Misty Copeland's Under Armour

UP Beauty Online

“Dear Candidate,

Thank you for your application to our Ballet Academy. Unfortunately, you have not been accepted. You’ve not the right feet, Achilles tendons, turnout, torso length and bust. You have the wrong body for Ballet. And at 13, you are too old to be considered.”               

       Rejection letter to Misty Copeland, current Ballerina Soloist, American Ballet Theatre

LOVE this Ad (Bravo UNDER ARMOUR)

Watch this: 

Wow, that’s spine tingling. Now, let’s back track, while I eat some crow.

As a big fan of “So You Think You Can Dance”, and like many of you, I’ve seen Misty as a guest judge on this program. I am not particularly hip to the Ballet scene, so my only previous exposure to her was as a judge on that show. Frankly, my first experience of her was not that positive, as I found her personality to be on the abrasive side. Some of her comments as one of the judges seemed to me a bit harsh and edgy. Just my opinion, mind you, but a perceived snippy personality trait alone will put one on my unfavorable side.

So after learning more about her, prompted by this awesome ad campaign and the subsequent interview I saw on national TV shortly thereafter, I have to cut her some slack, big time. I need to eat crow for my pre-mature judgment of Misty based only on her comments from a TV show. From what I’ve been able to garner, she deserves to come off as a strong expert and be able to constructively criticize those dancers of lesser talent. God only knows what harsh criticism, as well as rejection, she’s had to withstand over the years. Misty’s reached the pinnacle of her profession, having had to swim upstream the whole way. As the current Under Armour ad states, “I Will What I Want”, which celebrates the will to find inner strength to blaze your own trail and follow no one.

Misty Copeland is both driven and intense, and this comes forth in her words, mannerisms and even appearance, all of which might give a one-time viewer the wrong first impression of her. They always say, and I apparently needed this lesson repeated, ‘don’t judge another until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes’.

A Long Walk in Misty’s (Pointed) Shoes

Misty Copeland had it rough early on, the first daughter of an ex-NFL cheerleader who was married and divorced 3 times, birthed 2 more children and dragged her family around like luggage from boyfriend to boyfriend, spending time in various parts of California. Misty worked hard in school to compensate for the lack of family stability and structure, but was overly anxious all the time. Finally at 13, a middle school drill team coach honed in on her superior athleticism and directed her towards dance, which she eventually came to love despite the rocky (and late) start.

Her first time at the barre, wearing a t-shirt and shorts, she hated ballet. But once she tried on the slippers and leotard at Cynthia Bradley’s Academy, she fell in love and finally felt she belonged. At last Misty had the structured outlet that she craved. In less than 3 months she was dancing en pointe, a skill normally accomplished after years of training. None the less, it still wasn’t easy, as with a muscular, curvy, African American body type, she definitely did not fit the stereotype of a ballet dancer. But with a steel will, passion unbridled, and the talent to match, she went on to flourish at the top of her field.

Look Better, Feel Better, Live Better

Lessons of perseverance, willing what you want, as well as not judging a book by its cover, permeate our piece. The lesson you relate with most will be as individual as your DNA, but hopefully in life we keep our eyes and ears open in the hope that we can learn, grow and improve continually.

                “It's not the will to win that matters—everyone has that. It's the will to prepare to win that matters."

Paul "Bear" Bryant

PS: Have you ever been guilty, as I was, of judging too quickly? Tell us!