When you see the body outside of a costume and see the strength that it takes, people would look at dance a different way and see how athletic it is. You're not just born like that.
Misty CopelandPhysical fears change and shift depending on the role and depending on the mindset I'm in.
Misty CopelandBallet is number one, everything else is scheduled in the small windows when I'm not in the studio taking class, rehearsing, on stage or on tour.
Misty CopelandI know that I'll forever be involved in ballet. This is where my life was meant to be, and I don't see myself straying completely away, ever.
Misty CopelandSome people even think that I'm still just not right for it [ballet]. And I think it's shocking because they hear those words from critics saying I'm too bulky, I'm too busty. And then they meet me in person and they're like, you look like a ballerina. And I think it's just something maybe that I will never escape from, those people who are narrow-minded. But my mission, my voice, my story, my message, is not for them. And I think it's more important to think of the people that I am influencing and helping to see a broader picture of what beauty is.
Misty Copeland