logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2020
37m 13s

Misty Copeland, principal dancer, Americ...

theSkimm
About this episode

Misty Copeland is the most famous ballet dancer in the world. Which means that throughout her career, she's had to consistently break down barriers. For background: Misty made history when she became the first Black female principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre. And now, her reach extends beyond the dance world through her books, philanthropy, and advocacy. Her new children's book “Bunheads comes out this September. 

In this episode, Misty shares how she gained confidence in herself (9:04), her advice for developing relationships with mentors (19:30), and her go-to dance song (34:41). 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Up next
Aug 20
Leah Garcia on Connecting the Gaps on Your Resumé
Leah Garcia’s career path has never been a straight line. It’s ben more like a rodeo loop. She grew up as the daughter of ranchers, went to college on a rodeo scholarship and became a pro mountain biker. All that happened, then she had a career as a TV sports reporter, and now, t ... Show More
31m 43s
Aug 13
Trinny Woodall on the Financial Reality of Being Self-Employed
Trinny Woodall went from recovering from addiction in her mid-20s to becoming one of the most beloved authorities in style and fashion. She landed a lucky break with a weekly style column in London, then parlayed her expertise into the TV show What Not to Wear. Life threw her som ... Show More
32m 24s
Aug 6
Norma Kamali on What Happens When You Ask For Help
Norma Kamali started her career when women were expected to type memos in Mad Men-esque offices, not build their own empires. She came of age in 1960s New York City and since then, Norma's become one of the most influential names in fashion. Norma is responsible for iconic looks ... Show More
34m 12s
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2024
Misty Copeland: Ballet as activism
Misty Copeland is the rare ballerina who's recognizable well beyond the world of ballet. In 2015, she became the first Black woman to reach the title of principal dancer with the prestigious American Ballet Theatre. Throughout her career, Misty has spoken out about being one of t ... Show More
21m 58s
Apr 2022
Misty Copeland on Her Own Terms
Anita Hill interviews ballet dancer Misty Copeland about her experience in the predominantly white ballet world, her leading role at American Ballet Theatre, and how she built a career on her own terms. If you’d like to keep up with the most recent news from this and other Pushki ... Show More
32m 56s
May 2024
Misty Copeland
Renowned American ballet dancer Misty Copeland opens up about the instability she faced in her childhood and how her natural athleticism and incredible discipline led her to shine as a dance prodigy in her teens. She talks about the evolution of her relationship to food and nutri ... Show More
47m 41s
Jun 2015
Ballerinas: Lorena Feijoo and Kitty Phetla
Lorena Feijoo is a principal dancer with the San Francisco Ballet. Lorena was born into the world of ballet in her native Havana. Her mother was a dancer with Cuba's National Ballet and she remembers being looked after by the costume managers whilst her mum was performing. Her si ... Show More
26m 56s
Sep 2002
Dame Alicia Markova
Dame Alicia Markova was born Lilian Alice Marks in December 1910, in a two-bedroom flat in Finsbury Park, London. She began ballet classes because she was flat footed and knock kneed. Her natural talent, when she was ten, was spotted by Diaghilev, the Russian artistic impresario ... Show More
43m 43s
Jan 2019
Behind the Scenes: Marianela Nunez at Covent Garden
As she prepares to perform two roles in a new production of the classic "White ballet", La Bayadere, the Royal Ballet's charismatic Argentinian-born principal dancer, Marianela Nunez shares her life behind the scenes. Marianela Nunez is considered one of the greatest ballerinas i ... Show More
28m 56s