Born in Kansas City, Missouri and raised in San Pedro, California, Misty Copeland began her ballet studies at the age of 13 at the San Pedro City Ballet. At fifteen, she won first place in the Music Center Spotlight Awards. She joined American Ballet Theatre’s Studio Company in September 2000, then the corps de ballet in April 2001, was appointed Soloist in August 2007, and made history in August 2015 when she was promoted to Principal Dancer—the first Black woman to achieve this position in the company’s 75-year history.
Copeland has performed some of the most iconic classical ballet roles, including Odette/Odile in Swan Lake; Juliet in Romeo & Juliet;... Read More
Born in Kansas City, Missouri and raised in San Pedro, California, Misty Copeland began her ballet studies at the age of 13 at the San Pedro City Ballet. At fifteen, she won first place in the Music Center Spotlight Awards. She joined American Ballet Theatre’s Studio Company in September 2000, then the corps de ballet in April 2001, was appointed Soloist in August 2007, and made history in August 2015 when she was promoted to Principal Dancer—the first Black woman to achieve this position in the company’s 75-year history.
Copeland has performed some of the most iconic classical ballet roles, including Odette/Odile in Swan Lake; Juliet in Romeo & Juliet; Giselle; Manon; Coppélia; Kitri in Don Quixote; and Firebird. Beyond the ballet stage, she has performed alongside cultural icons such as Prince for his Welcome 2 America tour, Taylor Swift at the American Music Awards, and at the televised Prince Grammy Tribute with H.E.R. She made her Broadway debut in On The Town in 2015 and her major motion picture debut in Disney’s The Nutcracker and the Four Realms in 2018.
In 2022, Copeland launched The Misty Copeland Foundation, with its first signature program BE BOLD, which aims to bring greater diversity, equity, and inclusion to dance, especially ballet. She is an ambassador and alum of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and MindLeaps, a Rwanda-based arts program. Her production company, Life In Motion Productions, focuses on offering representative stories of artists—past, present, and future—normalizing the arts experience for everyone.
Copeland is a New York Times bestselling author of several books, including Life In Motion, Ballerina Body, Black Ballerinas, The Wind At My Back, and picture books Bunheads and Firebird. In 2021, she received the Spingarn Medal, the NAACP’s highest honor. In 2023, she received the Trailblazer Icon Award at The Grio Awards and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from New York University.
In 2024, she received the Innovator Award from the African American Film Critics Association. Prior honors include Glamour’s Women of the Year, Black Girls Rock! Awards, and Time 100 Most Influential People.
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VaynerSpeakers works with Misty Copeland as a speaking agent and speakers bureau for keynote speaking engagements. Our team can share Misty Copeland’s speaking fee, availability, and booking details for conferences and corporate events.
Misty Copeland’s fee range is between $75,000 – $125,000, depending on the details of the event. For the most accurate and up-to-date pricing, contact VaynerSpeakers.
Yes. Misty Copeland is available for virtual events, including keynote presentations, fireside chats, and moderated conversations for remote or global audiences.