Homeschooling Heroes: Misty Copeland

by Christina Yeager

A lot of times people create the stereotype that homeschoolers don’t get out much or lack social experience or don’t know how to function in the real world. These homeschooling heroes proved otherwise. We will focus on celebrities who made it big to achieve their dreams. The one thing they all had in common is the fact that they were homeschooled at some point in their life. Misty Copeland is a professional ballet dancer that defied the ‘normal’ standards and blew the world away with her talent.

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History
Misty Copeland is a world renown American ballet dancer. She currently dances for the American Ballet Theatre (ABT). She is one of the top three classical ballet companies in the United States. She is the first African American woman promoted to principal dancer in the American Ballet Theatre. Impressive! She was born September 10, 1982 in Kansas City Missouri. She is the daughter of Doug Copeland and Sylvia DelaCerna. Copeland moved in with her teacher, Cynthia Bradley right before her fifteenth birthday. This is also when she started to homeschool. Cynthia chose to homeschool Copeland to give her more time to practice dance. 

“Looking back, I was so shy. I was miserable in school, because I was just like, I want to hide, and I don't want to talk, and if anyone calls on me in class….”
-Misty Copeland

Homeschool Life
Homeschooling life for Copeland was a peaceful time for her. Copeland described herself as an anxious child because of how she grew up in an abusive household because of her stepfather. When she moved in with her teacher and started homeschooling, it gave her time to really focus on her career and focus on dance. Homeschooling gave her that avenue.

Achievements
Copeland has won numerous awards throughout her career. She won the Leonore Annenberg Fellowship in the Arts award. The award funds other student’s opportunities to train with teachers outside of ABT. Copeland is a Dance Magazine Awards 2014 honoree as well as one of Glamour’s Women of the Year of 2015. 

Copeland has also made a few television and film appearances including filming a music video with Prince for a cover of Crimson and Clover. 

Currently
Nowadays Copeland is a public speaker. She has also written two autobiographical books about her life and career challenges.

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