Misty Copeland Takes Her Final Bow at ABT’s Fall 2025 Gala

On Wednesday night, Misty Copeland took her final bow as an American Ballet Theatre principal dancer. And the company made sure the trailblazing dancer received her flowers.

ABT’s fall gala was a dedicated celebration of Copeland’s career, and the dancer — and now, ABT trustee — grew emotional as she walked the carpet.

“I’m feeling overwhelmed,” said Copeland, dressed in a Carolina Herrera gown before the evening’s performance. “You know, I’m looking forward to it all: sharing the stage with partners that I’ve danced with my whole career, and some new people that I haven’t danced with before — and just sharing the stage with the company. I mean, this was my dream company since I was 13 years old, and this is beyond my wildest dreams. So I’m just trying to soak it all up,” she added. “And, I’m really looking forward to having my son Jackson see me dance for the first time.”

ABT company members were the earliest red carpet arrivals, as dancers including Copeland’s stage partners for the evening, Herman Cornejo and Calvin Royal 3rd, then headed backstage to get ready to perform. 

“ I get a rare night off, so I’m gonna be cheering on my friends on the stage tonight,” said principal dancer James B. Whiteside. “Dancing with Misty has been the highlight of my career. Seeing what she has done for the world of dance and beyond has been a huge inspiration and I’m so thrilled to celebrate her tonight.”

“She’s one of a kind,” said actress Danielle Brooks. “Her presence is necessary in this world, and especially in the arts performance spaces,” she added. “So I’m excited to witness her one last time.”

The opportunity to see one of ballet’s greats brought out a crowd that included baseball legends like CC Sabathia and Dave Winfield, who made their way upstairs to the pre-performance cocktail hour, where Iman chatted with Debbie Allen and her sister Phylicia Rashad. Rebecca Minkoff was on the balcony taking photos, the promenade and theater in the background. Other guests included Ilana Glazer, Taye Diggs, Marisa Tomei, Nicole Ari Parker and more.

“I’m looking forward to being in the same room with her while she performs. I’ve never seen her live before,” said Jim Parsons. “It’s one of those things that you always think in the back of your mind, ‘Oh, I’m gonna do that one day.’ And so when this invitation came around and I knew what it meant, I was like — well, it’s now or never.”

Inside the David H. Koch Theater across the promenade, guests were starting to file into their seats ahead of the gala performance. “I have to find Jim Parsons,” said Julie Halston, shortly before Parsons materialized in the aisle seat in the same row as his former “The Boys in the Band” costar Andrew Rannells.

At the top of the program, event chair Caroline Kennedy paid tribute to her late mother, the namesake for ABT’s pre-professional Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School.

“My mother believed deeply in the arts, that they have the power to uplift, to unite and to reflect who we are at our best,” Kennedy said. “Tonight that spirit lives on through Misty, whose journey embodies those very ideals.”

“I can actually count on one hand, and not use all my fingers, the number of events I have co-chaired in my lifetime,” Oprah Winfrey said later in the evening. “I never say yes — except when Darren Walker calls. I had to say yes to this, because of all the people in the world I have met in my career, I have never met Misty. This was my chance.”

Copeland performed selections from several ballets, including the world premiere of Kyle Abraham’s “Wrecka Stow,” and closed out the program with an excerpt from “Sinatra Suite,” choreographed by Twyla Tharp. Afterward, Tharp joined Copeland on stage, a bouquet of flowers in hand — the first of many, many colleagues and collaborators emerging from the wings to congratulate Copeland, as golden confetti rained down and the pile of bouquets on the stage swelled.

After being joined by her husband and young son, Copeland took her final final bow and the curtain closed on her chapter as an ABT dancer. Next on the agenda? Dinner.

The gala crowd made their way upstairs to the promenade for a celebratory, and very packed, celebration.