO_k/TzX6j2RSRSI/AAAAAAAAA18/BbC-eYH5rNs/s1600/Mourka4.jpg
http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/ed/b7/f7/edb7f756ce18551f8325462d6c6da9fd.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G24WjRCKcWw/TzX5sXSnIeI/AAAAAAAAA1k/qwqmCwVSB9A/s1600/Mourka2.jpg

 

[dardar1126]

Twitter:

[URL='https://twitter.com/nytimesarts']New York Times Arts ‏@nytimesarts

2h2 hours ago
Misty Copeland, the ballerina who made history last week, is heading to Broadway. http://nyti.ms/1LNx1b3

[/URL]

 

[kwanfan1818]

She's doing a two-week stint, one of several dancers doing the same, taking over for Megan Fairchild, who opened and ends her run the first week in August.

 

[Artistic Skaters]

Misty Copeland discussed the Broadway show when she did an interview on CBS This Morning today:

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/misty-c...st-black-principal-dancer-at-american-ballet/

 

[MarieM]

Wow, such a conceited and typical perspective. I guess you also think Michaela DePrince is "a bit huge," as well as too dark and thus also better suited to "doing more modern work." Attitudes such as yours are the kind which all dancers and anyone who is told they aren't good enough must battle to overcome.

In any case, there are plenty of dancers of African-American descent with the so-called "traditional" aesthetic look and superb technique who never made it to principal dancer with the top two American companies. And btw this "traditional" look of long slim legs, long arms, long neck, short torso, small bust was developed more in the modern age (late twentieth-century). It is kind of a New York City Ballet aesthetic type having evolved under Balanchine. There were some Balanchine ballerinas who did not strictly fit the "traditional" look but who brought something else which commanded Balanchine's attention. Ballerinas over the vast history of ballet have come in all shapes and sizes.

It's not her body type that irks me, it's her technic. Or lack of proper technic anyway.
It's not a stellar technic, she has too many flaws to my taste for someone who is a principle dancer. And promoting her on a not so stellar role in Le Lac des Cygnes really proves my point. The main part of that ballet is the fouetté, and she can't do them in my eyes. She's not promoted for her technic, she's promoted for her star quality, her emotional contact with the public. This can also be a big part of being a principle, but not enough to me.
But my ballet regard is a bit too "Paris Opéra technical oriented" ... I have loved Misty's work in firebird, but the rest is meh technically speaking.
But her meh technics hasn't hindered what she can bring to modernize ballet. When I compare her technic to Sylvie Guillem for example, she has such a long way to go ....

Michaela DePrince on the other hand is the contratry, a more solid technical ballet dancer, but she has problems connecting with the audience at this point or relating to the public. That can come in the next few years as long a choreographers give her the chance to, and considering her amazing technic, she will. Given that she can find a suitable partner of course.

 

[aftershocks]

Have you had the chance to see Michaela dance live, @MarieM, since she dances in Europe with Dutch National Ballet? The little I've seen of Michaela in online videos, I agree she definitely seems to be a very strong and powerful dancer with superb extension, virtuoso abilities, and lovely carriage. As she is still very young, Michaela definitely has room and time to grow as an artist. And it looks like she will have to capitalize on that opportunity in Europe rather than in America. To me, Michaela and Misty are both quite wonderful ballerinas with different body types and different presences on-stage and of course very different off-stage personalities. What they share in common is confidence, determination and articulateness, as well as intriguing backgrounds/ back stories.

Although I took ballet classes for many years as an adult, I can't say that I know enough about 'proper' ballet technique to make any expert claims about technique. I'm just not sure what it is exactly besides "not enough fouettes," that makes you arrive at your judgment regarding Misty. What specific flaws are you speaking of? Misty simply does not have the typical ballerina look on-stage that she did have btw as a teenager, but I don't think that's a bad thing. To the contrary, it makes her very compelling to watch, IMHO.

