In heartbreaking news, ballet icon, Michaela DePrince has passed away at the age of 29. DePrince was a dancer at a prestigious ballet company, Boston Ballet, and performed with big stars like Beyonce. Experiencing the tragedy herself, she actively advocated for children caught up in war. DePrince overcame her tragic childhood to follow her dream to become one of the greatest ballet dancers ever.

Michaela DePrince’s Parents

Deprince hails from Sierra Leone, a country caught up in the civil war in the late 90s. The ballet dancer lost her parents to the war and subsequently moved from one orphanage to another. While her father was brutally murdered by the rebels, her mother lost her battle to starvation. DePrince faced neglect and abuse in the orphanage because of her suffering from the skin disease, vitiligo. Her uncle who was entrusted for her care abandoned her citing the same reason.

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A post shared by Michaela Mabinty DePrince (@michaeladeprince)

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At the age of 4, Michaela was adopted by American nationals, Charles and Elaine DePrince. She became 1 of the 9 adopted siblings of the family. Michaela, who discovered her love for ballet after looking at pictures in the orphanage, began to pursue her dreams in the US.

DePrince’s found family encouraged her to follow her dreams and proved to be a big support to her. Her parents enrolled her in the Rock School for Dance Education. She then went on to attend the American Ballet Theatre’s school to polish her ballet skills. DePrince quickly began to be recognized and appreciated for her natural talent. Her hard work and dedication to her career made her climb the ladder in the ballet world.

Michaela DePrince’s Mysterious Death At 29

On September 13, 2024, DePrince’s family announced her death to the public via Instagram. The post mentioned her commitment and devotion to art and referenced her advocacy work. However, no cause of death had been given which made the public suspicious of the circumstances surrounding her death. People expressed shock at the revelation with one user mentioning how she “just saw her (DePrince) in class.”

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A post shared by Michaela Mabinty DePrince (@michaeladeprince)

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The post signified DePrince’s impact on young girls being inspired to follow in her footsteps. Micheala’s sister, Mia DePrince also expressed her sorrow at the news of her death. She reminisced about their time back at the orphanage in Africa followed by their adoption story. Mia also conveyed her shock saying, “My beautiful sister is no longer here.”

Nike expressed their condolences at the passing of their ambassador, appreciating her for pursuing her dreams by breaking all barriers.

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Michaela DePrince’s Ballet Career And Advocacy

At just 17 years of age, DePrince danced for the ‘Dance Theatre of Harlem’. After her ballet skills were noticed by the professionals, she was offered to join the Dutch National Junior Company. Michaela starred in the famous ballet documentary titled “First Position” and was later appointed as a judge at ‘Joburg Ballet’ in South Africa. She was also featured in ABC’s program, “Dancing with the Stars”.

Apart from her career, DePrince was an active advocate for children affected in war-torn countries for whom she organized the “Dare to Dream” gala. Her book titled “Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina” is an inspiration to young girls all over the world.

Michaela leaves behind a life of grace and strength. Her dedication and commitment to her goals will be remembered infinitely.

Fatima Abid: Obsessed with books since childhood, Fatima Abid now pens down her own words. Her favorite part about writing is transforming the ideas flying in her head into words on a screen. Her abundance of articles are a testament to her passion for writing.