“I had moments of doubting myself, and wanting to quit because I didn’t know that there would be a future for an African-American woman to make it to this level,” American Ballet Theatre’s just-announced principal dancer Misty Copeland told reporters at a news conference last Tuesday afternoon.

There’s definitely no doubting her now.

The ballet world’s most highly visible pop culture figure, who has toured with pop legend Prince, has starred in a nine-million-screened YouTube spot for sports clothing company Under Armour, and has made the cover of Time magazine (which counted her among the 100 Most Influential People), is making history within the 75-year-old prestigious ballet company, becoming the first black woman to have ascended to the rank of principal.

Copeland, who discovered ballet at the late age of 13, in addressing the press corps at the Metropolitan Opera House, remarked: “At the same time, it made me so hungry to push through, to carry the next generation. So it’s not me up here — and I’m constantly saying that — it’s everyone who came before me who got me to this position.”

Bravo, Misty, bravo!