Recognizing and congratulating Misty Copeland on her appointment as Principal Dancer with the American Ballet Theatre.

WHEREAS, Regarded as one of the finest dancers of her generation, Misty Copeland

,

was appointed to Principal Dancer by the American Ballet Theatre (ABT) in June 2015, becoming its first African-American female principal dancer in the company’s 75-year history; and

WHEREAS, Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Copeland moved to California and attended San Pedro Ballet School at age 13 and by 15 she won her first prize in the ballet category of the Los Angeles Music Center Spotlight Awards; and

WHEREAS, Copeland continued to excel in a wide range of repertory and has danced such iconic roles as Gulnare in Le Corsaire, the title role in The Firebird, Swandila in Coppelia, and the dual lead role, Odette/Odile, in Swan Lake; and

WHEREAS, Since 2010 Copeland has been featured in numerous ad campaigns, including ones for Dr. Pepper and Under Armour, and on the cover of

Time Magazine’s

2015 Top 100, in which the magazine lists the most influential people in the world; and

WHEREAS, Copeland’s drive to diversify the field of ballet made her a role model and a pop icon, which is documented in her bestselling memoir

Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina

and in Nelson George’s

A Ballerina’s Tale

; and

WHEREAS, A passionate teacher and mentor to young professional dancers, Copleand has served on the advisory committee for the ABT’s Project Plié, a program that offers mentorship and training to dance teachers in racially diverse communities and in Boys and Girls Clubs around the country; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED

,

BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That Council does hereby recognize and congratulate Misty Copeland on her appointment as Principal Dancer with the American Ballet Theatre.

FURTHER RESOLVED

, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Misty Copeland as evidence of the sincere sentiments of this legislative body.

End