NEW YORK (AP) — Misty Copeland took one last spin on the dance floor Wednesday, performing for an adoring crowd and showered with glitter and bouquets as she retired from American Ballet Theatre after a trailblazing career in which she became an ambassador for diversity in an overwhelmingly white art form.

Copeland, who a decade ago became the first Black female principal dancer in the company’s 75-year history, was feted at a star-studded gala at Manhattan's Lincoln Center. Oprah Winfrey and Debbie Allen were among those who gave speeches of praise, with Winfrey saying that Copeland “makes me proud to spell my name ‘W-O-M-A-N.’”

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