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Misty Copeland Retires, Leaving Ballet's Diversity in Question

10/22/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Misty Copeland will perform her final show as a professional ballerina on Wednesday, ending her 25-year career with American Ballet Theatre (ABT).
She became the first Black woman principal dancer at ABT in 2015, highlighting ongoing systemic issues in ballet, such as a lack of diversity and high training costs.
Copeland's retirement leaves ABT without a Black female principal or soloist, raising concerns about the future of diversity in ballet.
She established the Misty Copeland Foundation to improve access to ballet for underrepresented children.

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Story summary

Misty Copeland will perform her final show as a professional ballerina on Wednesday, ending her 25-year career with American Ballet Theatre (ABT).
She became the first Black woman principal dancer at ABT in 2015, highlighting ongoing systemic issues in ballet, such as a lack of diversity and high training costs.
Copeland's retirement leaves ABT without a Black female principal or soloist, raising concerns about the future of diversity in ballet.
She established the Misty Copeland Foundation to improve access to ballet for underrepresented children.