Misty Copeland

Early career reviews mentioned her as more radiant than higher ranking dancers. She was named to the 2003 class of Dance Magazine's "25 to Watch". As a corps dancer she had the opportunity to dance alongside her longtime idol Paloma Herrera. Starting in 2003, she began to be favorably reviewed for her roles as a member of the corps in La Bayadère and William Forsythe's workwithinwork. Recognition continued in 2004 for roles in ballets such as Raymonda and workwithinwork, and the 2004 season is regarded as her breakthrough season. In 2005, her most notable performance was in George Balanchine's Tarantella. In 2006, she received a notable mention for her role in Cinderella, and she was acknowledged for her meticulous classical performance style in Giselle. That year, she also returned to Southern California to perform at Orange County Performing Arts Center. Copeland's "old-style" performance continued to earn her praise until her promotion to soloist in 2007.
• Soloist
Copeland was appointed soloist in August 2007, which was announced in July 2007. Standing at 5 feet 2 inches (1.57 m), she is one of the youngest ABT soloists, and she has been a standout among her peers. In the early fall 2007 New York City Center season, in which avant-garde ballets works were performed, she presented a Balanchine Ballo Della Regina role. Her solo in this work was highly regarded although, as one of Balanchine's later works, Ballo Della Regina is not regarded as one of his best productions. Her performances of Twyla Tharp works in the same City Center season were recognized, and she was described as more sophisticated and contemporary as a soloist than she had been as a corps dancer. As a corps member she had been recognized for prior performances of Tharp's work. Her summer 2008 Metropolitan Opera House season performances in Don Quixote and Sleeping Beauty were well received.
In 2008, Copeland won the Leonore Annenberg Fellowship in the Arts, which funds study with master teachers and trainers outside of the American Ballet Theatre. The two-year fellowships are in recognition of "young artists of extraordinary talent with the goal of providing them with additional resources in order to fully realise their potential". During the 2008–09 season, she received publicity for roles in Twyla Tharp's Baker's Dozen and Paul Taylor's Company B.