logo
episode-header-image
May 2024
47m 41s

Misty Copeland

Higher Ground
About this episode

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 nutrition from growing up in various different kitchens to eating like an athlete. Plus, you’ll hear how to make one of her healthy, go-to recipes: Baked tilapia with veggies.


Misty Copeland is a Principal Dancer with the American Ballet Theatre. She made history in 2015, becoming the first African-American woman to ever be promoted to that position. She’s written several New York Times bestselling books and launched her own foundation in 2022.





Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Jul 8
How Pyet DeSpain Won Next Level Chef By Embracing Her Roots
Chef, cookbook author, and winner of Next Level Chef, Pyet DeSpain, shares how her Mexican and Native American roots shaped her extraordinary culinary career. Pyet talks about growing up on the Osage Reservation in Oklahoma, debunks misconceptions about Native culture and cuisine ... Show More
56m 30s
Jul 1
Kevin Kwan's Crazy Rich History
Bestselling author of Crazy Rich Asians, Kevin Kwan, reflects on his “Huck Finn-style” childhood in Singapore. He shares the real-life inspirations behind Crazy Rich Asians (including a memory from director Jon Chu’s own life that made it into the film) and regales Michele with s ... Show More
1h 10m
Jun 24
The Borinquen Family that Keeps Lala Anthony Grounded
Actress, producer, best selling author, and previous MTV VJ, Lala Anthony talks about her Brooklyn upbringing. She shares how boricua food was a constant in her household, the power of her lively Puerto Rican family, and how a cross country leap landed her right into the world of ... Show More
54m 59s
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
Dec 2018
Gwyneth x Misty Copeland: On Being the First
Ballet star and history-maker Misty Copeland sits down with GP to talk about what it’s like being the first African American woman to ever be promoted to principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://ww ... Show More
53m 18s
Sep 2020
Misty Copeland, principal dancer, American Ballet Theatre: "I want to diversify [ballet]. I want people to see and know that a Black girl can be a ballerina in a mainstream White company.”
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 no ... Show More
37m 13s
Sep 2018
Patti LaBelle
Legendary performer, Patti LaBelle, has electrified audiences more 50 years. When Patti was a little girl growing up in Philadelphia, she says she was so shy, her mother used to bribe her with quarters to play with other children. But in the privacy of her bedroom, a singer was b ... Show More
31m 37s
Nov 2020
Caitlin Moran
Author, journalist, and broadcaster Caitlin Moran joins Jameela this week to discuss how she became a writer, her knack for explaining feminism to young women in bars, how to become a "big ball of love" to a child with an eating disorder, the ways she failed and learned in her ow ... Show More
1h 8m
Dec 2022
Julie Granger, La ballerine la plus demandée de New York - Quand le corps dit stop
“La ballerine la plus demandée de New York”. C’est comme cela que l’on m’a présenté Julie Granger, et ça m’a assez intriguée pour souhaiter en savoir plus.Qui est donc cette femme qui s’est formée au prestigieux Boston Ballet avant de tout plaquer pour ouvrir son studio et entraî ... Show More
1h 29m
Nov 2023
Charlotte Church
Charlotte Church is full of surprises. An opera singer turned alt-pop star and political activist who’s now turned to nature and sound healing. Famous at 11 with a no 1 album in the classical charts at 12. She celebrated her 15th birthday at the Grammys, sang for the pope, the qu ... Show More
35m 36s