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Title details for Life in Motion by Misty Copeland - Available

Life in Motion

An Unlikely Ballerina

by Misty Copeland
Lisa Reneé Pitts
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available
"Picture a ballerina in a tutu and toe shoes. What does she look like?"


As the only African-American soloist dancing with the prestigious American Ballet Theatre, Misty Copeland has made history. But when she first placed her hands on the barre at an after-school community center, no one expected the undersized, anxious thirteen-year-old to become a ground­breaking ballerina.


When she discovered ballet, Misty was living in a shabby motel room, struggling with her five siblings for a place to sleep on the floor. A true prodigy, she was dancing en pointe within three months of taking her first dance class and performing professionally in just over a year: a feat unheard of for any classical dancer. But when Misty became caught between the control and comfort she found in the world of ballet and the harsh realities of her own life (culmi­nating in a highly publicized custody battle), she had to choose to embrace both her identity and her dreams, and find the courage to be one of a kind.


With an insider's unique point of view, Misty opens a window into the life of a professional ballerina who lives life center stage: from behind the scenes at her first auditions to her triumphant roles in some of the most iconic ballets. But in this beautifully written memoir, she also delves deeper to reveal the desire and drive that made her dreams reality.


Life in Motion is a story of passion and grace for anyone who has dared to dream of a different life.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    March 11, 2014

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781494520397
      • File size: 263862 KB
      • Duration: 09:09:42

  • Languages

    • English

  • Levels

    • Lexile® Measure: 890
    • Text Difficulty: 4-5

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Ballet is precision balanced with beauty. This audiobook has more than enough precision but lacks the beauty of spontaneity. As Lisa Renée Pitts haltingly delivers the story of the only African-American soloist in the American Ballet Theatre, her pauses are so pronounced that they become a distraction, and her enunciation can seem pedantic. Copeland's narrative has a healthy portion of egotism, and Pitts's chilly, choppy delivery exacerbates the distant tone. Whenever Pitts lets her guard down and engages with the spirit of the text, the listener can engage with the story, which is inspiring and easy to follow. In the spaces between those natural moments, though, the listener is kept at arm's length. L.B.F. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      March 31, 2014
      The first African-American soloist in the American Ballet Theatre (ABT) of New York City, Copeland was a latecomer to the art and took her first class at age 13.Told in graceful prose, the memoir recounts her quick but singular riseâher struggles with compulsive overeating, racism, injuries, and self-doubt, as well as high points like discovering acceptance in the melting pot of New York, reconnecting with her father, founding her own dance-wear company, and performing with Prince. Copeland offers a strikingly generous view of her family and those closest to her who caused pain and confusion, at one point leaving her in destitution at a hotel with five siblings while only in her teens. Now age 31, Copeland demonstrates a remarkable ability to focus on the positive. Although she expresses a responsibility to break through color barriers for aspiring black dancers, her achievements will encourage all those attempting to beat the odds in competitive fields. Similar to Dancing Through It, New York City Ballet principal Jenifer Ringer's account of surviving and, ultimately, thriving in a janus-faced profession, Copeland's story will help young dancers to hold fast to their dreams, remain true to themselves, and avoid the pitfalls of perfectionism.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • Lexile® Measure:890
  • Text Difficulty:4-5

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