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I never thought of myself as special or particularly good at anything. But once I started ballet, suddenly I had a new identity: prodigy.
Misty Copeland
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote reflects the transformative power of finding one’s passion and identity through art.

Misty Copeland’s quote illustrates how engaging in an art form, like ballet, can fundamentally change one's self-perception. Despite initially feeling ordinary, she discovered a sense of uniqueness and excellence in herself through her dedication to ballet, highlighting how passion can redefine identity and promote self-worth.

Themes

BalletIdentityProdigyPassionSelf-Discovery

In practice

Example use cases

In a motivational speech about finding one's passion.

More from Misty Copeland

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
Perseverance has always just been something that was in me. And it was a tool that came in very handy as a ballerina.
Misty CopelandRead
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.
Misty CopelandRead
Be strong, be fearless, be beautiful. And believe that anything is possible when you have the right people there to support you.
Misty CopelandRead
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.
Misty CopelandRead
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.
Misty CopelandRead

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Quote by Misty Copeland | QuoteProject