With your views about proper technique, it must horrify you to look at some of the background dancers in the old black and white film clips (from the posted documentaries). My gosh, the great Maria Tallchief has spoken about having been poorly trained as a very young ballet student and she jokes about Balanchine once saying to her, "Oh Maria, if only you would learn how to do tendu properly." Maria's turnout was not initially very good either, due to inadequate early training.

Of course for many of today's young ballerinas, good technique abounds, but not so much dynamic presence, soulful panache, or transcendent artistry.

From the little I've seen of her, I think Misty has that something extra that makes her very special. And Misty clearly received excellent training, despite starting at a late age.

 

[MarieM]

I can only say my reference once again is Paris Ballet School of the Opera. Maybe the Bolschoi sometimes has the same kind of technic awareness but that's about it IMO as far as the big 10 companies are concerned.
It's the Noureev and Claude Bessy's view of Ballet. Very classical, with long legged ballerinas, with technical mastery.
A foreign ballerina will have a lot of trouble in those companies because of that kind of technical view of ballet.

Misty is from a very american ballet background, more "relaxed" and that is focusing way to much on Jeté and is forgetting about all the other aspects of ballet. Only she really started too late.
I love what Balanchine has brought to Ballet in terms of explosivness but nowadays, dancers that do balanchine tend to forget the rest that isn't him. Of course when you pick Julie Kent or Ethan Stiefel, I am proven wrong since both would have been fantastic with Paris Ballet or any other european ballets although Ethan would have had trouble rivaling Nicolas Leriche or Manuel Legris in my eyes

I agree that great stories help you connect to the dancer. But not all the time, and not is Swan Lake.
Take the new french "Etoile", Laura Hecquet. She doesn't have a great story, but when she dances Swan Lake, her stellar technic helps her bring the role in another dimension that Misty can not atteign only with theatrics.

 

[aftershocks]

Okay, so in your opinion French and Russian ballet technic and dancers are way superior than American variety. Oh well, I can't argue with your rarefied views of what's right and what is subpar.

Sure France and Russia are entitled to bragging rights, though the genesis of theatre, opera and beginnings of ballet started in Italy, was then co-opted and codified in France to which we also owe ballet terminology. But then Russia took over the mantle, stealing ballet masters and ballet dancers from France, and then simply revolutionizing the art form to the point where when we think of ballet tradition, we think of Russia and Russians who of course brought the art form to America where it further blossomed into a very different Americanized version, thanks chiefly to Balanchine, but also to Jerome Robbins, Anthony Tudor, and Agnes de Mille.

You speak about "long-legged ballerinas with technical mastery," but actually you fail to credit the fact that such an ideal was essentially developed in America particularly with the advent of Tanaquil Le Clerq under Balanchine's tutelage. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jo_BnG68d-w

Europe has partially borrowed from the Russo-American aesthetic and technique developed in America. Take a look at the ballerinas from Europe during the late 19th-century through early 20th-century: many had shapely figures and legs that were neither long nor especially svelte (e.g., Carlotta Brianza, Tamara Karsavina, Anna Pavlova). It wasn't until Fonteyn, Plisetskaya, and Makarova that we begin to see the more elegant lines, spirited energy and refined technique that indeed was at the same time taking place in America in the 1940s and 1950s with Diana Adams, Maria Tallchief, Tanaquil Le Clerq and Patricia McBride (and later with Suzanne Farrell, Allegra Kent, and Gelsey Kirkland).

Recommended reading is Jennifer Homans' recent book on the history of ballet: Apollo's Angels: A History of Ballet.

I'm not sure what you dislike about jete in ballet. I disagree that Misty and other American ballerinas are solely focused on jetes. They have to do everything superbly.

Here's an interesting article on the Royal Ballet School:
http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2012/mar/25/will-they-make-royal-ballet

 

[viennese]

Interesting reading.

The only ballerinas I know by name are Misty Copeland and Darcey Bussell. I remember seeing a documentary about Bussell in which she and her teachers described her as a late bloomer (not as late a starter in ballet as Copeland, but later than her peers at the famous ballet school she joined as a young teenager.) Being "behind" her agegroup, she thinks, made her work much harder to catch up, exceed expectations.

didn't Darcey Bussell also get comments about about having "the wrong body" - too tall? Jeez, the comments these ballet dancers put up with. That, plus all those mirrors. Must make them a bit loopy with self-examination and body image issues.

