Professional ballet dancer Michaela Mabinty DePrincewho once stood alongside Beyoncehas died. She was 29.

“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 inspired many, leaving an indelible mark on the world of ballet and beyond,” said a statement on DePrince’s Instagram on Friday, September 13. “Her life was marked by grace, purpose and strength. Her unwavering commitment to her art, her humanitarian efforts and her courage to overcome unimaginable challenges will inspire us forever.”

The message continued: “She was a beacon of hope for many and showed that no matter the obstacles, beauty and greatness can emerge from even the darkest places.”

A cause of death was not disclosed.

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“Although her time with us was far too short, her genius and legacy will continue to shine in the hearts of all those touched by her story for generations to come,” Friday’s statement concluded. “Love and prayers go out to her adopted family, friends and those who loved her.”

DePrince was a principal dancer with the Boston Ballet. She previously performed professionally with the Dance Theatre of Harlem and the Dutch National Ballet. DePrince, the youngest principal dancer with the Dance Theatre of Harlem, also wrote two memoirs: Take off: From war orphan to star ballerina And Ballet dreams.

DePrince was born in Sierra Leone and grew up in an orphanage after her biological parents were killed during the country’s civil war. The dancer was adopted at the age of 4 by an American couple in New Jersey, where her mother noticed DePrince’s interest in dancing and enrolled her in ballet classes.

DePrince’s talent soon reached 43-year-old Beyoncé and she appeared in the visual album of Lemonade.

“(Beyoncé) said I looked like I was from another planet,” DePrince recalled to the Wall Street Journal in a 2016 profile. “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 on cloud nine.”

Since news of DePrince’s death was announced, members of the ballet community have expressed their deepest condolences.

“She was truly an advocate of what ballet can be, as a much greater art form and a much greater source of inspiration and hope for people,” Ming Min Huithe executive director of the Boston Ballet, said in a statement Friday. “She was truly a champion of what ballet can be, as a much greater art form and a much greater source of inspiration and hope for people.”

Dancers Misty Copeland noted on Instagram that she was “devastated by this news.”

“Michaela had so much more to give, not just to ballet, but to the world. Her legacy will continue to inspire generations of dancers, but her absence leaves a void that will be deeply felt,” wrote Copeland, 42. “The ballet world and all whose lives she touched will miss her deeply. She was a shining light and her influence will never be forgotten.”