Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina

Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina is a 2014 memoir by Misty Copeland, the first African American woman to become a principal ballerina for the American Ballet Theatre. The memoir chronicles Misty’s life from being an introverted child in a working-class family of six with a loving but often fraught relationship with her mother, through her discovery of ballet as a teenage prodigy, to her rise to stardom with the American Ballet Theatre. Life in Motion was a New York Times bestseller upon its release and has been hailed by Booklist as an “unexpected page-turner” and an “inspiration” and “modern day Cinderella story” by JET Magazine (“Life in Motion.” Simon & Schuster). Misty’s first-person account tackles issues of identity and racism in the world of ballet while also highlighting the discipline and dedication required to excel.

This guide refers to the 2014 paperback edition published by Touchstone.

Content Warning: The source material and this guide contain references to racism, body shaming and body image issues, eating disorders, and physical and emotional abuse of children.

Summary

Following a brief Prologue in which Misty is about to perform the Firebird ballet with the American Ballet Theatre (ABT), the memoir shifts to the past, beginning when Misty is two years old. Misty’s mother, Sylvia DelaCerna, leaves her father, Doug Copeland, in Kansas City, moving her children to California to marry Harold. However, after five years, Sylvia leaves Harold to marry Robert, who proves to be racist and abusive, prompting Sylvia to move in with a string of boyfriends. Throughout, Misty and her five siblings face worsening levels of neglect.

At 13 years old, Misty’s drill team coach, Elizabeth Cantine, recommends that she try ballet. At the local Boys and Girls Club, Misty meets Cynthia “Cindy” Bradley, who becomes her ballet teacher and one of her most influential mentors. Cindy sees Misty’s talent and potential, calling her a prodigy and predicting that she will have a successful ballet career. This prediction soon comes true as Misty graduates to dancing en pointe after only eight weeks and receives a scholarship to the San Francisco Ballet summer intensive at age 15.

Out of financial concern, Sylvia tries to take Misty out of ballet classes. In response, Cindy offers to take Misty into her own home, providing her with stability as well as a ballet education. Sylvia becomes concerned, however, that Cindy is manipulating Misty and demands that Misty return home. Misty attempts to file for emancipation, and then Sylvia sues Cindy for harassment. Eventually, both suits are dropped, though Misty does not have contact with Cindy again for over 10 years.

Despite these conflicts, Misty continues her ballet education and attends the ABT summer intensive program at age 16. The artistic director of ABT, Kevin McKenzie, offers her a spot with the studio company, which she elects to postpone so that she can finish high school first. Following high school graduation, she joins ABT. After a year, she is promoted from the studio company to the corps de ballet.

Misty’s first setback comes just after her promotion to the corps when she suffers a spinal fracture and must sit out the year. During this time, her doctor becomes concerned with her delayed puberty, as she is now 19 years old, and gives her medication to induce puberty, leading to rapid weight gain. When she returns from injury, she faces a series of problems. The company body shames her for her weight gain and curvier figure, which she struggles to control. She also confronts racism in the predominantly white world of ballet, where some critics argue that there is “no place in ballet for a brown swan” (173).

With the support of her mentors, including other Black ballet dancers, Misty overcomes these challenges and gains major opportunities. She collaborates with the pop singer Prince, represents ABT in several prestigious dance competitions, works with the Dance Theatre of Harlem, and is promoted to soloist. During this time, she also meets her future husband, Olu, and her birth father.

The memoir comes full circle when Misty becomes the first Black woman to perform the iconic role of the Firebird for ABT at the Metropolitan Opera. This is a moment of success. Unfortunately, she suffers a leg injury and only performs the role once. The memoir ends with her reflection on her hard work to recover from that injury and her hope to use her position to help those who will follow her.