Perhaps it was the fact that this was a historic event and Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall was filled with over a thousand excited and fidgety youngsters who had come to see the farewell performance of Misty Copeland, American Ballet Theatre’s (ABT) first Black female principal since it was founded in 1940, but the theater was electric. It didn’t matter to the youngsters that they were watching a simulcast of the actual event taking place in a larger theatre one block away. What mattered was that they were there to see, in real time, Copeland’s exquisite farewell performance with ABT’s Calvin Royal III in the lusciously romantic balcony scene from Kenneth MacMillan’s “Romeo and Juliet,” as well as her feisty charismatic work in excerpts from Twyla Tharp’s “Sinatra Suite” with ABT’s Herman Cornejo, and her brilliantly upbeat display of athleticism in Kyle Abraham’s “Wrecka Stow,” also with Calvin Royal III as her partner. There were also additional performances by American Ballet Theatre and ABT Studio.
Among those responsible for this impressive farewell honoring a Black ballerina who is now the latest in a list of ballet’s Black trailblazers were ABT’s Susan Jaffe and Barry Hughson. They top a veritable list of ‘Who’s Who’ in the arts that includes the event’s Honorary Grand Chairs Caroline Kennedy and Oprah Winfrey, and Grand Chairs Valentino Carlotti, Susan Fales-Hill, Arielle Patrick, and Darren Walker. And, if there was any doubt as to the significance of the event, all you had to do was glance at the jaw-dropping additional list of chairs, co-chairs and honorary committee which included (but was not limited to) Debbie Allen, Lauren Anderson, Hannah Bronfman, Ayesha and Stephen Curry, Lee Daniels, Renée Fleming, Robert Garland, Thelma Golden, Derek Jeter, Virginia Johnson, Gayle King, Alicia Graf Mack, Audra McDonald, Kevin McKenzie, Zac Posen and Harrison Ball, Desmond Richardson, Martin Scorsese, Twyla Tharp, Charlize Theron, Lindsey Vonn, Lena Waithe, Alfre Woodard, and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Social media is filled with photos of the beautiful people attending Misty Copeland’s farewell. They are decked out in their spiffy suits, fancy dresses, and floor-length gowns, and paid a hefty price, north of four figures, to fill the Lincoln Center theatre’s red velvet seats. But as theatre lights dimmed and the evening’s historic program began, the excitement of the audience in the main theatre was dwarfed by the shouts, cheers, and applause of the kids, a block away in Alice Tully Hall. Their seats were free and all they had to do was stand in line as early as 8 a.m. that morning, or attend as one of the students and/or guests of the Misty Copeland Foundation and its partners.
Rosalie O’Connor Photography, courtesy of American Ballet Theatre
Debbie Allen and Misty Copelandat the curtain call forCopeland’sfarewell performance with AmericanBallet Theatre. 
Misty Copeland and Calvin Royal III at the curtain call for Copeland’S farewell performance with American Ballet Theatre. 
Misty Copeland and Calvin Royal III in the pas de deux from Romeo and Juliet. 
Misty Copeland and Herman Cornejo in Sinatra Suite. 
Misty Copeland and Calvin Royal III in the World Premiere of Kyle Abraham’s Wrecka Stow. 
Students of BE BOLD, the Misty Copeland Foundation’s afterschool dance initiative, pictured here before the dancer’s farewell performance livestream. (Caroline Riley photo) 
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 22: Alfre Woodard and LaTanya Richardson Jackson attend the American Ballet Theatre Fall Gala at David Geffen Hall on October 22, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for American Ballet Theatre) 
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 22: Debbie Allen and Phylicia Rashād attend the American Ballet Theatre Fall Gala at David Geffen Hall on October 22, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for American Ballet Theatre) 
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 22: Susan Fales-Hill and Bristol Fales-Hill attend the American Ballet Theatre Fall Gala at David Geffen Hall on October 22, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for American Ballet Theatre) 
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 22: Iman and Nardos Imam attend the American Ballet Theatre Fall Gala at David Geffen Hall on October 22, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for American Ballet Theatre) 
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 22: Laurie A. Cumbo and Jody Arnhold attend the American Ballet Theatre Fall Gala at David Geffen Hall on October 22, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for American Ballet Theatre) 
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 22: Tamron Hall attends the American Ballet Theatre Fall Gala at David Geffen Hall on October 22, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for American Ballet Theatre) 
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 22: Taye Diggs attends the American Ballet Theatre Fall Gala at David Geffen Hall on October 22, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for American Ballet Theatre) 
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 22: Thelma Golden attends the American Ballet Theatre Fall Gala at David Geffen Hall on October 22, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for American Ballet Theatre)
Eleven-year-old Coral Santiago, who was lucky enough to attend the simulcast with her mom, Laura, was one of the many young ballet students from The Misty Copeland Foundation’s BE BOLD and BE BOLDER programs who cheered enthusiastically as the lights dimmed in Alice Tully Hall, and the show began. “I was mesmerized. She looked like a fairy,” Coral said later, sharing how special the evening was for her. Laura loved the “Romeo and Juliet” main pas de deux. “Misty was so happy, you could see it in her face. And, Calvin was beautiful.” While Coral loved everything, the eleven-year-old particularly liked Kayle Abraham’s “Wrecka Stow.” But most of all they both love the ballet classes Coral is able to take through the Copeland Foundation’s program.
Coral’s mother, Laura, says the impact of her ballet classes, which she started taking two years ago through Copeland’s BE BOLD and BE BOLDER program, is undeniable. “I’m grateful for the opportunity. I love that she gets to explore this type of dance and to learn new things. And, for my daughter to be able to see Misty, to see her dance, was also very inspirational. Misty is a great role model. Coral never saw herself until she saw Misty dance. Now, she says, ‘Oh, I can be like that.’ I feel there’s a sense of pride that Coral feels. Misty shows that regardless of race, age, and circumstance, you can exceed everybody’s expectations. My daughter is trying to do better and she gets more out of her classes. She’s more interested, and as a mom, I’m really grateful to see my daughter get inspired like that.”
For such a special occasion as Copeland’s farewell performance, Coral says she and her mother shopped for matching outfits and both dressed up for the event, wearing dresses in matching colors and matching black ballet shoes, Coral says giggling. And, at the end of the evening, when Oprah Winfrey and the others came onstage and presented Misty with elaborate bouquets of flowers, Coral whispered to her mom, “I wish I could present her with flowers, too.”