Why is Misty CopeLand retiring? Ballet star hangs up Pointe shoes following NYC Performance

Misty Copeland’s final curtain call with the American Ballet Theatre wasn’t just a goodbye, it was a significant milestone. On Wednesday night, the celebrated dancer took the stage at the David H. Koch Theater in New York City for one last performance. She was joined by her ABT colleagues as she officially stepped away from the company she had called home for 25 years. The farewell came as part of ABT’s Fall Gala, with a simultaneous broadcast at Alice Tully Hall. It was also Misty Copeland’s first return to performance in five years, a full-circle moment for one of the most influential figures in ballet.

In her interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Misty Copeland emphasized that she viewed retirement as more of a “transition.” She shared her intent to focus on bringing ballet to broader audiences through her creative and charitable projects. As noted by Good Morning America, Copeland joined ABT’s Studio Company in 2000, moved into the corps de ballet the following year, and became a soloist in 2005. Ten years later, she made history as ABT’s first African American principal dancer, a milestone that redefined representation in ballet.

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Not a farewell, but a release: Misty Copeland redefines what it means to move on

When Misty Copeland spoke with Harper’s Bazaar, she didn’t call it a retirement. She called it a release, a gentle untethering from an institution that had shaped her and, at times, confined her.

“What I’m trying to make clear, which I feel like hasn’t been clear, is that I’m not retiring, this is the end of ABT for me. But I want to continue performing in some capacity,” Copeland shared.

For her, this farewell symbolized transformation rather than closure, proof that ballet careers can evolve and that creative legacies don’t have expiration dates. Debbie Allen, the legendary choreographer and Copeland’s close friend, expressed full faith in her next act.

“She has established herself as a brand, and she has put in place the business model, along with the artistic genius, along with the family priority,” Allen said.

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How Misty Copeland is redefining what comes after the spotlight

Long before her farewell performance, Misty Copeland had been building a foundation for what came next. Her efforts pointed toward a broader mission—one that sought to diversify ballet and redefine what a post-performance career could be.

That sense of purpose took root years earlier. In 2012, while performing her acclaimed role in Alexei Ratmansky’s Firebird, Misty Copeland fractured her tibia and was forced offstage for nearly a year. “That was such a hard period for her,” remembered former ABT artistic director Kevin McKenzie.

“But to her credit, she refocused. She said, ‘Okay, I can’t get back on stage, but I can do this,’” added Kevin McKenzie.

Her “this” became Project Plié, a diversity initiative she helped create at ABT that encouraged participation from dancers of color. The program evolved into ABT RISE, continuing the same vision of inclusion and accessibility.

In the years that followed, Copeland expanded that work through her own ventures. She established the Misty Copeland Foundation in 2021, dedicated to equity in the arts. In 2015, she co-founded Life in Motion with her close friend Leyla Fayyaz, a production company devoted to authentic, stereotype-free depictions of dance. She also held seats on the boards of Lincoln Center and The Shed, places where, she said, “my presence and my voice matter and I have real institutional impact.”

Her initiatives all tied back to a single cause: keeping diversity, equity, and inclusion alive in classical dance. The work had become more complex amid growing political pressure against DEI programs.

“In the foundation, we’re constantly having these conversations of ‘We don’t want to become a target. We don’t want to lose funding, so if we have to change our vocabulary, whatever. We could do that,” Copeland shared.

Still, she pressed forward. “It’s so important for us to keep going,” she said—a simple declaration that summed up her resolve.

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Misty Copeland’s final curtain was a celebration of community and change:

The line outside Lincoln Center stretched down the block Wednesday evening, as fans waited for hours to witness Misty Copeland’s farewell. CBS News reported that hundreds turned out to see the ballet icon’s final performance. Many who were unable to get tickets to the David H. Koch Theater settled instead for a simulcast at Alice Tully Hall.

The live broadcast offered free admission, with tickets handed out at 4 p.m. on a first-come basis, a gesture of accessibility fitting for a dancer who spent her career breaking barriers. “Misty Copeland represents community, and we wanted to make this evening as accessible as possible,” said Aubrey Lynch, ABT RISE’s dean of students and director.

“She’s had an impact on so many. For us to be able to celebrate her farewell to ABT is just a momentous event,” said Caryn Campbell, executive director of the Misty Copeland Foundation.

Among the crowd was Elsa Tullos, who waited in line hoping to soak in a piece of ballet history. “I’m inspired by her grace and her movement and her talent. And so I came here to get more inspired,” she said.