ballet
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For Women’s History Month, Misty Copeland Tells the Story of Trailblazing Ballerina Raven Wilkinson
“To be a black ballerina today … is extremely difficult. So I cannot imagine what it was like for Raven in the 1950s,” said Misty Copeland when reflecting on her friend, mentor and shero, Raven Wilkinson. In 1955, Wilkinson became one of the first black women to dance with a classical ballet company. Pursuing a…
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Dancing Through the Pain: 'A Mother's Rite' Moves Us Through a Parent's Worst Nightmare
When we think of ballet, we may think of tutus and pointe shoes, The Nutcracker and Swan Lake—and hopefully, of Misty Copeland and the other rare black ballerinas who have risen to prominence in the genre. But while we celebrate the accomplishment of seeing black and brown faces take center stage, rarely do we consider…
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Watch: This Is What It’s Like to Be a Black Girl in a White Ballet World
Isabella Soto has big dreams of becoming a principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre. “I saw The Nutcracker when I was 2 years old and I said I really want to do this,” said the 11-year-old. By age 5, Isabella had already realized there weren’t many dancers who looked like her in the world…
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Missing Your Mojo? Elle Magazine’s The Movement Series Might Be All the Motivation You Need
We’re almost a full week into 2018, and despite my best efforts and intentions, it feels like something’s missing. I’ve been eating better, eschewing bad habits and getting more organized—I even started the year with a deep housecleaning. But I’ve still been feeling a little … stuck. Then I stumbled upon a video from Elle…
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Watch: Misty Copeland Bedazzles the World and Offers Food for Thought
Misty Copeland has gone from living in a motel to dancing on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera House. Literally. In June 2015, Copeland became the first African-American woman to be promoted to principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre. Still, she strives for more. At 33, the prima ballerina has amassed innumerable accolades, and…
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Dancing The Blues Away: How Ballet Became My Therapy
A few weeks ago, I walked into Broadway Dance Center and bought a 10-class card, ending months of wanting and planning and needing to get back into dance, specifically ballet. I promised myself that I would dive back in when I landed in New York in July, and then life happened, but still I rise,…