Preparation
Misty Copeland was 13 and living in a San Pedro, California, motel with her mom and siblings, when she took her first ballet class at a Boys & Girls Club. It was an unassuming entry into an elite world (“the class was on a basketball court,” she recalls), but no matter: Her innate talent was unmistakable. Today, Copeland is one of the most acclaimed ballerinas in the world, with the distinction of being the first Black female principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre.
Black Ballerinas by Misty Copeland, $20Hampton Sun SPF 30 Mineral Mist, $34Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+, $32.50Essie Nail Polish in Mademoiselle, $7Lovers Live by Sade, $6.75
She’s a rarity in her field for a wealth of other reasons, too. The star, who regularly sells out audiences for Swan Lake and Firebird, is the author of seven books and cofounder of Life in Motion Productions, a company dedicated to improving representation in the arts. As her friends know, she’s also a force in the kitchen (her salsa verde is legendary) and a fashion aficionado whose closet is an A-to-Z of joyful glam (Alexander Wang to Balmain to Louis Vuitton to Zimmermann, that is). She’s passionate about interior design and collecting African American art, as well. “Because I didn’t have a privileged background, I’ve always hungered to learn and grow,” she says. “Staying open to the wider world has probably made me a better artist, too.” Below, Copeland shares a few of her favorite things, from her latest children book and go-to pair of jeans to her signature nail color and liqueur.