 

[aftershocks]

^^ Yes, that comes full circle back to my original post and the quote from Misty that inspired me to share her words in this thread:

"The ballet world has been a certain way for forever, which has been very exclusive and not completely open to people that look different... One of the things I'm pushing for is creating a healthy and positive body image ... this world should be open to anyone who wants to be a part of it if they just put in the hard work."

 

[ballettmaus]

Okay, so in your opinion French and Russian ballet technic and dancers are way superior than American variety. Oh well, I can't argue with your rarefied views of what's right and what is subpar.

As someone who has actually been exposed to all three schools - Russian, French and American - I can honestly say that the Russians are the most technical ones, the most precise and the most demanding technical wise. The French pay more attention to the upper body/port de bras and are less force-oriented (meaning, while my Russian teacher liked to do very long and very slow moving excercises at the barre, especially when it came to fondue and adagio, the French teachers did shorter ones and quickers ones). The classes I took in the US were mostly about focusing on your strength, they were the most willing to let precision go at the expense of expression.

But that's not why I dug up this thread, actually. I read on twitter that Misty Copeland received a proclamation today from the NYC Council for her accomplishments in classical ballet and I ended up wondering if her accomplishments really differ that much from every other dancer's who didn't have the ideal body type and/or started dancing late. Wouldn't a caucasian dancer who started late and was a very athletic dancer have ended up going the same path? A late promotion to principal dancer, if a prinicpal at all?
I do understand that her promotion to principal dancer might encourage more African-American girls to take ballet classes and not be discouraged by the fact that their body type might not be considered ideal. However, in my opinion, that doesn't have anything to do with Copeland's accomplishments/promotion to principal dancer per se but will be a consequence of what she has accomplished. For which she would only be indirectly responsible.

 

[aftershocks]

Everyone should read Misty's book, "A Life in Motion." It's very inspirational and transcends just a story about striving to overcome early life hardships and bias in reaching the top as a ballerina. I am impressed with her as a person who is normal, who always felt inadequate in different ways, except when she found that she was good at performing and dancing generally, and then when her exceptional physicality helped make her a ballet prodigy. The thing is though, she was able to overcome personal misgivings about herself and the hardships of her upbringing by being ready to accept and take advantage of her opportunities, and then when adversity struck, not losing sight of herself and her goals and what she learned from the love and guidance her first teacher gave her.

In addition, Misty was able to navigate and begin to understand a little about her mother's struggles (her mother was given up to foster care as a baby), which led to her mother not making the best decisions in her life. Misty has been able to learn from her mother's life in a positive way and she learned how to find her own voice and how to not give up.

Like you infer @ballettmaus, Misty's accomplishments are due to her dedication and extremely hard work. In reading her book, that is very evident. She did go through periods of self-doubt and thinking about giving up at ABT but she was able to push through and then help came to her through mentors, friends, and benefactors. Then she realized that there were always people at ABT who were championing her too, but it comes down to how you as an individual decide to handle pressures. Of course it is hard for everyone. Some dancers (such as Rebecca Houseknecht from the documentary First Position) pursue their dream only to find out that they don't really like dancing as an everyday job. Others may have their dreams short-circuited by injury. That last situation could have happened to Misty, but she was able to come back from two separate stress fracture injuries to reach new heights. It definitely was not easy.

In fact, Misty admits in her book that when she came back from the second injury (shin stress fracture after her New York debut in The Firebird), she was not at full ability in the first months back. Anyone who saw her perform during that time might think she was not very good, but in fact she was recovering from injury. She ultimately regained her strength and abilities and she talks in her book about the constant struggle for perfection as a dancer.

Everyone is individual and unique, and the fact remains, to make it as far as Misty did as a black dancer, you really have to bring it and you always have more to prove. Sometimes that kind of pressure can be daunting. Misty has been able to make it work for her. Plus she does not shy away from being a role model, while at the same time she recognizes and gives tribute to those black ballet dancers who came before her and helped make her rise possible.

