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'It's hard because of the racism': Misty Copeland opens up about being black in ballet as ....
Daily Mail (U.K.) ^ | September 15, 2014 | Olivia Fleming

Posted on 09/15/2014 4:10:39 PM PDT by Cecily

Misty Copeland has opened up about the systematic 'racism' in ballet that makes it nearly impossible for African American women to become professional dancers.

The 31-year-old, who overcame tremendous odds to be the first black woman in 20 years to land a position as a female soloist at the American Ballet Theatre, told NPR that her success was 'a huge step for the African-American community.'

'I think that the reason [it's hard for black women to break in] is the racism and not wanting to change this very traditional art form that has been successful in the way it is for so long,' she explained.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Music/Entertainment
KEYWORDS: ballet
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Here we go again. Lots of females from all backgrounds don't make it in ballet because they are the wrong height/weight/shape.

As far as the weight issue goes, I'm sure the male partners have no desire to lift any more weight above their heads than absolutely necessary. The careers of male ballet dancers will last longer the more their knees and backs hold up to the strain.

1 posted on 09/15/2014 4:10:39 PM PDT by Cecily
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To: Cecily

Go back to Africa and see how great it is there. You’ll come crawling back, begging us to let you back in.


2 posted on 09/15/2014 4:14:30 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (I will raise $2Million USD for Cruz and/or Palin's next run, what will you do?)
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To: Cecily

It’s because the large butts that make West African blacks (from whom the American black community is mostly descended) such spectacular sprinters are a handicap in ballet. On average, blacks do have the highest self-esteem (and the most tenuous grasp of reality) of any racial or ethnic group, which is why failure is not an option, unless racism.


3 posted on 09/15/2014 4:15:01 PM PDT by Zhang Fei (Let us pray that peace be now restored to the world and that God will preserve it always.)
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To: Cecily

yawn.


4 posted on 09/15/2014 4:16:22 PM PDT by skeeter
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To: Cecily

Don’t they have affirmative action in ballet like everyone else does? Who knows - she might have been part of meeting a quota.


5 posted on 09/15/2014 4:16:50 PM PDT by Slump Tester (What if I'm pregnant Teddy? Errr-ahh -Calm down Mary Jo, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it)
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To: Zhang Fei

You have to out-run lions and hyena, you’re going to develop some coping physique over the years.


6 posted on 09/15/2014 4:19:06 PM PDT by txhurl (2014: Stunned Voters do Stunning Things!)
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To: Cecily
Black women are rare in ballet in NYC. A lot is the legacy of Balanchine, I'm sure who liked his women white and anorexic, although she's a member of ABT. But, there is the Alvin Alley - possibly the greatest of modern dance/ballet troupes.
7 posted on 09/15/2014 4:19:10 PM PDT by miss marmelstein (Richard III: Loyalty Binds Me)
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To: Cecily

Blacks will never STFU...ever.


8 posted on 09/15/2014 4:19:48 PM PDT by EEGator
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To: Cecily

If no whites attended the ballet to see her perform then she might have something there.


9 posted on 09/15/2014 4:21:08 PM PDT by jimmyo57
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To: Cecily

This excessive self-regard is not a pretense, which is why so many get enraged when challenged. The people challenging their fantasies are wicked tyrants looking to oppress them until the end of time.


10 posted on 09/15/2014 4:21:14 PM PDT by Zhang Fei (Let us pray that peace be now restored to the world and that God will preserve it always.)
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To: Cecily

Well of course “the racism” is the problem. Same reason there are so few crackers in the NBA.


11 posted on 09/15/2014 4:21:35 PM PDT by subterfuge (Hey NSA snoop, get a real job you idiot!)
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To: Cecily
I can't work up enough white guilt to buy her book. some_text
12 posted on 09/15/2014 4:22:09 PM PDT by boycott
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To: Cecily
Miss Copeland only began training in ballet at age 13, herself. While living in a welfare motel with her mother and siblings, she went from free lessons at the local Boys & Girls Club to living part-time with a sponsor family while attending a dance school on a full sponsorship. After just four years of training, she was accepted into the American Ballet Theater.

She is the answer to her own question. How many people are willing to walk the road she walked? It took determination on her part, on the part of her whole circle of family and friends to do what she did and thats the answer. Thats what it took, and thats what it takes.

13 posted on 09/15/2014 4:23:25 PM PDT by marron
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To: boycott

She’s Not Guilty though.


14 posted on 09/15/2014 4:24:30 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

She’s actually quite stunning, go have a look. And badass enough not to make-up over her shaving mistakes on her legs.

Her strength en point is *solid*. No, she’s not a dainty East European - because she’s not - but she’s got les danse down.


15 posted on 09/15/2014 4:25:33 PM PDT by txhurl (2014: Stunned Voters do Stunning Things!)
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To: txhurl
You have to out-run lions and hyena, you’re going to develop some coping physique over the years.

The way evolution works is the ones without the physique to outrun (or outfight) large predators are eaten and don't reproduce. Hence the Darwin Awards. Natural selection means the genetic strains with the ability survive predators and disease pass on their genes, whereas the ones without survive only in the fossil record.

16 posted on 09/15/2014 4:25:54 PM PDT by Zhang Fei (Let us pray that peace be now restored to the world and that God will preserve it always.)
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To: dfwgator

She’s Not Guilty though.


Agreed. An attractive woman.


17 posted on 09/15/2014 4:26:18 PM PDT by boycott
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To: subterfuge

RFE “Same reason there are so few crackers in the NBA”.

Does this mean they don’t sell Crackerjack Popcorn at NBA games anymore?

First and last two NBA games I saw, early 1990’s, had Shaquille O’Neill as a rookie (and a big one), and Charles Barkley getting haranged by Robin Ficker (a strange attorney and professional heckler with his rubber chickens).

Also, this this mean we can no longer sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,.....Buy me some Peanuts and Crackerjacks...?

Political Correctness is going to starve us to death.


18 posted on 09/15/2014 4:26:27 PM PDT by MadMax, the Grinning Reaper
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To: txhurl
Then why must she bitch about racism after achieving her dream? Does not compute.
19 posted on 09/15/2014 4:26:45 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (I will raise $2Million USD for Cruz and/or Palin's next run, what will you do?)
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To: boycott

And she isn’t that black.

It seems the light-skinned blacks are the ones with the biggest chips on their shoulders.


20 posted on 09/15/2014 4:27:50 PM PDT by dfwgator
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