Misty Copeland Proves Ballerinas Are Strong as Sports'Toughest Athletes

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By Sam Laird2014-08-01 23:36:00 UTC

It's likely not going out too far on a limb to assume most sports fans don't associate ballet with thegrit, strength and determination lauded in games like football, soccer and basketball.

But the sports apparel brand Under Armour, which just signed a deal with ballerina Misty Copeland,turns that notion on its head in the one-minute spot embedded atop this post.

Copeland began ballet at the relatively late age of 13, but nonetheless has risen to the top of herfield. In 2007, according to her official site, Copeland became the first African-American woman tobe named as a soloist in the ultra-prestigious American Ballet Theatre in 20 years. And sheaccomplished all this after a tumultuous childhood that included poverty and family disfunction tothrive in a sport where minorities are few and most girls start to train in preschool.

That hardly scratches the surface of Copeland's story of ballet badassery -- but check out the one-minute spot above for your dose of weekend inspiration.

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Image: PRNewsFoto/Under Armour/Associated Press