Misty Copeland was embroiled in a custody battle between her mother, Sylvia DelaCerna, and her ballet trainers, Cynthia and Patrick Bradley.
Key Takeaways
- Misty Copeland was born to Sylvia DelaCerna, a single mother at the time, but her father was Doug Copeland. Sylvia worked in sales.
- Since Misty started learning ballet, she actually lived with her instructor, Cynthia Bradley for a couple of years.
- Misty faced a custody battle between the Bradleys and her mother, ultimately leading Misty to file for emancipation.
On September 10, 1982, in Kansas City, the talented ballerina Misty Copeland was born to her single mother at the time, Sylvia DelaCerna.
Not much is known about her father, Doug Copeland, who was largely absent from Misty’s life, except that he is of German and African American descent.
Nevertheless, Sylvia’s financial instability, compounded by failed marriages, made it difficult for her to provide adequately for her children.
Misty is the youngest of four siblings from her mother’s second marriage.
Misty’s mother, who had once been a Kansas City Chiefs Cheerleader and had studied dance, pursued a career as a trained medical career.
However, despite her qualifications, she primarily worked in sales throughout her life.
Sylvia’s background as a cheerleader and her experience studying dance likely had a significant influence on her daughter’s path to becoming a ballerina.
Not much is known about Syliva’s first marriage.
However, when Misty was between the ages of three and seven, Sylvia was married to her third husband, Harold Brown, a Santa Fe Railroad sales executive.
The family then relocated to San Pedro, where Syliva eventually married her fourth husband, Robert DelaCerna, who worked as a radiologist.
However, by 1994, Sylvia had separated from Robert.
After a period of staying with various friends and boyfriends, DelaCerna and her children eventually settled into two small rooms at the Sunset Inn in Gardena, California.
In these cramped corners, Misty Copeland and her siblings often had to sleep on the floor, reflecting the challenging living conditions they faced during the time.
When Cynthia Bradley, a ballerina instructor, invited Misty Copeland to join her classes at the small ballet school, the San Pedro Dance Center, Misty declined due to her family’s impractical circumstances.
Her mother, Sylvia, worked long hours and did not have a car, and her older sister, Erica, was juggling two jobs.
But when Cynthia offered to pick Misty up from school, she agreed.
Misty continued her ballet training under Cynthia Bradley, who was deeply invested in her progress.
However, as Misty’s training became more intense, Sylvia insisted that Misty quit ballet.
Determined to support Misty’s potential, Cynthia Bradley pleaded with Syliva DelaCerna to let Misty move in with her family.
Surprisingly, DelaCerna agreed, but only after establishing a formal agreement.
They signed a management contract and a life-story contract outlining the terms of Misty’s arrangement.
According to the contract, Misty would spend the weekdays living with the Bradleys and return home to her mother on the weekends, which required a two-hour bus ride.
This arrangement allowed Misty to continue her ballet training and maintain a connection to her mother.
Despite that, Misty Copeland faced a significant legal and personal conflict when a custody battle erupted between her mother, Sylvia DelaCerna, and her ballet mentors, Cynthia and Patrick Bradley.
As Misty’s training with the Bradleys intensified, DelaCerna grew uneasy with their influence over her daughter and decided that Misty should no longer study with them.
The Bradleys claimed that when Misty moved in with them, everyone involved was content with the arrangement.
However, Sylvia remembered the situation differently.
When she went to stay [with the Bradleys]–which I didn’t want her to do anyway; I just did it because I wanted her to be able to dance–they knew from day one that as soon as I had transportation, as soon as I was settled and I could get Misty back and forth, that she would come back home to live.
Via The Free Library
DelaCerna made it clear from the beginning that the arrangement was temporary.
Misty sought emancipation, fearing that she would be prevented from pursuing her passion for ballet, with the Bradleys’ legal support.
Following the Bradleys’ advice, Misty left home for three days while a lawyer served the emancipation letters to her mother.
Worried for her daughter’s safety, DelaCerna reported Misty as missing to the authorities.
After Misty was located and returned to her mother, DelaCerna responded by hiring a lawyer and seeking multiple restraining orders against the Bradleys.
The custody dispute quickly garnered media attention due to Misty’s rising ballet career.
Ultimately, the case was resolved in court when DelaCerna assured that she would continue supporting Misty’s dancing ambitions.
Both the emancipation petition and the restraining orders were withdrawn, and DelaCerna assumed full custody of her daughter.
This incident reflected the tension between parental control and a child’s pursuit of their dreams.
Having moved back in with the family, DelaCerna sought a new ballet school for Misty, ultimately deciding on Lauridsen Ballet Centre in Torrance, California.
This move suggested Misty’s mother’s commitment to supporting her passion while stabilizing the family life after the legal and emotional upheaval.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Misty Copeland has been married to attorney Olu Evans since July 31, 2016.
- Misty Copeland did not see her father between the ages of two and twenty-two.
