Wednesday night marked a glorious (if not bittersweet) finale for Misty Copeland’s long-running career with American Ballet Theatre . After 25 years with the company, where she was crowned its first-ever Black principal ballerina in its 75-year history, Copeland announced in June that she’s hanging up her tutu. ABT honored the pioneering dancer at its fall gala at the Lincoln Center, drawing industry titans Oprah Winfrey and Debbie Allen to sing Copeland’s praises onstage. “Misty didn’t just perform ballet,” Winfrey said during her speech, per NPR . “She changed it. She redefined who belongs, who gets to be seen, and who gets to lead.”

It’s been five years since we last saw an ABT performance from Copeland, who had taken some time away from the company to raise her 3-year-old son, J

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