A Ballerina's Tale

Misty Copeland, celebrated African-American ballerina (the first principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre), occupies cultural space alongside Serena Williams as a subject of debate when it comes to race and body image in our society. These two women have forced the mainstream to reconsider the femininity and the utility of the female form. Copeland has broken the mold by appearing as a featured celebrity in commercials for Under Armour and T-Mobile, so it is fitting that former Village Voice columnist, author and documentary filmmaker Nelson George (Finding the Funk) turns his — and our — gaze to Copeland, exploring not only her unlikely rise in the elite world of ballet, but also her response to a potentially career-ending injury. (Opens Friday at the Esquire Theatre) (NR) Not screened in time for review