MasterClass provides in-depth and engaging classes taught by experts in various fields. The classes are designed to bring your favorite experts to your home in an engaging online experience, which includes state of the art pre-recorded videos, workbooks, and stimulating assignments. Your yearly Annual Membership gives you access to 85+ world-renowned instructors on Film and TV, Culinary Arts, Design, Photography, Fashion, Sports, Science and Technology and so much more. Instructors include world-famous chef Gordon Ramsay, bestselling author Margaret Atwood and many more. The classes have about 20 lectures, each about 10 minutes so you can watch and re-watch at anytime. Video lessons can easily be watched on the MasterClass mobile app, on your desktop, Google Chromecast, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, and Roku devices. Check out our MasterClass review to find out more details!
This is a review of the Misty Copeland Teaches Ballet Technique and Artistry class from MasterClass!
When you join MasterClass, you’ll subscribe to the yearly Annual Membership ($180). With this, you can take any class you want at any time, and your access continues until you cancel.
The MasterClass Instructor – Misty Copeland 
The class opens with a powerful portrayal of what it means to be a dancer who is constantly striving for something that can never be fully obtained: perfection. She sums up the discipline and hardships it takes to strive for something that can never be achieved, but yet it is this process that brings us the beautiful art of classical ballet. When first deciding to take this class, I was expecting many lengthy barre lessons focusing on technique, but instead this class was an insight to Misty Copeland’s daily barre routine, struggles, successes, and advice on how to be the strongest dancer. Misty Copeland is an American ballet dancer for the American Ballet Theatre. She has also written two autobiographies and narrated a documentary about her challenges in her career.
Misty Copeland made headlines in 2015, when she was promoted to principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre, the first African American woman to be named to that position at what is arguably the country’s most prestigious ballet company. She had struggled for years—both personally and professionally—to be recognized as someone who has a voice. And, now, she had finally arrived.
Misty Copeland designed this class to share her wisdom about focusing on quality technique training, creating powerful performances, and how to “Own your power and your voice” as a dancer.
Ballet Technique and Artistry – Who is it for?
The class is targeted at those who are looking for inspiration, new approaches to their ballet training, and advice on how to become a better dancer. While the class is geared towards those who have ballet experience, it is not purely meant for technical training purposes. This class also explores more abstract ideas, which regardless of prior background knowledge, provide a stronger appreciation and admiration for classical ballet.
MasterClass Misty Copeland – Main Themes
- Quality over Quantity
- Technique Informs Artistry
- Inspiration
- Strength
MasterClass Workbook – Misty Copeland 
Provided with this class is a workbook, which is easy to use while following along with the class videos. Whether you are a dancer yourself or just wanting to learn more about Misty Copeland’s story, this workbook is the perfect combination of a history lesson and outline of specific barre techniques. If you are unfamiliar with the complicated ballet terms, this workbook even has an entire section dedicated to vocabulary to help you navigate unfamiliar territory. If you are someone looking to improve your dance technique, this workbook will be your guide for practicing the barre workouts demonstrated in the class. The techniques even have helpful checklists that are beneficial for quality movements. The workbook provides inspiring narratives and lessons from Misty Copeland about her performance as Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, her time working with choreographers in different genres of dance, and her experiences touring with Prince.
MasterClass Ballet Technique and Artistry Takeaways 
This class is a comprehensive workshop on how to be the best classical ballet dancer. It not only focuses on everything from ballet technique, performance advice, and choreography insights, but it puts emphasis on how to develop your own presence as a dancer. She highlights how to pull from ones’ own life experiences and dance background to make a performance your own, while still cleanly executing choreography that has often been around for hundreds of years.
What makes dancers so special is that you have to be so many things. You have to be an incredible actress, you have to be a technician, you have to be an athlete, you have to be able to adapt and be present and selfless.
Whether you are a dancer or not, this class demonstrates the strength and artistry of classical ballet through Misty Copeland’s inspirational story. The class provides eye opening perspectives on Misty’s experiences and her thoughts about diversity and inclusion in the ballet community. Ballet lovers will not only be inspired by her accomplishments, but by her continued desire to continue to break down barriers and bring ballet to a wider community.
Final thoughts on Misty Copeland’s MasterClass
I fell in love with this class! I think it does help to have some kind of ballet background, but it is definitely not necessary. However, those who will take away the most out of this class will be those interested in ballet technique and the processes of developing into a well rounded dancer. If you are interested in an inspiring story, while also strengthening your technique and performance skills, this class is really worthwhile!
What do you think of this MasterClass?
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