Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:02):
Hey, it's Graham, it's Thursday,and that means we're offering
you another positive piece of a past interview.
Each week our team digs through the archives to find our
strongest feel good stories to present to you in podcast form.
This week, Misty. Copeland There was a New York
(00:22):
Times article titled Where are All the Black Swans?
And you said that was the first article you ever read reflecting
the heartbreak and the loneliness that you felt.
How so? You know, when this article came
out, I felt like it was the first time I was experiencing
(00:42):
acknowledgement outside of the Black dance community that this
was an issue. To have it be recognized in such
a concrete way. It just like opened the
floodgates of all the things I've been like, you know, that I
have to hold inside it in order to like keep it together every
day and not, you know, be realistic maybe and think like
(01:04):
what will ever come of my careeris this is this a reality for
me? Instead, it was like convincing
myself day in and day out that like this, yes, I can do this.
I can maybe break a glass ceiling.
And then this article came out and it was just like, I don't
know that it's ever going to happen for me.
Why am I any more special than any black dancer that's come
(01:27):
before me to be able to, you know, push through and become a
principal dancer? And then it was somebody you
were friends with in the companywhose reaction really had kind
of a negative impact on you who didn't intend it.
That way to, to have someone whodoesn't maybe understand the
(01:51):
pain and, and the realities around all the roadblocks for
black dancers, you know, to readthat article and, and, and think
it was silly or that it maybe wasn't, wasn't accurate or true,
was, was devastating. And it just kind of was a
reflection of of what I felt everyone at ABT was probably
(02:14):
thinking or everyone in the dance world that didn't
understand our history as Black dancers in the ballet world, the
importance of our impact and thefact that we're not given the
same opportunities or access to be a part of this world.
And I think that the ballet world comfortably has been able
(02:36):
to live in this very white bubble.
And there's no repercussions fortheir lack of support,
acceptance, inclusion. It should be a collective
conversation that not just blackdancers are having, but dancers,
(02:58):
period. The lack of diversity, the
racism that still exists, you know, even if it's these micro
aggressions, you know, having dancers of color not be allowed
to wear tights that are their skin color, that they're being
forced in order to fit into a company environment.
You have to wear pink tights andpink ballet slippers.
(03:20):
What representative of a white person's skin or you don't have
the right hair texture to put into these hairstyles.
So therefore, you know we're notgoing to accept you in this
company. There was a situation where you
were playing a part in, I believe, Sleeping Beauty, and
the makeup person's coming over with white powder, right?
What was it about that that madeyou decide to finally kind of?
(03:44):
Take a stand. I think it was, you know, coming
to a place where I felt come starting to feel comfortable in
in my skin and with who I wantedto be.
Especially when you're on stage and you're, you know, a role
model and you're, you know, these, all these young, young
kids in general, but black and brown kids looking at you and
(04:06):
they should be able to tell thatyou're black when you're on
stage. And it just, I just hit my
limit, I guess. And I turned to the makeup
artist and I and I said, why do I have to be a white cat?
You know, I was playing the roleof Puss in Boots and Sleeping
Beauty. And, and she just kind of looked
at me and she was like, I guess you don't.
(04:27):
And I was. And so we made me myself a brown
cat and it, you know, it was a small like kind of silly step,
but it but it. Wasn't.
Really small it wasn't. I've had these conversations and
small adjustments are made, but and they're ongoing
conversations that are still happening today.
When the Dance Theatre of Harlemwas first pursuing you, what was
it about thinking about your momthat made you decide to stick
(04:52):
with your trajectory? Yeah, You know, the thought of
watching this, you know, this pattern from my mother of
running away and starting a new situation that ended up with the
same issues because they were never dealt with.
There was something about that that was triggered in me when I
(05:17):
thought about leaving ABT and going to Dance of Harlem.
You know, am I, am I just running away so that things are
going to be easier for me because I'm surrounded by other
black dancers? Or do I stay and and really get
to the root of the issue? How do we make changes, systemic
changes in the classical ballet world where a black dancer can
(05:38):
be in a white majority company? The impact that you'd like your
success to have had on people ofcolor would be what?
I think that, you know, within our history in America, I think
often black people, black women are kind of pinned against each
other and, and we're in situations where there's one
(06:00):
opening, one position for a dancer of color in a company.
And it's, and it just doesn't create a, an environment that,
you know, is for us to support one another.
And I think it's important that we we create a a different
system in that the next generation of of black and brown
dancers feel a supportive environment around them coming
(06:23):
into this space. One quick favor before you
leave, please consider giving the podcast a rating and review.
Those go a long way in helping us reach new listeners.
Thanks for your support.