After 25 years with the American Ballet Theater, Misty Copeland, the first Black woman ever to be named a principal dancer with the company, is retiring. Misty grew up in near poverty in Southern California and was frequently homeless, her mother struggling to make ends meet. Eventually, she found solace and stability in dance. She sat down for an in-depth conversation with David Marchese about her historic career, her upcoming final performance and where her work will take her next. Watch it here, and find more at https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/07/magazine/misty-copeland-interview.html. 00:00 - Introduction 02:03 - Why retire now? 07:19 - Misty Copeland’s legacy on the world of ballet 09:26 - Aesthetic ideals of ballet dance 11:14 - D.E.I. and the attack on the arts 18:45 - Ballet as a lifeline during childhood 24:54 - Preparing for final performance, at 42 28:35 - Journal entry 32:10 - Locker at the A.B.T. 33:53 - Relationship with the A.B.T. 35:30 - Misty’s approach to the attacks on D.E.I. 39:10 - Dance’s place in the culture 44:20 - Hopes for final performance “The Interview” podcast from The New York Times features conversations with the world’s most fascinating people. Each week, hosts David Marchese and Lulu Garcia-Navarro talk to compelling, influential figures in culture, politics, business, sports and beyond — illuminating who they are, why they do what they do and how they impact the rest of us. New episodes every Saturday. Listen wherever you get your podcasts 🎧 Watch more from The Interview: https://www.youtube.com/@theinterviewpodcast More from The New York Times: https://www.youtube.com/nytpodcasts Follow NYT Magazine: https://www.instagram.com/nytmag/ Follow NYTimes: https://www.instagram.com/nytimes/ Subscribe to NYT Audio: https://bit.ly/3Qz3GZu Download the NYT App: https://bit.ly/4gZdoip #TheInterview