Life in Motion

An Unlikely Ballerina

By: Misty Copeland

Narrated by: Lisa Reneé Pitts

"Picture a ballerina in a tutu and toe shoes. What does she look like?"

As the only African-American soloist dancing with the prestigious American Ballet Theatre, Misty Copeland has made history. But when she first placed her hands on the barre at an after-school community center, no one expected the undersized, anxious 13-year-old to become a ground­breaking ballerina.

When she discovered ballet, Misty was living in a shabby motel room, struggling with her five siblings for a place to sleep on the floor. A true prodigy, she was dancing en pointe within three months of taking her first dance class and performing professionally in just over a year: A feat unheard of for any classical dancer. But when Misty became caught between the control and comfort she found in the world of ballet and the harsh realities of her own life (culminating in a highly publicized custody battle), she had to choose to embrace both her identity and her dreams, and find the courage to be one of a kind.

With an insider's unique point of view, Misty opens a window into the life of a professional ballerina who lives life center stage: From behind the scenes at her first auditions to her triumphant roles in some of the most iconic ballets. But in this beautifully written memoir, she also delves deeper to reveal the desire and drive that made her dreams reality.

Life in Motion is a story of passion and grace for anyone who has dared to dream of a different life.

©2014 Misty Copeland (P)2014 Tantor

Critic reviews

"An unexpected page-turner. . . . Her story is an inspiration to anyone-man or woman, black or white-who has ever chased a dream against the odds, and the grace with which she triumphs is an example for us all." ( Booklist, Starred Review)

Neat story, what a strong woman

Great story and one that I hope she continues to add too.
One criticism about the audio book: I felt like the reader was speaking to a young child (pauses, intense annunciation, etc.).
Overall, I recommend this and applaud Misty for persevering.

A Tour De Force!

I loved it. So joyous, so inspirational! The narrator was a perfect choice. The memorable moments were many. I am a native New Yorker who has always loved NYC (in particular, Manhattan), so l savored the experience of Misty, like myself, falling in love with the City and meeting her love there.

Must read

Loved it! The story is relatable and easy to understand. She is a true inspiration with determination to reach her goals and watch them come true.

The narrator ruined it.

This book was so great. I enjoyed learning about Misty and her interesting life of ballet. The book was compelling, but the narrator sounded like an overenunciated robot. She obviously had no knowledge of French or ballet terms. There was a lack of acting from this narrator....she was just reading. I pushed through though because of my respect and facsination with Misty.

Inspiring Tale

This was an uplifting read, almost a modern fairy tale. Kudos to Misty for her hard work and determination, as well as her larger purpose to open up opportunities for children like herself. It’s also heartening to see how many individuals stood in the gap, despite common prejudices, to facilitate her dreams.

Story is powerful, but not powerfully done

unfortunately the worst part of this was the narration. It was very distracting with words being mispronounced and the static staccato type of speaking really took away from the work itself. I finished it because I think Misty Copeland's story is so powerful that it was important to me to hear it out. it jumped around in places and was hard to follow at times but the overall story itself I feel needs to be heard. I just wish it had been given the care of a good editor and narrator to do it justice.

Inspiration in a story

“You can start late, look different, be uncertain and still succeed.” -Misty Copeland This story will give you the inspiration to go after that burning desire no matter how difficult it may appear.

Heart warming narrative!

What did you love best about Life in Motion?

This is a book that inspires and gives you a sense of great hope.

What did you like best about this story?

It was raw, honest and accessible.

What does Lisa Reneé Pitts bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

A great feeling that you are being told a story that matters, by someone who loves to tell stories. Storytelling at its best.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The moment in which Misty realizes she is a ballerina, she deserves to be on the stage and that yes, she defied expectations but is now living her dream and serving as a much needed role model to little girls and boys of color around the world.

An inspiration to us all

I very much enjoyed how open and honest Misty was with her life story. She does not run away from her past, she embraces it. Her story makes you feel like you can achieve great things too! This really was for the little brown girls, it caused me to deeply reflect on my own childhood. Going through the journey of Misty's own life she now feels like a close friend.

Good story, terrible narration

Maybe if a novel features the word "artistic" really frequently, you should probably not have a narrator who drops their R's.