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Copeland is the first african-american soloist in two decades at the prestigious american ballet theater. her story is different than most ballerinas. >> reporter: you took your first ballet class at 13? >> yes. >> reporter: which is a pretty late start? >> it is. >> reporter: months after that first class in a boys and girls club in san pedro, california, people were calling misty a prodigy. she was 17 when she joined the american ballet theater but not everyone was willing to accept this ballerina who didn't look like all the rest. >> dear candidate, thank you for your a.m. case to our balle...

My teacher said keep that letter because you're going to want to look back on it one day. as an adult i was told that i didn't have the right skin color. i was too muscular. i was too curvey. my breasts were too big. i was too short. >> reporter: you wrote about an experience years ago where your friend overheard an american ballet theater staff member saying that you didn't fit in with your brown skin. especially in a ballet like "swan lake." do you remember how that affected you? >> yeah. i get emotional right now just thinking about it. i tried to understand the person's perspective. and ho...

Her story is different than most ballerinas. >> you took your first ballet class at 13 which is a pretty late start in the ballet field. >> it is, it is. >> reporter: months after that first class in a boys and girls club in san pedro, california, people were calling misty a prodigy. she was just 17 when she joined the american ballet theater but not everyone was quick to accept this ballerina who didn't look like all the rest. >> dear candidate, thank you for your application to your ballet academy. unfortunately, you have not been accepted. you aren't the right feet, achilles tendons, turnou...