DePrince began her life in an orphanage in Sierra Leone. After being adopted by a family in New Jersey, she began taking dance lessons and then attended the prestigious Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School.
Michaela Mabinty DePrince, a shining star of the ballet world, has died far too early at the age of 29.
DePrince’s family confirmed the news of her death on social media, writing in a Friday post that they were making the announcement with “deep sadness.” DePrince’s death was “sudden,” but further details about the circumstances of her death were not immediately available, according to the post.
“The family thanks you for respecting their privacy during this difficult time. The funeral will be private,” the post said.
Decades before DePrince became a world-famous ballerina, according to a report in Glamour, she was living in an orphanage in Sierra Leone, hoping to be adopted. And that’s exactly what happened.
She grew up with the DePrince family in New Jersey, where she began taking dance lessons. DePrince competed in dance competitions and, at age 14, won a prestigious scholarship to the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School in New York City, a pre-professional ballet training program at the American Ballet Theater, Glamour reported.
DePrince also starred in First Position, a 2011 documentary about six young dancers. She has also published two books about her life: Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina and Ballerina Dreams.
Learn more about Michaela Mabinty DePrince
DePrince continued to dance and over the years received performances with a number of prestigious ballet companies, including the Joburg Ballet, the Dance Theatre of Harlem, the Dutch National Ballet and most recently the Boston Ballet.
“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,” said an online tribute from DePrince’s team. “She was a beacon of hope for many and showed that despite all obstacles, beauty and greatness can rise from even the darkest places.”
The team acknowledged that while DePrince’s time on earth was “far too short,” her “genius and legacy will continue to shine for generations to come in the hearts of all those touched by her story.”
“We will really miss her,” says Sister
Mia DePrince spoke out about her sister, saying in the social media post that she was in a “state of shock and deep grief” following her sister’s death.
“My beautiful sister is no longer here. From the beginning of our story in Africa, when we slept on a shared mat in the orphanage, Michaela and I invented and performed our own musical theater pieces,” wrote Mia DePrince. “We created our own ballets. She did the choreography and I was the composer and conductor.”
Mia DePrince looks back fondly on the years after her and her sister’s adoption, writing that her parents “quickly entered our dreams” and that the “beautiful, gracefully strong ballerina that so many of you know her to be today was created” thanks to them.
“Whether she was jumping across the stage or jumping on a plane and flying to third world countries to teach dance to orphans and children, she was determined to pursue all of her dreams in the arts and dance,” said Mia DePrince. “Michaela left her footprints in the sand and on so many stages around the world. She will be truly missed. I love you, my beautiful butterfly.”
Michaela DePrince leaves behind her sisters Mia, Beelee, Jaye, Mariel, Amie and her brothers Adam and Erik.
How you can help
The DePrince family has asked the public to make donations in lieu of flowers to War Child, an organization with which Michaela DePrince has worked closely.
“This work meant the world to her and your donations will directly help other children growing up in an environment of armed conflict. Thank you,” the post says.
The Boston Ballet also released a statement online expressing its condolences and support to Michaela DePrince’s family.
“We were so lucky to know Mabinty. She was a wonderful person, a wonderful dancer and we will all miss her very much,” they said.
