Page 14 - aruba-today-20200929

A14 PEOPLE & ARTS
Tuesday 29 sepTember 2020
Q&A: Copeland looks to her youth in new kids book 'Bunheads'

way I haven't been able to
on so many projects. I have
a production company.
I'm writing more books.
AP: Most dancers have lost
their income during the
pandemic. It must be ex-
tremely difficult.
MC: Dancers don't make
a lot of money and we
don't have the facilities to
keep up our training in our
homes. We're not getting
paid when theaters are not
open. (At) American Ballet
Theatre in particular, a lot
of dancers are foreign and
so they can't go home.
They can't collect unem-
ployment. But I do see a sil-
ver lining in all of this. I feel
like now is the time for us to
stop and breathe ... and
revamp how we connect
with more people, how we
reach communities that
are not often included. To
redefine how we reach
people.
This combination photo shows "Bunheads" a children's book by Misty Copeland, left, and Copeland during a portrait session in New AP: How has the dance
York on Nov. 19, 2019. world been affected by
Associated Press the current struggle for so-
By JOCELYN NOVECK the first female Black prin- was such an introverted yourself on your own, that cial justice, and the BLM
AP National Writer cipal dancer at American child. And I started ballet so it's something that you can movement?
NEW YORK (AP) — Misty Ballet Theatre. late, at 13. I remember the gain ... from having a sup- MC: I've been (long)
Copeland has long told Copeland sat down re- first time I walked into the port system around you. speaking about racism in
the story of the childhood cently, via Zoom of course, ballet studio at Miss Brad- It's been difficult for me ballet, the lack of diversity.
ballet teacher who recog- to discuss her new book ley's, Catalina was the first throughout my life. And My experience is that of so
nized her talent and took — her second children's person to come to me and I know it's difficult for a lot many dancers who have
the young dancer, then 13, book, after "Firebird" — as kind of break that ice. of young people to ac- not had their stories told.
from the cramped motel well as what she's been do- AP: Tell us about Miss Brad- cept and understand that And so in this time, I feel like
room she was living in to ing during the pandemic, ley. you can't do everything on I'm finally being heard. And
stay in her own house for with theaters shut. She also MC: My family was living in your own, and you're going the spotlight's being put on
three years, so she could spoke of the influence she a motel and we were really to have days when you're the ballet world in a way
continue her training. hopes the Black Lives Mat- struggling financially. It was not strong. that they're going to have
Now "Miss Bradley" — Cyn- ter movement will have on really difficult for my mom ... AP: By the way, what are to make change. I think
thia Bradley — is one of the the overwhelmingly white with six children as a single "bunheads"? a lot of these institutions
key characters in Cope- world of classical ballet. parent, (to have) me in bal- MC: It's a term of endear- are seen as very exclu-
land's new children's book, The interview has been ed- let classes. It got to a point ment. When you see those sive. They're stuffy. They're
"Bunheads," a story based ited and condensed for where it was just too much. little girls, you can spot white. I think we can cre-
on Copeland's own youth length. And Cynthia had no idea I them from a mile away, ate theaters in communi-
and introduction to ballet. AP: What inspired this new was living in a motel. I told they have buns on their ties where there is no more
In "Bunheads," the story book? her I would have to quit, head. They're wearing excuse for not having a
of young Misty's first ballet MC: The characters are all and she drove me home their jean shorts over their venue in these places, and
class and first dance pro- people I have in my life to and was stunned by the tights, they've got to make allowing these communi-
duction (the classic ballet this day. I wanted to be whole situation. She had it to class on time and don't ties to feel like we're a part
"Coppelia"), the celebrat- able to show a perspective driven away after dropping have time to change. of them.q
ed ballerina not only pays that's not often depicted me off. She turned back Those are the bunheads.
tribute to key figures in her in film and television and around. She knocked on AP: The pandemic has hit
youth, but explores themes books, about the camara- the door and she asked my the dance world hard, Solution Sudoku
of camaraderie among derie and relationships that mom if I could live with her as with all the arts. What
dancers, the need for a dancers have with each and train with her, because have you been doing since
support system, and the other, even from a young she had so much belief in March?
importance of having the age. That's been such a big my talent and ability to be- MC: There hasn't been a lot
confidence to try some- part of my growth as an in- come a professional. of dancing. I experienced
thing new. Confidence is a dividual and as a dancer. AP: What are some of the an injury to my back right
quality Copeland says was AP: Who's the character of themes you want to get before we went into quar-
often lacking in her journey "Cat" based upon? across to young people? antine. So a lot of this has
from a childhood of mod- MC: She was my best friend. MC: Acknowledging and been recovery for me phys-
est means in California to Her name is Catalina. She's being okay with the fact ically. But it's (also) been a
becoming the most famous a young Mexican-Amer- that if you don't have the moment where I could step
ballerina in America — and ican, aspiring ballerina. I confidence to believe in back and really focus in a Puzzle on Page 13