Ballerina Misty Copeland goes viral after revealing she has to paint her pointe shoes with FOUNDATION - because companies don't make any to match her skin tone

Misty Copeland has candidly revealed that she is forced to paint her pointe shoes with foundation because she cannot find a shade to match her skin tone.

The ballerina, who made history by being the first Black woman to be principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre, posted a TikTok to open up about the situation.

The 41-year-old confessed that she has to dab foundation on to the shoes because its important for the 'aesthetic' to 'create a long through line' from head to toe.

Despite her success in the industry, she admitted that not having 'the option to have pointe shoes or ballet slippers in [her] color, has often made [her] feel excluded.'

In the clip, which has so far been viewed more than 16 million times, Misty began: 'Since I started ballet, I've been pancaking my pointe shoes my skin color.' 

Misty explained that dancers have 'different methods' but added: 'I always go to a drugstore and find the cheapest brand.'

She then sponges the beauty product onto the ballet slippers, following the grain of the satin, which the star claimed 'really covers the entire shoe without any splotching.'

The dancer continued: 'I've ruined so many pillows and couches and clothing because of this foundation getting all over it. 

'It's really tedious and time consuming — especially the ribbons and elastics. I'm going through a pair of pointe shoes within a couple of hours, so I have to do a couple of these a night.'

Reflecting on the situation, Misty said: 'This is the reality for a lot of Black and brown dancers.

'There are some companies that now make different shades but it hasn't always been the case.'

She concluded: 'I do this because it's so important in ballet and the aesthetic that we create a long through line that continues on from the tips of our toes to our head, and it should all be the same color.

'The option to have ballet pointe shoes or ballet slippers in my color has often made me feel excluded.'

Misty recently launched her own petition over the matter in a bid to make ballet 'more inclusive.'

Her video was quickly flooded with comments as other social media users heaped on the praise.

One person wrote: 'HOW IS THERE NOT A COMPANY MAKING MISTY COPELAND POINTE SHOES IN THE CORRECT COLOR???' 

A second person wrote: 'That companies aren't falling over themselves to be the ones to create shoes for Misty Copeland is insane.'

'The fact that MISTY FREAKING COPELAND is STILL having to tell us this after years of being the star of the ballet world. Disgusting. Do better,' a third person wrote. 

'I remember being in winter guard in high school and had to paint my shoes. I was the only one who had to do that,' added a fellow ballet dancer.

Others commented and gave her the suggestion of launching a pointe shoe brand herself.

One person wrote: 'Seriously queen, launch your own brand!!'

'Girl if you don't start your own company and become the Fenty Beauty of ballet shoes,' another person commented humorously.

Misty previously posted an informational video that provided the answer to: 'Why is the pointe shoe pink?'

She captioned the clip: 'Changing the Apple pointe shoe emoji represents a small but significant step toward inclusivity in the ballet world and beyond.'

The clip let viewers know that 'ballet started in 15th century Italy as an art designed for the white European elite.

'For the 17th century, ballet flourished in France, reflecting the tastes of European aristocrats like King Louis the 14th and that's when the European pink ballet shoe emerged - to create a seamless extension of the dancer's leg.

'In the 19th century romantic era, pointe work took the spotlight. 

'The pointe shoes' color aimed to accentuate an elongated, continuous visual line for the ballerina, all of whom were fair skinned at that time.

'This pink shade underlines ballet's Eurocentric origins, a reminder of an era where ballet was predominantly by and for white Europeans.'

The video further explained that 'although black and brown people have been dancing ballet for generations,' there is still a lack of diverse shades available in the industry.