The Extraordinary Misty Copeland
Last night, Tananarive and I had the honor of being seated in the BB row of the Pasadena Ambassador Auditorium to hear and see Misty Copeland, the first African-American principle dancer with a major American ballet company, the American Ballet Theater.
What a tiny, powerful, beautiful lady she is. And with amazing poise she OWNS her beauty and power, can speak about it with real clarity, in a way I've rarely seen. And for ninety riveting minutes, she spoke about her life, dreams, struggles, family life past and present, and her future plans. And one of the things that leapt out at me was that she WAS a swan, and had been an "Ugly Duckling." Head too small, feet too large, introverted to near-paralysis. But she dreamed of finding her place in the world, a place where the specific characteristics that made her an outsider were PERFECT. Where she could step into her power and beauty to find her place in the world. Tananarive leaned over at one point and said: "her life is a movie."
Yes. Because movies, and novels, are stories, and stories reflect life. While life continues, the truth is that we are an interwoven braid of stories, of events that have multiple meanings and purposes, and sometimes we are in OUR stories, and sometimes we are in someone else's.
And power in life derives from being in YOUR story. That's your primary path to beauty and power. A very brief way of looking at her life:
CONFRONTED WITH CHALLENGE. Born into poverty and an insecure home, her mother married four or five times and a family of six living in motel rooms, Misy was challenged, as we all are, to find our place in the world, a place where OUR gifts fit best. To be joyful, and of service.
REJECTING THE CHALLENGE. Her family told her she shouldn't aim so high. All society told her that there were no black girls in the "principle dancer" category of major ballet companies. Further, she couldn't afford lessons, or any necessary equipment.
ACCEPTING THE CHALLENGE. She kept observing a ballet class at the "Boys and Girls' Club" until the teacher convinced her to join.
ROAD OF TRIALS. Pain, impossible logistics, mockery, racism and poverty all stood in her way. And like water traveling from the mountain to the sea, she met each challenge as it arose, with confidence that there was something, somewhere, inside herself that could be a gift to the world, and a path to her dreams.
ALLIES AND POWERS. Already a drill team captain, she had unusual focus and "kinesthetic intelligence" as well as almost eidetic memory for choreography. And although she didn't address this directly, she had the ability to BOND MENTORS to her, to touch their hearts, so that they felt protective of her, shared her dreams. That is a critical power, and most people fail to develop it. Physically, she was a perfect machine, capable of working at any length or depth. And that LOVE of dance that had been nurtured since childhood, focused through skills integrated to the point of "unconscious competence" allowed her to submerge herself completely in her roles. She WAS that swan. Of course she was: she knew the part of herself that could enter that role, like water poured into a container of a specific shape. She knew herself enough to release her ego into the performance.
CONFRONT EVIL, AND LOSE. There were many, including her mother severing the relationship with her primary mentor. It seemed that to protect her relationship with her mother and family, she might have to abandon her dreams.
DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL. Again, there were many, but in terms of what she discussed in that 90 minutes, the larges was a feeling of imploding, of having just touched the edge of a larger world, a welcoming world, a way out of poverty and obscurity. That she LOVED her family…just a little more than she loved ballet.
LEAP OF FAITH. Ultimately, I have to make a guess here. Her mother saw Misty's love, and what she had sacrificed. So when Misty asked her if she could leave the country to study, her mother basically emancipated her at 17, and trusted that if she opened the cage door, the precious bird that was Misty's heart and ambition would fly free…but return.
CONFRONT EVIL…AND SUCCEED. What was the evil? Her own doubt, poverty? A society that limited her based on the color of her skin? So many possibilities. But…she made it, all the way to the top.
THE STUDENT BECOMES THE TEACHER. Today, at the age of 40, she is diversifying. Written eight books, has foundations and a movie production company, and considers herself a role model for all the "little brown girls" who dream, and wish to live their dreams.
EVERY DAY started with a ninety-minute ballet class. She made it clear: you never stop training until you retire. Every day, she brings her body, heart, and genius all together. She talked about "dancing beyond the mirror"--not just practicing for the way you look at the moment, but with the sense that she is practicing to PERFORM FOR AN AUDIENCE. That on the other side of that mirror are the people she seeks to inspire, a living flame of possibility.
This is magic. This is the strength of MOVING, FEELING, AND THINKING all at the same time, a path to superhuman performance and contribution. Joy and service.
You can do this. You can take the 24 hours of your day and find 10-20 minutes to twine these three aspects of life together, to, just for a few seconds, declare to the world WHO you are, and WHAT you demand of life, and express your beauty and power, your capacity for Joy and Service. '
She was, and is, an absolute inspiration. And so should we all choose to be. I invite you to join the FIREDANCE TAI CHI community of healers, teachers, warriors, artists, combining the physical power and beauty of an ancient and amazing martial art with the FOCUS of a dynamic Morning Ritual. Just a few minutes a day to change your life.
This is your call to action, the confrontation of the challenge. And just beyond fear and doubt…your future awaits.
Namaste
Steve
