
Sign up to save your podcasts
Or


Misty Copeland, American Ballet Theatre’s first Black principal dancer, joins Margaret Hoover to discuss her career, her new memoir, and her relationship with her mentor, Raven Wilkinson.
As Copeland details in The Wind at My Back, Wilkinson was a trailblazing Black ballerina who performed in the U.S. and Europe in the mid-20th century, but she has often been overlooked by history after her career was cut short by racism.
Copeland recalls the lessons she learned from her mentor, reflects on how ballet has changed, and explains why she gives Wilkinson credit for her biggest successes–like starring in ABT’s “Swan Lake.”
She also talks about her own confrontations with racism in the dance world, her hopes for the future of ballet, and when she plans to return to the stage.
Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by Robert Granieri, Charles R. Schwab, The Fairweather Foundation, The Asness Family Foundation, The Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, The Center for the Study of the International Economy Inc., Damon Button, The Pritzker Military Foundation on behalf of the Pritzker Military Museum and Library, The Marc Haas Foundation, and Stephens Inc.
By Firing Line With Margaret Hoover4.8
180180 ratings
Misty Copeland, American Ballet Theatre’s first Black principal dancer, joins Margaret Hoover to discuss her career, her new memoir, and her relationship with her mentor, Raven Wilkinson.
As Copeland details in The Wind at My Back, Wilkinson was a trailblazing Black ballerina who performed in the U.S. and Europe in the mid-20th century, but she has often been overlooked by history after her career was cut short by racism.
Copeland recalls the lessons she learned from her mentor, reflects on how ballet has changed, and explains why she gives Wilkinson credit for her biggest successes–like starring in ABT’s “Swan Lake.”
She also talks about her own confrontations with racism in the dance world, her hopes for the future of ballet, and when she plans to return to the stage.
Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by Robert Granieri, Charles R. Schwab, The Fairweather Foundation, The Asness Family Foundation, The Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, The Center for the Study of the International Economy Inc., Damon Button, The Pritzker Military Foundation on behalf of the Pritzker Military Museum and Library, The Marc Haas Foundation, and Stephens Inc.

6,822 Listeners

4,048 Listeners

1,361 Listeners

1,152 Listeners

1,219 Listeners

3,407 Listeners

2,903 Listeners

2,004 Listeners

2,273 Listeners

32,325 Listeners

804 Listeners

7,235 Listeners

8,046 Listeners

15,859 Listeners

3,521 Listeners