Misty Copeland: The Girl Who Started Ballet at 13 and Made History at American Ballet Theatre Misty Copeland’s journey is one of the most inspiring stories in modern Black history. From taking her first ballet class at age 13 on a basketball court at a Boys & Girls Club to becoming the first African American female principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre, her rise shattered barriers in one of the most exclusive art forms in the world. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, and raised in San Pedr