An African American Voice of Reason in the Predominantly Caucasian Ballet Community.
Misty Copeland faced an endless amount of ridicule upon beginning her dance career as an older teen. While she began taking ballet classes later in life, it was never her dancing that was critiqued - rather the critical voices of ballet directors who often commented on her skin color and how she looked utterly different from the rest of her peers in ballet classes at her Summer intensives in New York City and Los Angeles. Historically, ballet was a style that the Caucasian race was solely allowed to enjoy partaking in, mixing races was heavily ridiculed upon. Balanchine put a mixed race couple onstage in his famous work, Agon in 1957 and the connection between the two dancers in their movements made audiences extremely uncomfortable. Any African American dancers that wanted to become educated on the art form would have to sneak their way into company classes or deal with rejection after the audition process. There was no sincerity because directors believed that all dancers had to be in unison and carry the same look - in corps work especially. It was nearly impossible for African American dancers to join the corps and work their way up the ballet ranks when they didn’t look like the rest of the dancers. Then came along Misty Copeland who defied the odds of a lifetime.
Hegemony is best related to this context because Misty Copeland flipped the way the world looks at ballet during her ongoing adult career. Today, social media has allowed for Misty to grow a greater following through the products she sells and advertises like the Firebird Barbie Doll that looks like her, multiple book deals, Under Armour activewear, leotard and pointe shoe deals. She has gained a dominant and popular following through more than just the dancers in the ballet world. Misty Copeland has proven that even though she is a shorter, African American, muscular dancer her talent as a Principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre speaks for individuals who have also been ridiculed and told that they can't do something.
I have grown up dancing since I was three. As I got older I began looking for videos and pictures of dancers on YouTube and Instagram that looked like me that I could relate to through my dancing. Misty became that voice of reason for me and so many other dancers because of her athletic build, chiseled muscles, and shorter stature. She has given me so much hope for my future as a dancer, especially in the exclusive ballet community. I bought into Copeland’s helpful, promising message through consumerism. I bought tickets to her pricey performances in New York at the MET, her books for guidance as a young dancer, and was gifted pieces from her Under Armour collection - I even wore the same Pointe shoe brand and style as her growing up. Misty Copeland has empowered me and encouraged me to be myself when I dance and be confident in my rather muscular skin. She has made dancers all around the world become more comfortable in their nontraditional features. While Hegemony can sometimes be viewed as a more hardcore dominating power, Misty Copeland has become a sought after celebrity within society today. Here is a photo of me crying holding Copeland’s tiny, autographed pointe shoes.
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