1. Misty Copeland, ballet dancer for the American Ballet Theater
Unless you’re living under a rock you know who Misty Copeland is. She’s the groundbreaking ballet dancer who just became the first African American female principal dancer in ABT’s 75-year history. It’s a big deal, and she totally deserves it. Copland is a prodigy who overcame a lot of obstacles to get to where she is today. She didn’t start ballet until she was 13, which is considered to be late in life for an aspiring ballet dancer. She experienced several moments where she wanted to quit because she feared there was no future for an African American woman in ballet, but she pushed through, hungry for success and thinking about the next generation of dancers.
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