Photo by Darren Thomas

 

NEW YORK, NY (October 8, 2025) – American Ballet Theatre (ABT), The Misty Copeland Foundation, and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts are honored to announce that Misty Copeland’s historic farewell from ABT at the Company’s Fall Gala will be streamed live to Alice Tully Hall on Wednesday, October 22, 2025. This free simulcast invites the public to share in an extraordinary evening celebrating one of ballet’s most transformative artists.
 

Hundreds of complimentary tickets will be distributed on the day of the event beginning at 4:00 P.M. at the Alice Tully Hall Box Office. Tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, with a limit of two per person. The simulcast will begin at 6:15pm.
 

Misty Copeland, a trailblazer who became the first African American woman promoted to Principal Dancer in ABT’s 85-year history, has inspired millions worldwide with her groundbreaking artistry. This Gala performance marks her return to the stage after five years, when she will dance alongside her ABT peers in a specially curated program. While she is bidding farewell to ABT, Copeland is not retiring from dance. Beyond her artistic triumphs, she is a cultural icon, bestselling author, and passionate advocate for equity in the arts. Through The Misty Copeland Foundation’s signature BE BOLD program, she has dedicated herself to ensuring that ballet is affordable, accessible, and fun for children of all backgrounds to experience the transformative power of dance.
 

ABT’s Fall Gala Lead Underwriter is the Ford Foundation, and Sponsors are Brown Brothers Harriman and DIOR. The evening will feature special tributes from Oprah Winfrey and Debbie Allen, who will honor Copeland live on stage at The David H. Koch Theater, recognizing her extraordinary impact on arts and culture. In addition, celebrities and cultural leaders including Katie Holmes, Gayle King, Taye Diggs, Alfre Woodard, and Andrew Rannells will be in attendance to celebrate Copeland’s unparalleled journey.
 

As part of Copeland’s commitment to inclusivity, children and adult students from The Misty Copeland Foundation’s BE BOLD and BE BOLDER programs will be invited to attend the simulcast at Alice Tully Hall, along with several of the Foundation’s partner organizations. These include NYC Parks Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center, Gaylord White Community Center, Boys & Girls Club Kips Bay Palmaro and Coudert Clubhouses, Boys & Girls Club Madison Square Pinkerton and Grimm Clubhouses, DREAM Charter School East Harlem, Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education, P.S. 130 Abram Stevens Hewitt, and BronxWorks. Their participation ensures that this historic moment is shared with the next generation of artists and audiences.
 

“American Ballet Theatre is proud to invite the public to celebrate Misty Copeland’s extraordinary journey,” said Susan Jaffe, ABT Artistic Director. “Her artistry, courage, and leadership have reshaped ballet for the future, and this evening will be a once-in-a-lifetime celebration of her impact.”
 

“Misty Copeland’s leadership and artistry is unparalleled. We are honored to collaborate with ABT and The Misty Copeland Foundation to offer this simulcast, so even more people can experience this remarkable moment in a career that has already welcomed so many into the world of ballet and helped them see themselves as part of its future,” said Shanta Thake, Ehrenkranz Chief Artistic Officer at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.  
 

“Misty Copeland is not only an extraordinary artist, but also an extraordinary woman and leader. Through her historic career on the stage, she has inspired generations, and through her vision off the stage, she is building something that will last for generations to come. In creating the Misty Copeland Foundation—alongside her many other endeavors—Misty is ensuring that the joy, discipline, and beauty of ballet reach children and adults in Black and Brown communities who have too often been excluded from this art form. This farewell performance marks not an ending, but the beginning of her next chapter—one that will continue to expand access, opportunity, and belonging through dance for years to come”, said Caryn Campbell, Executive Director at The Misty Copeland Foundation.
 

This free simulcast is being presented under ABT RISE (Representation, Immersion, Sustainability, Excellence), ABT’s commitment to universal respect and holistic well-being. ABT RISE builds on the legacy of Project Plié (2013) to expand access to ballet while cultivating a community where every artist, student, and patron can fully engage, contribute, and belong. By amplifying diverse voices, fostering immersion in a rich tapestry of artistic perspectives, and prioritizing sustainability alongside excellence, ABT ensures that classical ballet evolves as a dynamic, inclusive art form that reflects and uplifts the world around us.
 

More information on the simulcast can be found at ABT.org or LincolnCenter.org/Presents.

Images can be found here.

 

ABOUT AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE

American Ballet Theatre is one of the greatest dance companies in the world. Revered as a national treasure since its founding season in 1940, its mission is to create, present, preserve, and extend the great repertoire of classical dancing for the widest possible audience. Headquartered in New York City, ABT is the only cultural institution of its size and stature to extensively tour, enchanting audiences for eight decades in 50 U.S. states, 45 countries, and over 480 cities worldwide. ABT’s repertoire includes full-length classics from the nineteenth century, the finest works from the early twentieth century, and acclaimed contemporary masterpieces. In 2006, by an act of Congress, ABT was designated America's National Ballet Company®.

For more information, please visit www.abt.org.

 

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ABOUT LINCOLN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (LCPA) is a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring the Lincoln Center campus is a destination that welcomes all—where every visitor, whether a native New Yorker or New Yorker for a day, can find inspiration, artistic innovation, and community in the creative achievements realized on campus. Year-round, we offer robust seasons of programming, representing a broad spectrum of performing arts disciplines and complementing the artistic and educational activities of the 10 fellow resident arts organizations with whom we share a home. LCPA presents hundreds of programs each year, offered for free or Choose-What-You-Pay, helping ensure that the arts are at the center of civic life for all. 

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Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Thank Our Supporters

The simulcast is made possible by The Audrey and Martin Gruss Discovery Fund 

Contemporary Dance is made possible by the Pasculano Collaborative for Contemporary Dance -
Lynne and Richard Pasculano, Founding Donors

Additional support is provided by The Harkness Foundation for Dance

Endowment support is provided by the Blavatnik Family Foundation Fund for Dance and
 Doris Duke Foundation

NewYork-Presbyterian is the Official Hospital of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts

United is the Preferred Airline of Lincoln Center Presents

Steinway & Sons is the Preferred Piano Partner of Lincoln Center

Lead support for Lincoln Center Presents is provided by the Ford Foundation

Major support is provided by The Shubert Foundation

Additional support is provided by Park Lane New York and Fairfield by Marriott Central Park

We are grateful to our Board of Directors for their leadership and generous support in
making our work possible 

Operation of Lincoln Center’s public plazas is supported in part with public funds provided by
the City of New York 

Programs are made possible, in part, with public funds provided by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor, Mayor of the City of New York, the New York State Legislature and
the New York City Council 

 

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For more information, please contact: 

American Ballet Theatre Laura Miller / Susie Morgan Taylor       [email protected] / [email protected]

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Isabel Sinistore / Rosie Marnielli [email protected] / [email protected]