Misty Copeland Talks ‘Letters to Misty,’ Reveals 3-Year-Old Son Has Started Ballet Classes (Exclusive)

Misty Copeland’s son is following in her footsteps.

The ballerina, 42, told Us Weekly exclusively that her 3-year-old son, Jackson, has begun ballet classes — just like his talented mother. Copeland gushed about Jackson’s dancing abilities, telling Us that the toddler is “doing it all.”

“Jackson started ballet at [age] 2,” Copeland shared while discussing her new book, Letters to Misty: How to Move Through Life with Confidence and Grace. “He’s dancing; he’s in music. I think that being exposed to the arts, arts education, is a necessity. Every child should experience some type of art form.”

Copeland and her husband of nine years, Olu Evans, welcomed Jackson in the spring of 2022. The American Ballet Theater dancer shared that her son “literally became a different person on his birthday” when he turned 3.

“He’s independent and knows what he wants,” Copeland dished. “His little personality has come out. He’s so much like my husband; it’s wild. They’re only two days apart — my Aries boys — and it’s like having a little version of my husband.”

Motherhood has changed Copeland, who has been dancing professionally for more than 20 years. The ABT dancer revealed that she had to learn to prioritize family and be less “insular” after welcoming her son, adding that motherhood has given her “a whole new rhythm.”

“I think it’s one that’s softer and more grounded,” Copeland said about her new routine. “As an artist and as an athlete, there has to be so much focus on yourself when you’re training and you’re pushing to be the best you can be. As a mom, I have to focus on myself to be healthy and to not pour from an empty cup, but I can step back and give to someone else [too].”

Copeland’s focus on giving back not only includes her son, but her young fans as well. The ballet prodigy has written two children’s books, 2014’s Firebird and 2020’s Bunheads, and has a new book, Letters to Misty, hitting bookshelves this month.

Dance shapes Copeland and her pursuits, including her new book where she offers advice to young readers based on fan letters she’s received through the years. Letters to Misty is framed from “the lens of the ballet technique and the five positions,” according to Copeland, who said that those skills have allowed her to be “confident in myself and comfortable in my body.”

“I think that those are beautiful skills and tools that everyone can benefit from,” Copeland explained. “[I’m] using ballet as this base of structure, but [this book] is not just for dancers. It’s really for anyone that’s navigating identity or trying to build confidence. Ballet has been this guide for me, and I’m so fortunate that I have it to be able to use as a tool.”

Letters to Misty: How to Move Through Life with Confidence and Grace will be available to purchase online and at bookstores nationwide on Tuesday, May 6.