Michaela DePrince: Trailblazing Ballerina's Journey Ends at 29
Michaela DePrince, who rose from Sierra Leone orphan to acclaimed ballerina, has died at 29. Her inspiring journey broke barriers in classical ballet and advocated for diversity in the art form.
Michaela DePrince, a trailblazing ballerina who overcame immense adversity to achieve global recognition, passed away on September 10, 2024, in New York City at the age of 29. The cause of her untimely death remains unclear, according to her sister-in-law and family representative, Jess Volinski.
Born as Mabinty Bangura on January 6, 1995, in Sierra Leone's Kenema district, DePrince's early life was marked by tragedy during the country's devastating civil war, which claimed approximately 50,000 lives between 1991 and 2002. Orphaned and ostracized due to vitiligo, a condition affecting about 1% of the global population, she found hope in a serendipitous encounter with a ballet magazine.
In 1999, DePrince was adopted by an American couple, Elaine and Charles DePrince, and relocated to Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Her passion for ballet flourished as she trained at prestigious institutions like the Rock School for Dance Education in Philadelphia and the American Ballet Theatre's Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School in Manhattan.
DePrince's talent quickly garnered attention. By 17, she had starred in the documentary "First Position" about the Youth America Grand Prix, the world's largest student ballet scholarship competition. Her professional debut came in 2012, performing in "Le Corsaire" in Johannesburg.
Despite facing racial discrimination in the ballet world, DePrince persevered. She joined the Dutch National Ballet, the largest dance company in the Netherlands, where she impressed audiences with her "spitfire quickness" and radiant stage presence. Her repertoire included roles in classics like "Swan Lake" and George Balanchine's energetic "Tarantella."
"She was an advocate for what ballet can be, as a much bigger art form and a much bigger source of inspiration and hope for people."
DePrince's influence extended beyond the stage. She collaborated with Beyoncé on the Peabody Award-winning visual album "Lemonade" in 2016, choreographing and performing to the song "Freedom." Her memoir, "Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina," published in 2014, shared her inspiring journey with a wider audience.
Throughout her career, DePrince faced physical and emotional challenges. In 2017, she ruptured her Achilles tendon, a injury that affects about 20% of major tendon ruptures. She also sought therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a condition that impacts approximately 3.5% of U.S. adults annually.
DePrince's final professional engagement was with the Boston Ballet, the fourth-largest ballet company in the United States, which she joined in 2021 after taking a leave of absence from the Dutch National Ballet in 2020 due to her father's illness.
Tragically, DePrince's adoptive mother, Elaine, passed away on September 11, 2024, just one day after her daughter's death. The family stated that the two deaths were unrelated, describing the timing as an act of grace that spared Elaine the pain of losing another child.
Michaela DePrince's legacy as a barrier-breaking artist and advocate for diversity in ballet will continue to inspire future generations of dancers. Her journey from war-torn Sierra Leone to the world's most prestigious stages serves as a testament to the transformative power of art and perseverance.
