People think of
classical dancers
as like these perfect,
soft, fairy tale characters.
And I've been asked
before, wouldn't you
want to be perfect?
Why would I keep doing this
if I were perfect at it?
It would be so boring.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Having been a professional
for almost 20 years,
I want to bring
ballet to more people.
Every human being
should experience dance
in some way at some point.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
In this MasterClass,
you will learn
a simple way of approaching
the ballet technique,
as well as all that it
takes to accept who you are
and embrace who you want to be.
You're really in such
a vulnerable state
when you're with
someone on stage,
and you're experiencing
what you are.
And then you also
have to be so free.
The number one thing
is absolutely trust.
Yay. It was good.
[LAUGHS]
I didn't start ballet
until I was 13.
I experienced a lot of
hardships from a young age.
Speaking was terrifying.
And so to find this language
through movement was like,
oh, this has been the
missing link my whole 13
years of living.
It wasn't until dance
came into my life
that it made me confident.
Focus on your placement
principles as you move
to attitude on relevé.
They will help keep you from
pitching your upper body
forward.
[SIGHS] [LAUGHS]
 So I rotate in and,
then, there you go.
When it comes to working
with a choreographer,
come in with the approach
of being a blank canvas.
You're there to be molded.
I went through a
really difficult time
where I started to believe
people's words that I
wasn't right.
I wasn't good enough.
It was a way of saying, you
don't have the right skin
color for dance.
I could have walked away,
but I took it as fuel.
Own your power and your voice.
Do not let other people's
words define you.
I'm Misty Copeland, and
this is my MasterClass.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
