my teacher said keep that letter because you're going to want to look back on it one day. as an adult i was told that i didn't have the right skin color. i was too muscular. i was too curvey. my breasts were too big. i was too short. >> reporter: you wrote about an experience years ago where your friend overheard an american ballet theater staff member saying that you didn't fit in 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 and not understanding the effect 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 reprice the role for the washington ballet and the