Misty Copeland on Tavis Smiley Tonight!

Misty Copeland, the first African-American female soloist for the American Ballet Theater, has become a true American national treasure. Tonight, you'll be able to get to know her a little better if you don't already, on the Tavis Smiley show. Go on the Tavis Smiley website to check local for local listings.

Misty Copeland began her ballet studies at the age of 13 at the San Pedro Dance Center, and was soon called a prodigy after that. At the age of fifteen she won first place in the Music Center Spotlight Awards. She then began her studies at the Lauridsen Ballet Center. Misty Copeland has studied at the San Francisco Ballet School and American Ballet Theatre’s Summer Intensive on full scholarship and was declared ABT’s National Coca-Cola Scholar in 2000. She has danced Kitri in Don Quixote and the Sugar Plum Fairy and Clara in The Nutcracker.

Misty Copeland joined ABT's studio Company in September 2000, she also joined the American Ballet Theater as a member of the corps de ballet in April 2001 and was appointed a Soloist in August 2007. In 2008, she was a receipient of a 2008 Leonore Annenberg Fellowship in the Arts.

Misty Copeland has performed with Prince in Nice, France and more recently at Madison Square Garden during Prince's "Welcome 2 America" Tour. She also featured in Prince's cover of "Crimson and Clover". Magazines such as People Magazine, Time Magazine, O Magazine, New York Times, BET, and Fox News have featured her.