as an adult i was told i didn't have the right skin color, i was too muscular, i was too curvy, my breasts were too big. >> reporter: you wrote about an experience where your friend overheard an american ballet staff center said you didn't knit with your brown skin especially in a ballet like "swan lake." do you remember how that affected you? >> yeah. i get emotional right now just thinking about it. i tried to understand the person's perspective and how deep rooted it is in the ballet culture. it's so easy for them to just say these things out loud not understanding the affect it can have on someone. >> reporter: misty proved her critics wrong and played the dual role of the white and black swan in swan lake in australia and will reprize the role for the washington ballet and the american ballet theater next year. >> reporter: i want to get to