A Ballerina's Tale

Filmmaker Nelson George's A Ballerina's Tale presents a biography of Misty Copeland, a trailblazing young woman who not only overcame a difficult childhood to become a terpsichorean superstar, but also as an African American broke a racial barrier that had long existed in major American dance companies. Although Copeland did not begin ballet studies in California until she was 13, her talent was quickly recognized, ultimately resulting in a 1999 invitation to the American Ballet Theatre in New York, where she would become a member of the corps two years later. In reflective interviews, Copeland confesses to feeling isolated at the ABT due to her ethnicity, and she credits the encouragement of leading African-American women from other fields in helping her persevere to win an appointment as a soloist in 2007, and then in 2015 to become the first black prima ballerina in the ABT's history—despite a serious ankle injury that required surgery and a long rehabilitation. Copeland's story, told through a combination of interviews and archival footage, is one that is truly inspiring. Recommended. (F. Swietek)