It was late. Really late. Misty Copeland was already a rising star at American Ballet Theatre, but she wasn’t the household name she is today. Then the phone rang. It was Prince. He didn't call through assistants or PR firms; he just called. He wanted her to be in a music video. Most people would’ve fainted, but Misty was skeptical. She’s a classical ballerina. He’s a rock god. On paper, it makes zero sense. But that single phone call sparked a creative partnership that basically changed the trajectory of Misty’s career and, honestly, how the world views ballet.
The Misty Copeland and Prince connection isn't just some trivia fact for 80s pop fans. It was a tactical, artistic collision. Prince saw something in Misty before the rest of the world caught up to her "prodigy" status. He saw a Black woman navigating a traditionally white, rigid space and recognized a fellow rebel. When they finally linked up for the "Crimson and Clover" video in 2009, it wasn't just about a pretty dancer moving to a beat. It was a statement.
The night everything changed at Madison Square Garden
If you talk to people who were at the Welcome 2 America tour in 2010, they’ll tell you about the moment the music shifted. Prince is shredding. The lights are purple. And suddenly, there’s a literal podium on top of his grand piano. Misty Copeland climbs up there. In the middle of a rock concert, she starts performing en pointe.
It was jarring. It was beautiful. It was loud.
Usually, ballet is silent. You hear the scuff of a satin shoe on a wood floor and maybe a cough from the third row. Not here. Here, she was dancing to "The Beautiful Ones" while 20,000 people screamed. Prince understood that ballet needed a bridge to the public, and Misty needed a platform that wasn't gatekept by the Upper West Side elite. He gave her that stage. He didn't just hire her; he mentored her. He talked to her about owning her image and being her own brand.
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He was notoriously private, but with Misty, there was a visible respect. You've probably seen the photos—him in some wild silk suit, her in a leotard, both looking like they inhabit a different planet than the rest of us. They were both perfectionists. Prince would rehearse for ten hours straight. Misty, coming from the brutal world of ABT, was used to that. They spoke the same language of discipline.
Breaking the "Ballet Body" myth with a rockstar's help
Let’s be real about the ballet world for a second. It can be incredibly narrow-minded. For years, Misty was told her body was "wrong." Too muscular. Too curvy. Too much of a departure from the waif-like European standard. Prince thought that was hilarious. To him, she was the "best at what she does," period.
By putting Misty Copeland and Prince on the same marquee, he validated her presence as a pop culture icon before the ballet world was ready to give her the Principal Dancer title. He saw her as a star. That confidence is infectious. When you've got the guy who wrote "Purple Rain" telling you you're a genius, you start to believe it. This wasn't just about fame; it was about survival in an industry that was trying to keep her small.
She often credits him with helping her find her voice. Before Prince, she was a dancer who followed notes. After Prince, she was an artist who had a vision. He pushed her to improvise. Have you ever tried to tell a classical ballerina to "just feel it" and improvise? It’s terrifying for them. Everything in ballet is about 45-degree angles and precise counts. Prince forced her to break those counts. He’d change the tempo mid-song just to see what she’d do. It made her a more dangerous, more exciting performer.
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Beyond the music videos: A friendship of quiet support
People always ask if they were dating. Honestly, it doesn't seem like it. It was deeper than that—a weird, beautiful mentorship where they'd sit and talk about art for hours. She’s gone on record saying he was one of the first people she felt she could truly be herself around. He protected her. In a world of sharks, Prince was a bit of a sanctuary.
He even helped her navigate the business side of things. Prince was famously obsessed with ownership—remember when he wrote "SLAVE" on his face? He taught Misty that she wasn't just a cog in the ABT machine. She was the machine. That mindset is exactly why she was able to land massive deals with Under Armour and write best-selling books. She learned the "Prince Method" of branding: be undeniable, be unique, and never let anyone else own your soul.
Why this partnership still matters in 2026
We’re sitting here years after Prince’s passing, and the Misty Copeland and Prince era still feels fresh. Why? Because it was the first time ballet truly felt "cool" to a mass audience in the 21st century. It wasn't "The Nutcracker" for the hundredth time. It was something raw.
When Misty finally became the first Black female Principal Dancer at American Ballet Theatre in 2015, the world cheered. But Prince had already crowned her years before. He saw the shift coming. He knew the culture was changing, and he wanted to be the one to help her kick the door down.
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There's a specific kind of magic that happens when two masters of their craft collide. It’s not just 1+1=2. It’s something bigger. Prince didn't try to make her a pop singer, and Misty didn't try to make him a danseur noble. They stayed in their lanes but drove toward the same destination: pure, unadulterated excellence.
If you look at her performances today, even the most classical ones, there’s a certain "Prince-ness" to her stage presence. A flair. A way she holds the audience's gaze. That's the legacy of those late-night rehearsals at Paisley Park.
Actionable Insights for Artists and Professionals
Watching the way these two collaborated offers some pretty solid lessons for anyone trying to make a mark in their own field. It wasn't just luck; it was a specific way of working.
- Seek out "unlikely" mentors. If you're in tech, talk to a chef. If you're an athlete, talk to a musician. The most growth happens at the intersection of different worlds. Prince saw in Misty what the ballet world couldn't see because he was looking from the outside in.
- Prioritize ownership early. Follow the Prince/Copeland model of brand building. Don't just be an employee; be an entity. Misty used her platform with Prince to build a following that ABT couldn't ignore, giving her leverage she wouldn't have had otherwise.
- Master the "Quiet Work." Everyone sees the Madison Square Garden performance, but no one saw the 3:00 AM rehearsals. The flashy moments are only possible because of the grueling, boring, repetitive work done in private.
- Ignore the "Standard." If Misty had listened to the critics who said she didn't have a ballet body, she never would have been on that piano. Use your "flaws" as your signature. Prince thrived on being "weird," and he taught Misty to do the same.
The story of these two isn't just a footnote in music history. It’s a blueprint for how to break barriers without losing your identity. You don't have to change who you are to fit a stage; you just have to find the person willing to build a bigger stage for you. Or, in Misty's case, a stage on top of a purple piano.
To really understand the impact, go back and watch the "Crimson and Clover" video again. Look at the way she moves. It’s not just ballet; it’s a conversation. That conversation is still happening every time a young dancer of color walks into a studio and realizes they don't have to fit the mold—they can break it, just like Misty did.