Misty Copeland, the most acclaimed ballerina of her time, has formally announced that she is retiring from the American Ballet Theatre (ABT) after a career that revolutionized not only ballet but the entire arts universe.
Famous for shattering color barriers and showing a generation of dancers a new path, Copeland’s last dance signals the closing chapter of an illustrious period in classical dance.
The 42-year-old pioneer will receive a tribute at a gala Fall Gala in New York, a star-studded goodbye that includes tributes by icons Oprah Winfrey and Debbie Allen. Copeland, who returned to the ABT five years ago, will take the stage for the last time, dancing excerpts from “Romeo and Juliet” and “Sinatra Suite,” as well as the premiere of a new work choreographed by Kyle Abraham.
“Although I’ll be saying farewell to the stage, I’ll always be committed to opening doors, creating space, and making ballet a place where everyone belongs,” Copeland shared in a heartfelt Instagram post ahead of her performance.
In keeping with the spirit of accessibility, ABT is providing hundreds of complimentary tickets to a live simulcast at Alice Tully Hall, a block from the main event, a suitably appropriate gesture for an artist who has been an advocate of inclusion throughout her working life.
American Ballet Theatre artistic director Susan Jaffe lauded Copeland’s enduring legacy: “On stage, she broke barriers and transformed what it means to be a ballerina, opening minds and opening hearts to generations through her artistry, strength, and her poise. Off stage, she has applied her voice to opening doors and furthering the access ballet and the arts can provide.”
Peers and critics have called Copeland “magnetic.” Pulitzer Prize-winning dance critic Sarah L. Kaufman, in addition to her flawless technique and physical beauty, detected a rare warmth and humanity emanating from Copeland on stage. “She was the type of dancer whom you couldn’t help but watch, long before she was a principal,” Kaufman remarked.
Even with her success, Copeland’s path was not easy. As a Black dancer in a mostly white art form, she endured rejection, stereotyping, and scrutiny. At the beginning of her career, she was instructed to lighten her skin so that she would fit in among other dancers or was rejected for specific roles due to her looks. For more than a decade, she was the sole Black woman among almost 100 dancers at ABT.
Copeland, also known as the “Jackie Robinson of ballet,” took these obstacles to justify her cause of inclusion. Her ascension came during a trying time for Black ballerinas, especially after the Dance Theatre of Harlem suspended operations from 2004 to 2012, decreasing visible representation for dancers of color.
Her increased profile as a soloist at ABT altered the course. She appeared in a 2009 music video with Prince and toured with him in 2011, walking the line between pop culture and classical ballet. She released a best-selling memoir in 2014 and went on to be a guest judge on “So You Think You Can Dance.” By 2015, the year she was named a principal dancer, her popularity attracted new fans to ballet.
Theresa Ruth Howard, who started MobBallet, a group committed to the preservation of Black ballet heritage, added that Copeland’s success was seminal: “When we see this young, multiracial woman rising through the ranks, it’s a lightning rod. She’s good; people are hyped about her. She’s a symbol of possibility.”
Copeland also employed her platform to bring attention to continued imbalances in ballet. In a popular 2023 TikTok video, she showed how she continued to have to hand-paint her pointe shoes with foundation to ensure they matched her skin color, an all-too-regular reminder of ballet’s absence of inclusivity in its traditions. This prompted her to start the “Let’s Make a Pointe!” petition calling on Apple to make its pointe shoe emoji more diverse and ballet companies to provide skin-toned shoes.
In addition to advocacy, Copeland is committed to creating the next wave of inclusive dancers. Through her Misty Copeland Foundation, she’s ensuring ballet becomes more inclusive and affordable for underrepresented communities. Her work has already started to change the landscape, with an increasing number of Black ballerinas now dancing center stage with leading companies.
India Bradley, just promoted to soloist at New York City Ballet, the first Black female to achieve that rank, attributed Copeland’s trailblazing power. “She has totally left a snail trail for us to glide down a lot easier than the women before her,” Bradley said. “Prior to Misty, I don’t think companies even gave consideration to Black women for principal or soloist. She forced that change.”
Nevertheless, the job is far from complete. Although Copeland shattered glass ceilings, diversity loopholes persist. ABT does not have any other Black women principals or soloists currently, and most big companies globally are behind where they should be. But Copeland’s retirement signals a turning point, one in which talk of diversity, equity, and visibility cannot be avoided within the ballet universe.
As Copeland takes her final bow, she leaves behind a legacy that goes far beyond the theater. “We all just adore her,” Bradley said. “And she should have every single flower that she’s receiving.”
Misty Copeland’s departure is not the end of her journey, it’s the start of a new chapter in which she still speaks out, mentors, and redefines ballet as an art form that more accurately represents the world we live in. Her beauty, strength, and vision have guaranteed that ballet’s future will be more inclusive than ever before.
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