Misty Copeland Quotes

You can do anything you want, even if you are being told negative things.stay strong and find motivation.

It’s hard to be the one that stands out when, you know, in a ballet company, you’re trying to create unison and uniform when you’re in a corps de ballet.

The ballet world I don’t think is an art form that is quick to change or to adjust or evolve.

I would have young dancers come to me and ask me questions and want to know what my experiences were like: ‘What’s it like being a black dancer?’ So I just felt like it was necessary for me to share my experiences with them.

I’m definitely influenced by the music. We dance to music, and you have to listen to it and phrase your dancing and movement in a certain way to compliment the music. We have to work hand in hand, the dancer and the music.

I know I will never let myself be complacent in life.

That something that I fought so hard for throughout the beginning of my career is I didn’t want to pancake my skin a lighter color to fit into the… ballet. I wanted to be myself. I didn’t want to have to wear makeup that made my nose look thinner.

I want the ballet world to be given the respect that it deserves and to be seen by more people – for so many to experience the beauty that I’ve received from the ballet world.

Different mentors throughout my life have supported and guided me to remember that I do have the strength, courage and talent to do whatever I want to do.

I feel like going to class every morning is so humbling. You’re always working to improve, and you’re always being critiqued on your next performance. It’s not about what you’ve done. There’s always room to grow.

There are muscles that we have in our feet that most human beings don’t even know that we have. The strength that we have is so detailed.

My favorite role of all? Whatever I’m working on in the moment.

Barack Obama being President of the United States doesn’t mean racism has disappeared. It’s all a process, and we have to be aware that the work never ends.

At least in my performances, the audience has become so diverse in a way that I don’t think ballet has ever experienced.

More often than we realize, people see in us what we don’t see in ourselves.

All you can do is be your best self. I’ve always felt that I had to be that much more aware of how I present myself. I’m representing more than just me. I think every person should think that way.

I had some really incredible people who mentored me and gave me things I never got from my parents.