Misty Copeland, 43, took her final bow Wednesday night as American Ballet Theatre’s (ABT) principal dancer. The history-making ballerina has been a dance trailblazer as the first African American woman promoted to principal dancer in ABT’s 75-year history. The stunning dance legend had many famous admirers lauding her Wednesday night, including Oprah Winfrey and Debbie Allen, as she danced her last professional dance. But it was her rarely seen four-year-old son Jackson’s appearance onstage during Copeland’s long ovation that completely stole the show.
Copeland returned from a five-year hiatus for a star-studded gala at Manhattan’s Lincoln Center Wednesday night. The legendary dancer donned her toe shoes for a farewell performance, dancing as Juliet in the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet with partner Calvin Royal III as Romeo. For her final performance of the night, Copeland and Herman Cornejo danced Sinatra Suite by Twyla Tharp. Following the performance, Copeland received a long ovation from the star-studded crowd of admirers, followed by an emotional appearance by Jackson, who was accompanied by Copeland’s husband, Olu Evans.
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Copeland and Evans, met at a Chelsea club in 2004 before marrying in a low-key ceremony over a decade later. The private coupled welcomed Jackson in 2022 and have kept him largely out of the spotlight.
Misty Copeland’s Impact and Legacy
Named one of Time Magazine’s Most Influential People in the World, Copeland has been recognized for broadening ballet’s reach and serving as an inspiration to young dancers as she changed the perception of what a ballerina can look like.
Dancing iconic lead roles in classic ballets like Swan Lake, Copeland has also easily crossed over into mainstream media, including her 2018 performance in the Disney film The Nutcracker and the Four Realms and a high-profile endorsement deal with Under Armour.
Copeland’s role as the first African American female principal dancer at ABT has had a lasting impact, paving the way for more diversity in the classical dance world. Copeland’s work as an advocate through her foundation has allowed her to expand her legacy by bringing more diversity and inclusion to dance, and by making dance more accessible, affordable, and fun for younger generations.
As she looks ahead to her second act, Copeland told The New York Times she’ll continue her work through her foundation, with plans to continue authoring children’s books and advancing the production company she co-founded, Life In Motion.
“It’s exciting to be able to utilize dance in so many different mediums, and to me, that’s how you get true diversity — by giving people different entry points into learning about dance and feeling like they can be a part of it, which has been my goal," she said. "How do I bring dance to as many people as possible in a way that really works for them?”
While the classical ballet world has lost a legend on stage, it’s clear Misty Copeland will continue to be a leader and inspiration for generations to come. And she’ll have her biggest fan by her side.
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