Update: Misty Copeland was promoted Tuesday, June 30 to principal dancer for the American Ballet Theater. She’s the first-ever African-American woman to hold that title.

Age starting dance: 13

Height: 5 feet 2 inches

Bust: “Bigger than most”

At least, that’s how ballerina Misty Copeland describes her numbers-defying career in dance. A soloist with the American Ballet Theater in New York, Copeland recently explained how she doesn’t really fit into the traditional model for ballet, but still made it work.

“All of those numbers, they just don’t add up to create a classical dancer,” she says. “No matter what, I’m going to be who I am.”

Listen to the full conversation from our live show in New York City in the audio player above.