Misty Copeland may not be a household name in India yet, but she ought to be. Only the third African American female soloist at the prestigious, and supremely choosy, American Ballet Centre, Misty has broken not just physical stereotypes and but also those all-pervasive invisible cultural barriers all on her own. She does not look like the ballet dancers we've been acquainted with through Hollywood films. The swan in this story does not have a zero-sized figure.
At age 13, Misty had been deemed too old to be considered for ballet school; she was told that her age and her athletic body were all 'wrong'. Today, at age 31, she is not only a successful world-renowned ballet dancer, she is also a role model. Misty Copeland is a star because she fought her way through barriers and made a place for herself just the way she was: a ballet dancer with curves.
Her ad for Under Armour has gone viral and for all the right reasons too. Titled, I Will What I Want, this video is a tiny glimpse of Misty's journey.
Watch Misty's power-packed performance that comes with an equally powerful message: