The Root
Very seldom does one find a person as gracious and graceful as Misty Copeland.
In June 2015, Copeland became the first African-American woman to be promoted to principal dancer in the American Ballet Theatre's 75-year history. She has amassed innumerable accolades and graced a slew of magazine covers, helped redefine the Under Armour brand, and has even worked toward more altruistic aims through mentorship and her work on Project Plié.
But on Monday, Copeland was immortalized.
Along with Mattel, Copeland announced the Firebird Barbie—a mini Misty—with muscles, curves and all.
"I understand, especially now at this moment, having a Barbie doll that's brown and that is a ballerina, and has muscles on her legs and and a bust," Copeland told The Root. She continued, "Something so simple as a child being able to look at this … and envision that they can be anything."
We had an opportunity to speak with our favorite prima ballerina about defying the odds and what it means to be among Mattel’s league of "Sheroes." Check out the exclusive interview here:
Felice León is multimedia editor at The Root.