Inside the Omni Dallas Hotel, philanthropists, educators and rows of neatly dressed students crowded in to see one guest. Misty Copeland stepped to the stage last Friday with dozens of children from St. Philip鈥檚 School & Community Center seeing, perhaps for the first time, a ballerina who looked like them.
The trailblazing dance star headlined the school鈥檚 26th Annual Destiny Award Luncheon -- St. Philip鈥檚 largest fundraiser of the year. Coinciding with Black History Month, the event featured a conversation about Copeland鈥檚 journey from being a student to becoming the first Black woman promoted to principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre, alongside her work as an advocate and mentor for young artists.
But before the luncheon downtown, Copeland spent the morning on campus in south Dallas. She met directly with students, answering questions and sharing advice that felt practical as much as inspirational.
鈥淔ind your people,鈥� Copeland said. 鈥淔ind community, find mentorship. And...to me that's been like such a big part of my strength and what's become success was because I have a support system.鈥�
Throughout her career, Copeland has often been the only Black dancer in elite ballet spaces. Rather than internalizing that isolation, she said, she learned to seek guidance elsewhere.
鈥淓ven though I was in spaces that weren鈥檛 built for me, I was seeking advice and support outside of those spaces from people that knew what it was like to be the only and to be first in whatever fields they were a part of,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t's important to be open and to accept help and guidance and to seek it as well.鈥�
For principal Kellee Murrell, that advice aligns perfectly with St. Philip鈥檚 mission.
鈥淲e just believe in pouring into our community and providing excellent education for our students.鈥� she said.
St. Philip鈥檚 is a private, independent school where every child receives financial aid to keep tuition accessible for low- and moderate-income families. The student body is predominantly African American, and Murrell says the arts are central, not supplemental, to how students learn and see themselves.
The school recently built a performing arts center and regularly invites prominent Black creatives to speak with students. Past guests include Shaquille O'Neal, Sterling K. Brown, Cicely Tyson, Viola Davis, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Taraji P. Henson and LL Cool J.
鈥淲e believe in keeping the arts,鈥� Murrell said. "God has given them those unique gifts and so bring in these people to just kind of encourage them and for them to see up close and personal some of the challenges that they may experience as being the only one in the fields that they're getting ready to encounter.鈥�
Copeland鈥檚 own story resonated quickly. She told students she didn鈥檛 begin ballet until age 13 鈥� a detail Murrell said surprised the room.
鈥淪ometimes [the kids] think it may be too late,鈥� Murrell said. 鈥淚t was a reminder to them that it鈥檚 never too late.鈥�
Copeland also helped the students see the link between academics and the arts, with lessons on the science of dance exploring friction, spinning and how the brain processes movement.
Copeland said seeing that kind of investment in young people gives her hope.
鈥淭o see what a beautiful foundation is being laid for them...not every community looks like this,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he nurturing that they're getting is that they're being set up for success and that's something to really value.鈥�
Copeland said it鈥檚 beautiful to to think 鈥渁ll these little people are going to go out into the world and they're going to be what our future looks like.鈥�
Though she has stepped back from performing full time, she still relies on the lessons ballet taught her. These days, she focused more on self-care 鈥� more quiet time with family and a tight circle of support.
"It's always been about just finding balance and finding normalcy," she said. 鈥淢y family is so incredibly important. Just being able to be in a room with them and share a meal -- those moments to me are like resetting and refueling.鈥�
Back inside the Omni ballroom, that message landed as both encouragement and charge. For St. Philip鈥檚 students, the luncheon wasn鈥檛 just a fundraiser, it was a glimpse of what鈥檚 possible when talent meets opportunity and community.
