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Michaela DePrince, one of the biggest stars in the ballet world, has died. She was 29 years old.
DePrince, a war orphan in Sierra Leone, moved to the United States as a toddler and later performed with the Dance Theatre of Harlem, the Dutch National Ballet and the Boston Ballet.
She became famous after appearing in the 2011 documentary First placeand was also known for his appearance in Beyoncé’s visual album lemonade and appearances on Dancing with the stars.
Her death was announced in a statement from her team on her official Instagram page. “It is with pain in our hearts that we share the loss of star ballerina Michaela Mabinty DePrince, whose art touched countless hearts and whose spirit left many inspired and indelible marks on the world of ballet and beyond,” it said.
“Her life was one of grace, determination and strength. Her unwavering commitment to her art, her humanitarian efforts and her courage to overcome unimaginable challenges will forever inspire us. She was a beacon of hope to many, showing that despite all obstacles, beauty and greatness can rise from even the darkest places.”
No cause of death has been announced yet.
DePrince was born Mabinty Bangura in Kenema, Sierra Leone on January 6, 1995. She was orphaned from the age of three after her father was reportedly shot by the Revolutionary United Front and her mother starved to death.
At the age of four, she was adopted by an American couple, Elaine and Charles DePrince, and moved to Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
DePrince then studied classical ballet in the USA and was one of the stars of the 2011 documentary First placewhich follows six young dancers as they compete for a place at an elite ballet school.
She made history by becoming the youngest principal dancer at the Dance Theatre of Harlem before moving to the Netherlands to dance with the Dutch National Ballet, then returning to the United States to dance with the Boston Ballet.
In 2012 she performed Dancing with the starsand in 2016 she choreographed her own dance steps to the song “Freedom” on Beyoncé’s visual album Lemonade. “She said I looked like I was from another planet,” DePrince told the Wall Street Journal about meeting the pop superstar. “She came up to me and said, ‘It’s a great honor to have you here.’ I was all cheesy and said, ‘The honor is all mine.’ I was in seventh heaven.”
Her 2014 memoirs, Take off: From war orphan to star ballerina, The book, which she co-wrote with her adoptive mother, was published in 12 countries. In 2018, it was announced that Madonna would direct a film adaptation.
The Boston Ballet paid tribute to DePrince following her death. “We send our love and support to the family of Michaela Mabinty DePrince during this time of loss,” the statement said. “We were so lucky to know Mabinty; she was a wonderful person, a wonderful dancer, and we will all miss her very much.”
