5 replies to this topic

[zerbinetta]

Until tonight I didn't understand why the lead couple in "Amazed in Burning Dreams" came out last for the curtain call, rather than the lead male dancer.

Friday night Misty Copeland made it perfectly clear why. An astonishing & feral performance.

Others have been good, even fine, in the role but, surely, this is what Peterson had in mind. Even with a splendid performance by Herman Cornejo in the lead male role, the ballet belonged to Misty: gorgeous, ferocious even, totally compelling.

This ballerina of great delicacy & musicality went for broke, took chances & conquered all.

I'm gobsmacked!!!

[nysusan]

Couldn't agree more. This was a great night of ballet from beginning to end. Kent, Beloserkovsky & Co breathed life into Les Sylphides, with the always stunning Abrera & a surprisingly good Yuriko Kajiya. Maria Ricetto was lovely, and so secure technically in Mozartianna with the amazing Angel Corella. Carmen Corella & Grant DeLong also stood out in Amazed, but it was Misty's evening - and she ruled.

Last season I noticed that she was being given more & more small soloist roles, but this has been a breakout season for her.  This was no corps girl in front of us, last night she established herself as a ballerina.

[innopac]

"Misty Copeland, the first African-American soloist with American Ballet Theatre in two decades, never dreamed of becoming a ballerina. Watch the amazing story, told in her own words, only on Dance Channel TV." Mar 2, 2011

[California]

The Long Beach Press-Telegram has a nice story about her visit to Southern California and guest teaching at CSU Long Beach:

http://www.presstele...esstelegram.com

[California]

NBC Nightly News finished with a nice feature on Copeland tonight. The episode is on the MSNBC web site:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/

Scroll down the list on the left to find it.

[carbro]

And don't overlook the web-only interview that follows.  It's better than the feature, IMO.

I applaud Misty for having taken on the extra job (and she seems to treat it as a real job) of putting herself in front of youth groups and encouraging -- without candy-coating -- the youngsters to hold fast to their dreams.  Ballet has a word for people like that -- mensch.