I disagree with some of what you seem to be saying @ballettmaus. Everyone's path is different. Yes, its hard for everyone in ballet, but everyone handles what comes their way very differently. You should really read Misty's book with an open heart and mind. There's a lot in there for any human being to identify with. Don't get hung up on the black thing, but recognize the challenges that are different for black dancers, and understand the very real historic significance of Misty's accomplishments.

Case in point: Misty's anecdote about working with Natalia Makarova for a role Kevin MacKenzie wanted Misty to have, but Makarova was reluctant to give Misty for reasons Makarova voiced about Misty not having the right body type and just not being right for the role, really demonstrates in fact that bias exists. The choice is either giving into the negative perceptions of some people, or working your butt off proving your worth. Misty proved her worth and aced the role to eventual effusive praise from Makarova. But Misty had to work harder just to be given the chance for Makarova to consider her, and then harder still to prove she deserved the role. That is more than an accomplished white ballerina would have had to prove.

Here are some recent videos on Youtube, post Misty's promotion to Principal Dancer at ABT. Well worth looking at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZtsWbL9o7k Misty on The View

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPiAc_jdA04 Misty press conference after promotion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4imi3aRznY Emotional interview after her promotion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fi-DXSnhPQs Interview with one of Misty's benefactors

Interesting side note, I listened to a horribly self-pitying forgettable and obscure audio interview on Youtube with Misty's mother whining about how she was depicted in Misty's book. Very sad and cringeworthy, because Misty seems to truly love and respect her mother, and in her book Misty is able to be very honest and to tell the truth from her perspective without bitterness. At the same time, Misty gives her mother a great deal of credit and props for the love she gave as a mother, despite her mother's mistakes and poor decisions. Main interesting tidbit from the audio interview, is that Misty got her name from her mother having watched the movie, Play Misty for Me, while pregnant with her.

 

[agalisgv]

for reasons Makarova voiced about Misty not having the right body type and just not being right for the role, really demonstrates in fact that bias exists. The choice is either giving into the negative perceptions of some people, or working your butt off proving your worth. Misty proved her worth and aced the role to eventual effusive praise from Makarova. But Misty had to work harder just to be given the chance for Makarova to consider her, and then harder still to prove she deserved the role. That is more than an accomplished white ballerina would have had to prove.

I disagree that saying someone doesn't have the right body type or isn't right for a role means racial bias is at play. I also disagree that some of the situations Misty has faced haven't also been faced by white ballerinas.

Evgenia Obraztsova once observed that she was considered a lesser dancer because she never performed Swan Lake. But she noted that Uliana Lopatkina hasn't played Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, but isn't thought less than because of that. Some roles are more suited to certain dancers than others, but that's because of the demands of the role itself. I don't think Diana Vishneva is lesser for not not interpreting as well the Dying Swan than Lopatkina. Each ballerina has their unique qualities that lend themselves better to certain roles. That's not at all about race, but rather the unique qualities each dancer exemplifies. If a ballerina wants to challenge how she is viewed and which roles she is given, she will have to work very hard to do so. But that's true for all ballerinas--not just ballerinas of color.

 

[ballettmaus]

I disagree that saying someone doesn't have the right body type or isn't right for a role means racial bias is at play. I also disagree that some of the situations Misty has faced haven't also been faced by white ballerinas.

I agree and that was sort of what I was getting at. I've auditioned for (non-classical) companies who've cut me after the first round because I wasn't what they were looking for. Every single dancer faces that with every audition. It's part of the business, something that one has to accept; not every dancer fits every role or company just like not every actor can act or fits every role (in a movie/TV show).
And I would be very surprised if there was one dancer out there who didn't have self-doubts to overcome. It's part of the business as well; a dancer strives to get better, a dancer is never perfect, there's an aching body every day, and sometimes there are set-backs, making one wonder if it's all worth it. Been there, done that, more than once.

