At the 2026 Academy Awards, Misty Copeland, the first African American principal dancer in the American Ballet Theatre, gave the audience a thrilling performance of 'I Lied to You' from the nominated movie Sinners. The presence of Copeland in the movie with Miles Caton, Raphael Saadiq, Shaboozey, and Alice Smith brought ballet to the forefront of the minds of people all over the world and gave it the place it deserved in modern society.
Although her appearance in the movie came when people were still discussing whether ballet is still relevant, Copeland stated that she had planned to be in the movie long before the discussion came up. The performance, which is based on Ryan Coogler’s genre-bending film, is all about black cultural history, music, and storytelling.
Credits: Copeland backstage at the Dolby Theatre.
For the show at the Dolby Theatre, Copeland wore a historic Firebird costume that Geoffrey Holder made for the Dance Theatre of Harlem's famous 1982 production. The costume, which had symbolic elements like the sankofa (which means "learning from the past"), made the moment even more culturally important. Copeland said that wearing a piece of dance history that the company had saved in its archives made her feel emotional.
Instead of doing traditional dance, she made up her own routine based on Firebird, Swan Lake, and her own artistic voice. This happened only three months after hip replacement surgery, which made the performance even more special. Copeland took the chance, even though she wasn't fully ready for the stage. She gave a performance that honored strength, heritage, and the lasting power of ballet.
Written By
Isabella Rossi
Isabella Rossi explores fashion, art, and culture, connecting global trends with deeper social and creative narratives.
