About this episode

Misty Copeland discusses her career, hip replacement, and the importance of accessibility in ballet.

Kamau opens the episode recalling Misty Copeland’s surprise appearance at the Oscars shortly after her hip replacement, marveling at her return to elite performance so soon after surgery and the physical demands of ballet. Copeland explains she had her farewell performance at American Ballet Theatre (ABT) after a 25‑year career, then learned she needed a hip replacement, which she welcomed as a solution to debilitating pain. Misty and Kamau discuss the importance of accessibility to ballet and how her foundation brings free, culturally responsive ballet classes with live musicians into Black and brown communities. They talk about Misty’s work with the legendary Prince, who pushed her to improvise on tour, boosting her confidence and drawing new audiences to ballet. The conversation closes with advice to young Black and brown girls to stay rooted in joy, seek mentors, and remain open to support, and with a call for audiences to invest in the arts by attending performances and supporting organizations like the Misty Copeland Foundation. You can support the Misty Copeland Foundation at mistycopelandfoundation.org Who's With Me is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions…

People in this episode

Host: W. Kamau Bell

Guest: Misty Copeland

Topics covered

• ballet
• hip replacement
• accessibility
• arts education
• mentorship
• performance

Keywords

• Misty Copeland
• ballet
• hip replacement
• arts education
• mentorship

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: American Ballet Theatre, Misty Copeland Foundation

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