Watch Misty Copeland Talk Ballet Discrimination in New Doc About Her Life

In this trailer for Nelson George’s documentary A Ballerina’s Tale, Misty Copeland—who in June became the first black principal dancer for the American Ballet Theater—talks about the familiar feeling of isolation in a whitewashed industry.

“I’m a black dancer,” says Copeland in the clip. “That’s who I am. It’s so much a part of my story.” The film, which hits theaters on October 14, takes a closer look at her obsession with dance since age 13 and her now historic status in the ballet world, including her well-known struggles.

“Based on my body type, pedigree and background, I should not have been part of one of the world’s greatest ballet companies,” she says. Gracefully, she’s proved all these preconceptions wrong.