Sneak backstage into the world of Misty Copeland as she works to become a principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre. Ballet fans will appreciate the insider view and dance footage. But the glamour and artistry come with a public face that remains almost exclusively white, and a set of bodies that are coerced to conform to a particular vision of feminine beauty. Muscular, black, working-class Misty doesn’t conform, and her struggles as she upsets stereotypes, moves up through social classes, and battles personal injury give depth to her eventual triumph. A little ballet history shows how this art started: we are challenged to consider how we can help ballet mature. 

Awards
Best Documentary 2015, African-American Film Critics Association