Profile
Born in Kansas City, Missouri, and raised in San Pedro, California, Copeland began ballet classes at thirteen. She joined ABT’s corps de ballet in 2001 and became a soloist in 2007. In 2015 she was the first African American woman promoted to principal dancer at ABT.
In 2012 she danced the title role in Firebird at New York’s Metropolitan Opera House. The film follows her injury, recovery and return to the company. It gives the stretches between her stage appearances a place in the story as well.
On October 22, 2025, Copeland and Calvin Royal III were among the original cast of Kyle Abraham’s Wrecka Stow at the David H. Koch Theater in New York. ABT’s repertory archive names the other dancers and the musicians behind the piece. It was her farewell performance with ABT.
Interviews and performances
From Firebird to the return to the stage
PBS Independent Lens on the documentary A Ballerina’s Tale.
Follow the performer and team
Profiles and original media (external)
Article sources & photo credits
Updated 2026-11-12
Photo credits: PhilipRomanoPhoto / CC BY-SA 4.0 · 2026-04-25 · resized · Photo year 2026 · Photo source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Suggest a correction