Misty Copeland

I think the first time I ever did it, I must have been 14, performing with Debbie Allen in California, in Los Angeles.

She was a mentor of mine.

In her version of the Nutcracker, which at the time she was calling the Chocolate Nutcracker.

And that was the very first time that I was understanding what the ballet...

shoe even represents and what the tights mean.

And it's an extension of yourself and your skin, and it should be the same color.

I was wearing brown tights then and painting my shoes.

But I would continue to do that throughout the course of my career at ABT.

And I would just go to the drugstore and get whatever the cheapest liquid foundation and put it on my shoes.

I mean, it's not meant to be danced, and it doesn't have the right, like,

ingredients and consistency, it's going to be very slippery.

But it's the first thing that a young dancer receives is their leotard, their ballet slippers, and their tights.

And that's just right there saying, for a black or brown dancer, this isn't for you.

You don't belong.

Yeah, you know, he definitely came into my life, you know, I guess it was in that same time when I discovered Raven.

Raven Wilkinson.

Raven Wilkinson, yes.

And was trying to understand how I can be...

My fullest and best self, how I can carry on these legacies of people who have come before me.

And it was just pretty surprising to find out that Prince was a fan and that he had actually followed my career since I was very young and was successful.