@aftershocks , I can't comment on whether or not Copeland had it more difficult to get to where she was since I don't know enough about her background, hence my pervious post. I don't doubt that she faced more negativity, especially during her early years, and I respect her for not giving up but sticking with her dream. It takes guts to do it, to prove everyone wrong, and I love it when that happens.
At the same time, I know that Semionova was facing the exact same problems - when she entered the Bolshoi academy, the teachers didn't consider her to have the right body type (I don't recall exactly what their criticism was and I can't check because I don't have the book at hand right now, but if I remember correctly, they considered her too willow-y and too square (not enough curves)), they didn't think she had what it took to amount to anything, didn't think she had the (technical) potential and she had to work twice as hard as everyone else. When she won the ballet competition at age 16, she actually went on her own accord, prepared for it after class because the academy didn't think she was worth sending or putting the time and effort into. (She didn't prepare alone, but, if I remember correctly, it was a former Bolshoi dancer she was preparing with, not someone who was working at the academy). And when Malakhov visited the final-year class, the teachers kept directing his attention to all the girls they considered to be outstanding and Semionova wasn't one of them.

She ended up proving everyone wrong, just like Copeland did. The question that I have (and sort of had in my previous post) is, is either one's accomplishment worth less or more than the other one's? Was it any harder for Copeland to keep confident and keep going than it was for Semionova? Personally, I don't think so, because if someone doesn't believe in you, doesn't believe you have what it takes, it doesn't matter which skin color you are. It hurts, it gives you self-doubts, it nags at your confidence and it does so for everyone equally.

I think there are many, many more dancers like Copeland and Semionova out there. Dancers who are beating the odds because they're pursuing their dream and they don't want to give up on it, and regardless of their skin color, they're all facing the same obstacles, they're all overcoming the same obstacles because, in the end, they're all dancers and they all have the same goal.

That said, if Copeland's accomplishments encourage more African-American girls to follow in her footsteps and inspire them to pursue their dream and beat the odds, and if it helps people to become less prejudiced and more open minded, then let them give her as many proclamations as they want

 

[MarieM]

Problem isn't about what she accomplished, she has done plenty.
My problem with her remain her technic that isn't spectacular. But still, she has other assets.
And I still don't like her performances from just the expression point of view. She doesn't "enter" the roles. And that is very french I agree with balletmaus.
I have a hard time with russians too, because they are so cold at times, and can be so warm at others, but it doesn't always fit the role.

 

[dardar1126]

TV ALERT!

Twitter:

[URL='https://twitter.com/CharlieRoseShow']Charlie Rose Show ‏@CharlieRoseShow

2m2 minutes ago
"It’s just been a tough path because I was the only one." @mistyonpointe, tonight on @PBS. http://bit.ly/1In5rAa

[/URL]

 

[aftershocks]

^^ Eh, thanks much @dardar1126. I hope it is still today (7/24/2015) where you live, so I can see Misty on the show tonight, Friday.

As far as your thoughts @agalisgv, @ballettmaus, @MarieM, to each their own perceptions. But truly oh my, to deny that it's harder for ballerinas of color to make it to the top in a top classical ballet company is simply being blind to the facts. Yes, the road is not easy for most, but you are off-base thinking that ballerinas of color are across the board in every instance treated as equally as every top white ballerina in the world of ballet. All Hail to those who have battled long and hard to help make what Misty has diligently worked for possible. Special shout out to Raven Wilkinson, Arthur Mitchell, and Virginia Johnson (whom I once had the honor of meeting in person).

Anyone who has not read Misty's book, I would challenge you to do so, as I said, with an open heart and mind. Everything is never simply black and white in life. There are always shades of gray, and then there is prejudice of all kinds, plain and simple. Whoever prefers to deny life's realities, continue doing so.

Here is a clip that I might be repeating from what @dardar1126 already posted. In any case, listen please to those of you being so dismissive about the difficult path so many ballerinas of color have faced and continue to face:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxfGytDdBCM preview of Misty on Charlie Rose

 

[agalisgv]

I never said there aren't more challenges facing African-Anerican ballerinas. What i challenged was the notion that critiques of technique or body build were race-based instead of being typical of the ballet world for all dancers.

