Oprah and Misty Copeland on Her Remarkable Life & Career that Transformed Dance & More

The Oprah Podcast

Harpo

Society & Culture

4.2 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 9 December 2025

⏱️ 56 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Oprah sits down with world renowned, history-making ballet dancer Misty Copeland for an intimate and deeply reflective conversation as Misty takes her final bow with the American Ballet Theatre. As the prestigious company’s first Black female principal dancer, Misty looks back on her incomparable career that changed the face of classical ballet by expanding who gets to be seen, centered and celebrated on the world’s most iconic stages. We also hear from one of Misty’s longtime mentors whose guidance helped shape her career along with listeners of all ages from across the country seeking Misty’s wisdom, encouragement and perspective as they pursue their own unique paths. Misty shares lessons on resilience, courage and gratitude we can all learn from as well as the legacy she hopes to continue building for young dancers of color. Misty shares her rigorous process of preparing for her final dance at her retirement gala of which Oprah serves as co-chair. Presented by Walmart, this episode celebrates Misty’s inspiring path and the joy of sharing your unique gifts with the world. Misty also discusses her two newest books: Letters to Misty: How to Move Through Life with Confidence and Grace and Bunheads, Act 2: The Dance and Courage, which you can find on Walmart.com. BUY THE BOOKS: Letters to Misty: How to Move Through Life with Confidence and Grace https://www.walmart.com/ip/Letters-to-Misty-How-to-Move-Through-Life-with-Confidence-and-Grace-Hardcover-9781534443037/12993719964?classType=REGULAR&from=/search Bunheads, Act 2: The Dance and Courage https://www.walmart.com/ip/Bunheads-ACT-2-The-Dance-of-Courage-Hardcover-9780399547683/15039751551 00:00:00 - Welcome Misty Copeland, Author of Letters to Misty 00:02:45 - Performing One Last Time: Her Emotions 00:06:28 - Knowing When It’s Time to Step Away 00:08:20 - Physical + Emotional Pain Behind Dancing 00:10:50 - Imagining Her Final Bow 00:13:21 - Misty’s Childhood 00:15:15 - How the Boys and Girls Club Impacted Her 00:18:15 - Invitation to American Ballet Theatre 00:19:00 - Being the Only Black Woman at ABT 00:23:05 - Welcome former ABT director John Meehan 00:25:15 - Challenges of Starting Ballet Later in Life 00:26:50 - Debbie Allen’s Impact on Her Career 00:28:55 - Advice for Young Dancers of Color 00:31:28 - What She Wants People to Know About Ballet 00:32:35 - Life + Goals Beyond Ballet 00:36:16 - The Loneliness of Being a Trailblazer 00:42:25 - Painting Ballet Shoes to Match Her Skin Tone 00:45:42 - Misty and her siblings now 00:47:42 - Misty on her husband 00:48:50 - Becoming ABT Principal Dancer Follow Oprah Winfrey on Social: https://www.instagram.com/oprahpodcast/ https://www.facebook.com/oprahwinfrey/ Listen to the full podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0tEVrfNp92a7lbjDe6GMLI https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oprah-podcast/id1782960381 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This episode of the Oprah podcast is presented by Walmart.
0:04.4	Do you feel that it is obviously your training, obviously the work, but there's also something watching you is like something divine is also happening?
0:14.2	I've felt that from the moment I started dancing, that it has been something that I've needed.
0:20.4	It's been a part of my survival. It's been a part of
0:23.3	the way that I've escaped, you know, so much adversity throughout my life.
0:31.3	Hey there, and thank you for listening and watching the Oprah podcast. And hello to all of you who are seeing us on YouTube.
0:40.2	Really glad to be here with you all today. I am in my tea house with a, what is the word?
0:46.4	You are a phenomenal woman in the greatest sense of the word and everything that Maya Angelou meant when she wrote that poem.
0:56.2	Phenomenal.
0:57.3	You're also a trailblazer who has transformed the face of ballet of dance and so much more.
1:03.7	She is a transcendent talent, Misty Copeland.
1:08.1	She was the first black female principal dancer at the illustrious American Ballet Theater,
1:12.4	and now, after 25 years, I like that number, she's taking her final bow. She's written over 10 books
1:19.4	and in two new children's books, Letters to Misty, and Bunhead's Act 2. She shares the lessons that
1:26.8	kept her on her toes, literally, while making history.
1:31.1	Welcome, welcome.
1:32.1	Thank you so much for having me.
1:33.7	I know.
1:34.0	All these years, we've never, never.
1:37.9	How did that happen?
1:38.6	I don't know.
1:39.6	I think we did something with you on the Oprah show about remembering your spirit or Super Soul or something we did.
	...

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