Michaela Mabinty DePrince, a groundbreaking figure in the ballet world and an inspiration to many, has passed away at the age of 29, according to a spokesperson’s announcement on her Instagram page Friday. The cause of her death has not yet been disclosed.


The Instagram post honoring her stated, “Her life was a testament to grace, purpose, and resilience. Michaela’s unwavering dedication to her craft, her humanitarian efforts, and her bravery in overcoming profound challenges will continue to inspire us all. She was a beacon of hope, demonstrating that even the darkest circumstances can give rise to beauty and greatness.”

In a statement released by DePrince’s family, her sister Mia DePrince expressed profound shock and sorrow. “I am devastated by the loss of my beautiful sister,” Mia wrote. “From our beginnings in Africa, sharing a mat in the orphanage, Michaela and I created our own musicals and ballets. Our adoptive parents nurtured our dreams, and Michaela grew into the remarkable ballerina admired by so many. She was a true inspiration.”

Michaela Mabinty DePrince was born Mabinty Bangura in Sierra Leone. After the death of her parents in the civil war, she was placed in an orphanage at the age of three. There, she faced neglect and mistreatment, exacerbated by her vitiligo, as she shared with the Associated Press in 2012.

“When I was at the orphanage, I was treated poorly because of my vitiligo,” she recounted. “We were ranked by numbers, and I was number 27—the lowest rank. I received the least food and clothing.”

DePrince escaped the orphanage on foot after hearing it would be bombed, eventually reaching a refugee camp. Her adoptive mother, who met Michaela and her sisters in Ghana in 1999, described Michaela as “sick and traumatized by the war” upon adoption. Michaela, aged four, and her sisters moved to the United States, where her ballet journey began.

Her passion for ballet ignited when she saw a photograph of a ballerina. Despite starting ballet training at five, she faced significant hurdles, including racial discrimination. At eight, she was told that the U.S. ballet world was not ready for a Black ballerina. A teacher even suggested that investing in Black dancers was not worthwhile. Despite these obstacles, DePrince went on to study at the prestigious Rock School for Dance Education and later earned a scholarship to the American Ballet Theatre’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School of Ballet.

DePrince’s career flourished as she became the youngest principal dancer in the Dance Theatre of Harlem’s history. She performed her first professional full ballet in South Africa in 2012, joined the Dutch National Ballet’s junior company in 2013, and was featured in Beyoncé’s “Lemonade” video. In 2021, she joined the Boston Ballet as a second soloist and took on the lead role in a film adaptation of Coppélia.

At the Boston Ballet, DePrince spoke about the importance of representation and the legacy of Black dancers who paved the way for her. “I’m very fortunate,” she said. “I had role models like Lauren Anderson and Misty Copeland. My goal is to increase the presence of Black and brown dancers in ballet.”

DePrince remained committed to her roots throughout her career, advocating for greater inclusion of Black dancers and aspiring to open a dance school in Sierra Leone. “The arts transformed me,” she told the Guardian in 2015. “I want to use the proceeds from my memoir to create a school for the children in Sierra Leone, so they can have the opportunities I did.”

In lieu of flowers, DePrince’s family has requested donations to War Child, an organization she supported. “This cause was deeply meaningful to her,” her family stated. “Your contributions will help children affected by armed conflict. Thank you for your support.”