Michaela DePrince, an orphan who escaped trauma and violence during her childhood to become a trailblazing figure in the world of ballet as well as a humanitarian, died at the age of 29, a spokesperson announced on her Instagram page on Friday.
DePrince – born Mabinty Bangura -- grew up as an orphan in Sierra Leone, Africa. While at the orphanage, DePrince spotted an image from a magazine that showed an American ballet dancer.
"All I remember is she looked really, really happy," DePrince told The Associated Press back in 2012. DePrince said she wished "to become this exact person."
While at the orphanage, DePrince said she struggled through mistreatment, malnourishment and the skin disorder vitiligo.
"I lost both my parents, so I was there (the orphanage) for about a year and I wasn't treated very well because I had vitiligo," she told the Associated Press back in 2012. "We were ranked as numbers and number 27 was the least favorite and that was my number, so I got the least amount of food, the least amount of clothes and what not."
DePrince told the Associated Press that she then walked shoeless for miles to reach a refugee camp after receiving word that her orphanage would be bombed. She, along with two other girls, were then adopted by a couple from Cherry Hill, New Jersey. She then moved to the United States at the age of 4.
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"They came to me sick and traumatized by the war," her adoptive mother told the Associated Press in 2012. "Michaela arrived with the worst case of tonsillitis, fever, mononucleosis and joints that were swollen."
DePrince said her time in the orphanage impacted her for years. However, remembering how inspired she was by the ballerina image from the magazine, she soon found comfort and inspiration through dance.
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DePrince began training in various competitions before attending the Rock School for Dance Education, a prestigious ballet school located in Philadelphia.
"I'm a little bit in disbelief. I have not really processed the enormity of the loss, not even to myself, but the entire field of classical ballet and certainly to the Rock School," Director of the Rock School Peter Stark told NBC10. "Michaela's story is really a remarkable tale of human perseverance and you almost have to wonder if there wasn't divine intervention."
During her dance journey, DePrince said she experienced racial discrimination. When she was rehearsing for "The Nutcracker" at the age of 8, she was told, “I’m sorry, you can’t do it. America’s not ready for a black girl ballerina,” according to the Associated Press.
She also said that when she was 9 a teacher told her mother, “I don’t like to put money into black dancers because they grow up and end up having big boobs and big hips.”
DePrince was undeterred however and continued to rise in the world of ballet. At the age of 17 she was featured in a documentary film and performed on the TV series “Dancing With the Stars.” She graduated from high school and the American Ballet Theatre’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School and worked at Dance Theatre of Harlem where she was the youngest principal dancer in the theatre's history.
She also performed in her first professional full ballet back in July 2012 in South Africa.
In 2013, she joined the junior company of the Dutch National Ballet in Amsterdam and joined the Dutch National Ballet as a student in 2014. She continued to rise through the ranks and break new ground while inspiring a generation of Black and brown girls.
Her celebrity continued to grow when she performed in Beyoncé's 2016 musical film "Lemonade." Pop superstar Madonna was also in talks to direct a biopic based on DePrince’s memoir back in 2018.
DePrince later joined the Boston Ballet in 2021 as a second soloist and danced the leading role in the 2021 ballet film “Coppelia.”
"The survival of classical ballet is dependent on diversification. It's dancers like Michaela DePrince that are literally paving the path forward for the continuation of this artform. We cannot survive without trailblazers and courageous women like Michaela and her loss is a devastating blow," Stark explained.
In addition to dance, DePrince was also a humanitarian who advocated for children impacted by conflict and violence. She also served as the ambassador for War Child Holland, an independent non-governmental organization that works to ensure children have access to protection, education and psychosocial support.
DePrince’s family and friends have not yet revealed a cause of death or information on memorial services.
“Her life was one defined by grace, purpose, and strength. Her unwavering commitment to her art, her humanitarian efforts, and her courage in overcoming unimaginable challenges will forever inspire us," a spokesperson wrote on her Instagram page. "She stood as a beacon of hope for many, showing that no matter the obstacles, beauty and greatness can rise from the darkest of places."
