A Ballerina's Tale

Gr 7 Up—In 2015, Misty Copeland was the first African American woman to be named a principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre, and she continues to dance as a principal there. Her hardscrabble upbringing is mentioned very briefly. The film focuses instead on her drive, motivation, and physical sacrifice as she moved up the ballet ladder. Copeland felt an immediate connection to dance at 13, winning awards and attracting professional notice. She discusses difficult years during puberty and beyond, when she was told she had the wrong body shape and that she lacked focus. Strong dancers (many of them black women) stepped in as her mentors and friends. Interviews with these women and others give a well-rounded picture of the commitment ballet demands from a dancer. Copeland's recuperation from dance-related stress fractures offers further example of her drive. There are enough sequences of Copeland dancing to satisfy the balletomane, without overpowering the film. All will enjoy the brief bit of filming for a commercial (the product carefully not overplayed) and the dancer's triumphant celebration with friends when her gigantic billboard ad appears on the side of a New York building. The film production values are excellent. Copeland comes across as genuine, likable, and talented. She schleps her own gym bag and patiently signs autographs for a mob of youngsters after a rehearsal.