Book: Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina by Misty Copeland
Cover Designed by Marlyn Dantes
Cover Photo by Gregg Dantes
Edition: Paperback
Description:
As the only African American soloist dancing with the prestigious American Ballet Theatre, Misty Copeland has made history. But when she first placed her hands on the barre at an after-school community center, no one expected the undersized, underprivileged, and anxious thirteen-year-old to become one of America's most groundbreaking dancers.
A true prodigy, she was attempting in months roles that take most dancers years to master. But when Misty became caught between the control and comfort she found in the world of ballet and the harsh realities of her own life, she had to choose to embrace both her identity and her dreams, and find the courage to be one of a kind.
With an insider's passion, Misty opens a window into the life of an artist who lives life center stage, from behind the scenes at her first classes to her triumphant roles in some of the world's most iconic ballets.
A sensational memoir as "sensitive" and "clear-eyed" (The Washington Post) as her dancing, Life in Motion is a story of passion, identity, and grace for anyone who has dared to dream of a different life.
Rating: 5 stars
Review:
Misty Copeland is an extraordinary ballet dancer and so is her memoir, Life in Motion. It's a compelling look into her life which early on was chaotic and nomadic as Misty and her siblings would constantly be moving from one place to another due to the ups and downs of their mother's love life.
As a young girl, Misty was shy, quiet, insecure and a perfectionist but she transformed into a confidant and passionate dancer whenever she was performing in either a school talent show or during Drill-Team performances. Misty enjoyed dancing but she didn't discover her love of ballet until her middle school Drill-Team Coach Elizabeth Cantine noticed Misty's potential as a ballet dancer. She suggested Misty take a class taught by Cindy Bradley at the San Pedro Boys and Girls Club. Misty was already going to the Boys and Girls Club after school with her sisters and brothers but she wasn't sure about taking the ballet class.
Misty did attend the class, however she didn't join the other dancers because she didn't think she would fit in especially since she had never taken a ballet class before nor had the proper attire: leotards, tights and slippers. So, she sat and observed the class for several weeks, however, one day, Misty in a t-shirt and gym shorts finally joined in and took her first class.
After her initial hesitancy, she was soon enthralled by all the new things she was learning and ballet was quickly becoming her new love. Ballet also started to become her escape from her stressful life at home. Just as Misty was immersing herself into the world of dance, her new found interest was coming to a close because her mother told her she would have to quit ballet. Her mother thought the classes were too far away for Misty to be traveling back and forth.
Misty's dance teacher Cindy would eventually come up with a solution that would allow Misty to continue her training. She suggested that Misty live with her and her family. Misty's mother reluctantly agreed to the decision since she knew how much dancing meant to her daughter.
Misty was training and enjoying her time living with the Bradleys and she was also starting to get noticed for her dancing due to her reputation of being a prodigy and performing in prominent productions such as The Chocolate Nutcracker which was produced by the legendary actress, dancer, choreographer, director and producer Debbie Allen. She even got an opportunity to attend a summer intensive program at the San Francisco Ballet.
The decision for Misty to live with the Bradleys was starting to become a problem between Misty's mother and Cindy. Misty's mother had felt as if Cindy was trying to steal her daughter as well as brainwashing her and exploiting her to promote Cindy's dance studio, the San Pedro Dance Center. While the Bradleys argued that they were providing a stable home and guidance for an aspiring dancer. This would eventually lead to a big showdown in the public eye and in court.
Misty really wanted to stay with the Bradleys and didn't want to go back to living the chaotic life she once lived. However, her mother really loved her and was fighting to keep her, I think it took Misty a while to see that her mother was only trying to look out for her. I didn't like that the Bradleys talked Misty into filing for emancipation nor that they hid her for several days at one of Cindy's student's home so her mother wouldn't be able to find her. Those were some pretty big red flags that were being waved around but Misty didn't seem to see any of that.
Although she didn't want to believe it, Misty had out grown Cindy's teachings and was becoming too dependent on the Bradleys but I think at the time she was so resentful of her mother she couldn't see some of the sketchy behavior the Bradley's were engaging in. Misty continues to see her time with the Bradleys in a positive light while she also gained a better understanding of her mother and what she was trying to do for her.
Returned to her mother, Misty was re-enrolled in high school, Cindy had taken her out to be home schooled, and her mother found her another dance school, the Lauridsen Centre where the teacher introduced her to new techniques and moves that she had not learned from Cindy. Misty had started to reconnect with her mother while at the same time gaining more opportunities in the world of dance. But she wanted to wait until she graduated from high school before becoming a professional dancer.
The American Ballet Theatre (where she is still currently employed) is where she got her start as a professional dancer. However, the transition from young prodigy to professional dancer came with a few problems. An injury, puberty, weight gain and insecurities were making it hard for her to get to the next level in her career but thanks to a bit of encouragement from some inspiring people she was ready to achieve her dream of trying to become a principal dancer at the ABT.
I usually don't read a lot of autobiographies, biographies or memoirs but I'm glad I gave this a read. It was very interesting because at first Misty's life seemed a bit sad with how her family kept moving around and never feeling like they had a home. Her mother seemed like someone who really didn't like to be alone and needed to be in a relationship no matter what but when things would inevitably go wrong the family would have to quickly move on.
Life in Motion is a fast-paced engaging read as Misty detailed her life and her new found love of ballet. When Misty looked back on her childhood, even she was surprised by how her and her siblings were able to succeed in life despite having a shaky start. Even though she has a tremendous amount of talent, she also notes how lucky she was as well, because if it wasn't for her coach suggesting she take a ballet class, she most likely wound have never found her passion.
It wasn't all smooth sailing in pursuing her new interest because she had to overcome a lot from her own insecurities to others preconceived notions of what a ballerina is. What I love is that she didn't give up when things started to become difficult. I can't believe she got the opportunity to go on tour as well as making TV appearances with Prince and his band to dance to "The Beautiful Ones" song. That was really cool because she saw it as another way to promote the world of ballet to a different audience.
If I wasn't already a fan of Misty Copeland's before reading this book, I would most certainly become one after reading it. She truly is an inspiring person because she followed her dreams to become a professional ballet dancer but also in her continued work to promote ballet and to encourage others to pursue their dreams.
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