History-Making Dancer Now Has Her Own Barbie, Too

Misty Copeland made history last year when she became the American Ballet Theatre's first black female principal dancer. This year, another honor: Mattel has released a Barbie doll in Copeland's likeness, MyNewsLA reports. The doll is part of the Barbie "Sheroes" line, which honors female role models including filmmaker Ava DuVernay, businesswoman Eva Chen, celebrities, and more. The line is meant "to show girls they can be anything," Mattel says in a press release.

"This initiative furthers the Barbie 'You Can Be Anything' campaign message echoing that when a girl plays with Barbie, she imagines anything she can become," the release continues, and Copeland echoes that idea: "I always dreamed of becoming an ABT ballerina and through Barbie I was able to play out those dreams early on," she says. She worked closely with Mattel on the doll's design; the outfit was inspired by the Firebird costume Copeland wore during her first ABT principal role. (More Misty Copeland stories.)