Misty Copeland, whose personal story and social media prowess helped make her a rare celebrity in ballet, made history Tuesday as the first black female principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre. The New York-based company, one of the most prestigious ballet companies which has welcomed top international talent over its 78-year history, announced it was promoting both Copeland and another American, Stella Abrera, to the rank of principal dancer. Copeland, 32, has drawn an unusually wide fan base for a ballerina. She has more than 500,000 followers on Instagram and an advertisement she recorded for a sportswear company, with featured her delivering a motivational message, has been seen more than eight million times on YouTube. Copeland has been open about her goal of advancing in the ranks of ballet, an art form traditionally dominated by Europeans. ‘It’s important for me to set an example of what a healthy image is, what a ballerina can be,’ she said in a video released in April

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