Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina Hardcover – March 4, 2014

This is an awesomely human story of gracefully enduring and overcoming extreme adversity, and achieving superlative success in the process. The compelling aspects of her story and challenges are so many, but I will try to enumerate some highlights here:(1) Age - Misty Copeland's story should inspire everyone who has ever wondered: Am I too old to start this? She was adventurous enough to give herself a chance, and in turn, the world gave her chance.(2) Poverty - Copeland's story challenges all of us who see money and wealth as the only means to advancement. If you've ever asked yourself: Am I too poor or unresourced for this? Copeland will challenge you to believe the answer is a resounding "NO."(3) Race - Again, Misty Copeland did not view her surroundings as limitations, even when most of her mentors, her role models, and her peers did not look like her. For all who wonder: Do I have the wrong racial heritage to pursue this? Her story helps us see that often times the only glass ceiling that matters is the one we impose on ourselves.(4) Controversy - As a young adolescent who just achieved budding fame as a rising star, Copeland managed to cope with a media hailstorm of attention surrounding her family life and living situation. Her siblings taunted her because she was so passionate about a dream they could barely understand. And at times, she barely had parental support for her goals. If you find yourself asking: How can I be sure this is the right path when so few people understand my goals? or How can I achieve my goals with so much negative attention around me? Misty Copeland's story is also abundant with insipiration.(5) Being Black in America - While Copeland received some tastes of American racism toward African Americans from some of her father figures and members of her extended family, her skin color and her body proportions as an adult installed challenges that most (i.e., practically all) mainstream ballerinas do not encounter. If you ever thought: Am I too dark for this? or Am I too fat for this? Misty Copeland's story has gems of triumph for you also.Bottom line: If you are looking for inspiration, look no further. This story has so much for everyone. And it is beautifully written.I am so thankful that Misty Copeland has shared her story with the world. And I am so thrilled that I get a chance to continue rooting for her as she continues to dance and break barriers.

I've always loved Classical Ballet; I feel it's the most beautiful form of dance there is. It's something my wife and I share. When I met I her she had a Mikhail Baryshnikov calendar on her wall. She danced when she was very young. She introduced me to Ballet and Artistic Gymnastics, both she had done in her youth. Sadly ended by injury. We both love to watch "So you think you can dance." as it brings some fantastic dancers to the stage and some of the wildest choreography I have ever seen. It brought us "Twitch"! This last season we were watching as usual and I noticed a guest judge I had never seen before and I asked my wife who it was. She asked me, "You don't know who that is?" I had no idea other that she looked very serious. She said "That's Misty Copeland; one of the best ballerina's there is anywhere." I shrugged my shoulders, "OK." Her critiques were so precise and on point; every toe point; every movement; every emotion. I was like, "This dancer knows her business." I was impressed and I believe she was on for two episodes. My wife still was asking me how could you not know who she is? One thing I did know; she knows her business. The above notes don't relate directly with her book but will. I'm married to a Latina and she told me that she wasn't always welcomed in allot of circles due to her not being white. Being white, I didn't fully get it because I wasn't raised that way. The statement "This is for the brown girls." should and probably relates to all women or men of color. Reading that made me sad but it should make every decent person sad. Her story was a great read. It was one of a young prodigy being pushed and pulled in so many directions at a young age that tore at her feelings so drastically that it it was painful to read in some places. So many families have to endure hardships and many talented people whether it's dance, acting, other sports or academia are kept from them because there is no one there to see the talent. Those are the ones who suffer. I'm glad the Boys and Girls club was there for her and she was discovered; what a waste it would have been to have never seen such talent. Thanks Misty for giving back to those who helped get you started. The book is very open and raw; she doesn't hold back on any of her life story. It's happy in many places and heartbreaking in others. It's a journey of a budding artist who tells her story almost from when she can remember to this year. She gives those in her life who helped her more than just credit; she showers them with praise. She admits to the reader her fears and how she overcame them (I love Krispy Kreme too). For so many to take to her, shows a spirit not found in many people no matter what race they are. In the end her family is her biggest love and that crowns the book for me. I hope my wife and I can see her dance live one day; that would be a truly wonderful experience. That recalls the dance of Firebird with stress fractures. Most athletes would be sidelined with that. It boggles the mind how she did that.I'll check out Firebird when I get a chance. Thanks for a great experience.

Interesting the issues of color will and does continue to affect lives. Success is truly based on their determination to overcome poverty, dysfunctional home life, the support of caring mentors. The conflict of her mother deciding to take control over her daughters life versus her Dance Insructor studio success primarily because of Misty's talent. Much is left out as to what really happen, although years later they reconciled.Misty shares the life, the hardships, physical injuries, rejection in the Ballerina world. So few girls really have the talent and drive to succeed and one wonders why parents don't recognize this as they drive their girls to practice several times a week, the expense, the Recital costumes, their expense worn one or twice for a 3 hour performance.Misty opens up about her life, feelings but says little about her boyfriend of 10 years,

I decided to buy this book as I love biographies and have been a dancer, a dance mum and a dance costumer. It didn't disappoint. Misty shares her journey openly with the reader in a way that opens the door into her world. The discipline of ballet is demanding both physically and mentally. Add in the layer of breaking down racial barriers and it takes a strong person to succeed. Well done. I hope one day I get to see her dance live on stage.

Breathtakingly beautiful! Love this creature and her life! Appreciate the quality of the book and the writing.Suggested!

Une très bonne autobiographie, agréable à lire et qui fait découvrir un monde méconnu : celui de la danse classique. Inspirant aussi de voir tous les obstacles de la vie que Misty Copeland a dûs surmonter, pour atteindre la consécration.

Misty Copeland is a very elegant, graceful and inspiring young lady. I knew nothing of her until late last year when i saw her "i will what i want" AD on Youtube. From that very moment i was mystified! I had never in my life seen a brown ballerina and Misty Copeland is a beautiful one at that. l added this book to my "Amazon Wishlist" but didn't end up buying and reading it until 1 year later. Silly me! But, to be honest i have read it at the most perfect time in my life. In the age we live in, with "celebrities" bed hopping, drug taking and sex tape making, a woman like Misty who has a genuine and brilliant talent is a dying breed. Her demeanour should be celebrated. This is the type of female our young girls should aspire to, she is respectable, sophisticated and exudes class. Her book tells all about her childhood, the poverty she lived through and her neglectful mother who had 6 children with many toxic men and how Misty and her siblings fled with her mother from these men, in midnight flits, from man to man, house to motel, because she had failed at another attempt of a "relationship". The serendipitous tale of how she discovered ballet and the lady who encouraged her talent is endearing, and the stuff of Hollywood movies, she was born to shine and be discovered! There's lots of adversity in this book, which is to be expected, but, Misty has triumphed over all of them. She has become the first black woman to be promoted to principal dancer in American Ballet Theatre's 75 year history. What an accomplishment! Reading this book has left me motivated in all many aspects of my life, i went to the gym for the first time today in 7 months because of Misty and i hope to get my health and fitness back on track after a back injury. Thank you Misty for writing such a wonderful and inspiring book. You have a new fan please don't ever change. I will be watching out for you and i hope some day i will get to watch you dance. I also can't wait to watch your documentary this year, if i knew you were crowdfunding for it i would have donated just so i could see my name on the credits and be a part of your memorable story. Unfortunately i missed my chance. Good luck Misty xxx

Era un libro recomendado y que me ha satisfecho plenamente.Además, me ha parecido muy eficaz su sistema de servir el material.Enhorabuena.Muchas gracias