To me, ballet is very similar to figure skating. There are aesthetic and financial barriers that make it a less friendly venue than other forms of sport and dance. There's a reason East Asians tend to do be well represented in ballet and skating compared to sports like basketball and football. One Russian ballerina spoke about the merciless treatment she received for having breasts. That's not part of the ballet aesthetic for ballerinas, and she suffered tremendously BC of it. Ballerinas too tall or short suffer as well, and are usually pushed out at some point. Any discipline concerned with aesthetics will place heavy burdens of body image on its performers. Just think back to all the critiques Rachel Flatt received toward the end of her skating career.

Finally, i would say the road to prima ballerina/principal dancer isn't easy for anyone. To make it in the ballet world requires a lifetime of sacrifice. It's not just handed to some on a silver platter.

 

[VGThuy]

Speaking of On The Town, I had the privilege of seeing it with the original 2014 cast and was blown away. I wonder if any of the ballet experts in this thread could tell me what they think of Megan Fairchild and An American in Paris's Robert Fairchild and Leanne Cope in terms of dancing technique. I thought Megan Fairchild was simply astonishing in her numerous dance numbers. I know a lot of Broadway fans are happy to hear about Misty Copeland taking over for two weeks because they think she's bringing interest into a show that quite frankly could have closed a while ago due to ticket sales. Some fans saw her in, I think, Romeo and Juliet and were very impressed with her acting.

I do think the whole discussion of ideal body types is interesting because I wonder how much of it is influenced by a resistance to change the aesthetic a bit. Some aesthetics in these subjective-based art are culturally biased. Sure there will be individuals who will cross barriers (not break them) and these standards are high for everyone, but I think they seem to be higher for some more than others, generally speaking. Maybe that's what people want and we shouldn't change anything. Of course, strict adherence to classical or traditional looks and rituals don't help with relevance, perception of elitism (that only a privileged few seem to be invited in with some exceptions), and growth as an art form.

 

[kwanfan1818]

Evgenia Obraztsova once observed that she was considered a lesser dancer because she never performed Swan Lake. But she noted that Uliana Lopatkina hasn't played Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, but isn't thought less than because of that. Some roles are more suited to certain dancers than others, but that's because of the demands of the role itself.

Aurora is less of a litmus test than Odette/Odile. Lilac Fairy, which Lopatkina has danced in "The Sleeping Beauty," is considered a major role of great stature -- at least when it isn't the reconstructed version, which Lopatkina is on record as loathing, and hasn't been resurrected since -- and with Odette/Odile, has cemented her status. Similarly Myrtha in "Giselle." There is no secondary role in "Swan Lake" to match Lilac Fairy or Myrtha, technically or dramatically, as Odile is the counter to Odette, and one dancer does both.

Obraztsova did not perform Odette/Odile at the Mariinsky Ballet because she was not considered the appropriate body type for the role, although she was far more like the role's originator than most of the dancers cast in it by the company, and some lesser dancers -- technically and certainly stylistically -- who had the "right" body type were cast in it regularly and promoted quickly through the ranks. She didn't get the role at the Mariinsky because of body type, and because she never danced it, was considered not worthy of promotion. That's the same rationale that kept Copeland back.

In 2011 Obratztsova made a smash debut as Odette/Odile with the Stanislavsky Ballet in Moscow. Sergei Filin, who had been director of the Stanislavsky Ballet, offered her a position as Principal Dancer at the Bolshoi Ballet, to which he had moved. While there are inevitable Bolshoi vs. Mariinsky debates, which company is "better" is usually a question of when the issue is raised, but the companies have equal prestige however begrudgingly. There is no equivalent second classical company in the US, as NYCB, the only company with similar prestige, is a neoclassical company, and rarely takes dancers that aren't trained at its school, SAB. Also in Russia, there are several smaller classical companies with spectacular dancers. While most do full-lengths because those ballets bring in the cash, the core rep for every other mid-sized to large (US) company is neoclassical or contemporary ballet, after Stanton Welch took over for Ben Stevenson in Houston.

