Being in ballet class, being on the stage, being surrounded by my peers at American Ballet Theater every day, keeps me so humble and grounded. Being in ballet class, I feel, is like this meditation for me every morning.
Misty CopelandRead
My body is very different from most of the dancers I dance with. My hair is different than most I dance with. But I didn't let that stop me. Black girls rock and can be ballerinas.
Interpretation
Embrace your uniqueness and overcome barriers to pursue your passion.
Misty Copeland's quote highlights the importance of self-acceptance and resilience in the face of societal expectations. She asserts that despite any physical differences or stereotypes, individuals can excel in their passions, and specifically encourages black girls to pursue ballet, demonstrating that talent and dedication are not confined by race or appearance.
In practice
In a speech encouraging young dancers at a local studio.
Being in ballet class, being on the stage, being surrounded by my peers at American Ballet Theater every day, keeps me so humble and grounded. Being in ballet class, I feel, is like this meditation for me every morning.
Perseverance has always just been something that was in me. And it was a tool that came in very handy as a ballerina.
It's all so surreal, and I'm living my dream. And you know, principal or not, I'm getting to dance all the roles that I've dreamed of doing.
Be strong, be fearless, be beautiful. And believe that anything is possible when you have the right people there to support you.
I say over and over again that I am just standing on the shoulders of so many who have set this path for me, and they may not be seen or recognized or have been given an opportunity to have a voice, but I'm here representing all of those dancers. Dance Theatre of Harlem Virginia Johnson, Tai Jimenez, Lauren Anderson.
It's hard to be the one that stands out when, you know, in a ballet company, you're trying to create unison and uniform when you're in a corps de ballet.
My father says that fear is good; it's the body's alarm system, it warns us of danger. But sometimes danger can't be avoided, and then you have to forget about being afraid.
Even if I died in the service of the nation, I would be proud of it. Every drop of my blood... will contribute to the growth of this nation and to make it strong and dynamic.
We shall continue our fight for democracy and freedom because we do not accept that Hong Kong will be transformed into a police state.
Courage allows the successful woman to fail - and to learn powerful lessons from the failure - so that in the end, she didn't fail at all.
Like, with one arm I know I can surf, but competitive surfing can be really frustrating, and sometimes you don't do as well as you want to. It can be discouraging at times. But whenever I do get frustrated, I just focus on God.
One thing I just want to say to the military families - while you might not wear a uniform, I know - we all know, the nation knows - that you serve and sacrifice right alongside of your loved ones. And we are so grateful and proud of all of you for your service to this nation.
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