Michaela Mabinty DePrince, a celebrated ballet dancer who rose from an orphanage in war-torn Sierra Leone to perform on some of the world’s most prestigious stages, has passed away at the age of 29, according to a statement from her family.
“Michaela touched so many lives across the world, including ours. She was an unforgettable inspiration to everyone who knew her or heard her story,” her family wrote. “From her early life in war-torn Africa, to stages and screens across the world, she achieved her dreams and so much more.” The cause of her death was not disclosed.
DePrince was adopted by an American couple and by age 17, she had already been featured in a documentary film and appeared on the TV show “Dancing With the Stars.” After completing her education at the American Ballet Theatre’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, she became a principal dancer at Dance Theatre of Harlem. Her career then took her to the Netherlands, where she danced with the Dutch National Ballet, before she returned to the U.S. to join the Boston Ballet in 2021.
“We’re sending our love and support to the family of Michaela Mabinty DePrince at this time of loss,” the Boston Ballet conveyed in a statement. “We were so fortunate to know her; she was a beautiful person, a wonderful dancer, and she will be greatly missed by us all.”
In her memoir, “Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina,” DePrince detailed her arduous journey from an orphanage to the spotlight. She also authored a children’s book, “Ballerina Dreams.”
DePrince’s childhood was marred by a skin pigmentation disorder, vitiligo, which led to her being labeled “the devil’s child” at the orphanage. “I lost both my parents, so I was there for about a year and I wasn’t treated very well because I had vitiligo,” DePrince recounted in a 2012 interview. “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 whatnot.”
She vividly remembered discovering a photograph of an American ballet dancer that blew against the gate of the orphanage during the civil war. “All I remember is she looked really, really happy,” DePrince said, noting that she aspired “to become this exact person.” She found hope in that image, saying, “I ripped the page out and I stuck it in my underwear because I didn’t have any place to put it.”
DePrince’s passion for ballet inspired many young Black dancers to chase their dreams. “We will miss her and her gorgeous smile forever and we know you will, too,” her family expressed.
Her sister Mia Mabinty DePrince shared memories of their time in the orphanage, describing how they used to create their own musical theater plays and ballets on their shared mat. “When we got adopted, our parents quickly poured into our dreams and arose the beautiful, gracefully strong ballerina that so many of you knew her as today. She was an inspiration,” Mia wrote. “Whether she was leaping across the stage or getting on a plane and flying to third-world countries to provide orphans and children with dance classes, she was determined to conquer all her dreams in the arts and dance.”
Michaela DePrince is survived by five sisters and two brothers. Instead of flowers, the family requested donations to War Child, an organization she was deeply committed to as a War Child Ambassador. “This work meant the world to her, and your donations will directly help other children who grew up in an environment of armed conflict,” the family stated.