 

[aftershocks]

I never said there aren't more challenges facing African-Anerican ballerinas. What i challenged was the notion that critiques of technique or body build were race-based instead of being typical of the ballet world for all dancers.

To me, ballet is very similar to figure skating. There are aesthetic and financial barriers that make it a less friendly venue than other forms of sport and dance. There's a reason East Asians tend to do be well represented in ballet and skating compared to sports like basketball and football. One Russian ballerina spoke about the merciless treatment she received for having breasts. That's not part of the ballet aesthetic for ballerinas, and she suffered tremendously BC of it. Ballerinas too tall or short suffer as well, and are usually pushed out at some point. Any discipline concerned with aesthetics will place heavy burdens of body image on its performers. Just think back to all the critiques Rachel Flatt received toward the end of her skating career.

Finally, i would say the road to prima ballerina/principal dancer isn't easy for anyone. To make it in the ballet world requires a lifetime of sacrifice. It's not just handed to some on a silver platter.

Of course, for anyone in ballet becoming a principal dancer is not easy. You've got to have talent, but you've also got to be well-liked by the people running the ballet company. Politics are always involved unfortunately in all fields of endeavor. Surely just being oneself and being confident as well as extremely talented will take anyone far in life. Being able to deal with pressures and internal and external conflicts is also very challenging for everyone as well. But particularly so in the ballet world for dancers of color. Who says principal dancer positions are "handed to some on a silver platter"? What is true is that dancers of color must constantly prove themselves, and there is always that bit of extra stuff to deal with when you stand out as the only person of color in a top company or one of maybe two persons of color in a top company. You really should read Misty's telling of how she reacted and where she was when she learned that she had been given the role of The Firebird with ABT (on pp. 240-242 of her book).

Yep, the mentioning of financial barriers for black dancers and figure skaters always comes up. But in fact, financial barriers exist for the majority of aspirants in the fields of dance and figure skating. If you are talented, a hard-worker and someone of great character, why should finances always be the reason given why it's too hard for persons of color to make it? In fact, not every person of color who is trying to make it in ballet and figure skating comes from a poor background. You will have to elaborate on what you mean exactly re "aesthetic" barrier challenges.

FYI, Misty's anecdote about Natalia Makarova is not really about Makarova simply not wanting Misty because of body type concerns. Misty was "pushed through a process that wasn't normal for ABT" (see pp. 245, 249, 251 of Misty's book - hard cover) in the particular instance of Misty having to first be seen by Natalia over the course of a week for the role of Gamzatti in La Bayadere. Certainly, dancers do have to compete for roles. But it was abnormal for the way this situation played out, particularly when the company director (Kevin) wanted Misty for the role but told her she was unlikely to get it because Makarova wanted someone else. Misty was very aware of ongoing issues Makarova had with her over the years, so it was not like something out of the blue simply because of Makarova's excuse-making body type concerns or any routine necessity to compete for the role. For Misty, "the process was intense and grueling," and it occurred at the same time she was working on Alexei Ratmanksy's new staging of The Firebird.

Interestingly, you might also read Jessye Norman's recent memoir, Stand Up Straight and Sing! It is really more a book about living life to the fullest rather than strictly about her singing career, but in promoting the book Norman was recently interviewed by Gloria Steinem. And during the interview Norman related her experience of competing as a young singer at a prestigious competition. It was unbelievable the obstacles the jurors placed before her (only her and no one else in the competition) including not using her personal accompanist on the piano, and being made to select a different piece of music, etc., etc. Things that were really not in the rules and not normal. Rather than complaining, Norman stood her ground with the judges in questioning their demands, and then making sure the requests were put on record and that she had time to prepare with a new pianist.

In any case, all the obstacles placed before Norman failed to keep her from winning the competition. She's simply that extraordinary, but it seems the jurors just wanted to make it harder for her to prove it, or else see they just wanted to see if their stumbling blocks might cause Norman to stumble or crumble. Nope, she simply soared higher. Not everyone handles such bias with dignified calm and with nerves of steel.