Michaela deprince age

Her spokesperson wrote that her artistry "touched countless hearts" and her spirit had "inspired many, leaving an indelible mark on the world of ballet, and beyond".

They added: "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.

"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."

"From the very beginning of our story back in Africa, sleeping on a shared mat in the orphanage, Michaela (Mabinty) and I used to make up our own musical theatre plays and act them out," Mia wrote in a statement.

DePrince's sister said the pair used to create their own ballets as children, "she would choreograph, and I was the composer and conductor".

She "left her footprints in the sand and on so many stages across the world. She will be truly missed," Mia added.

The two girls, who were mat-mates at the orphanage, were adopted by an American woman, Elaine DePrince.

In an interview with the BBC's Newshour programme, DePrince's siblings - Eric and Mia - said the family was grieving two deaths this week: Michaela's and that of their mother Elaine.

"I had just gotten off the phone with my mum’s doctor with her news when I was alerted about my sister, it just didn’t seem believable.

“It was really hard to hear because I normally pick up the phone to call my mum with anything, and it occurred to me that I couldn’t call her," Mia told the BBC.

Elaine enrolled then five-year-old DePrince in the Rock School of Dance in Philadelphia, making the 45-minute drive from New Jersey every day.

DePrince was an ambassador for the charity War Child, and her siblings say they hope to continue on her legacy.

Her br

Sierra Leonean–American ballet dancer (1995–2024)

Michaela Mabinty DePrince (born Mabinty Bangura; January 6, 1995 – September 10, 2024) was a Sierra Leonean–American ballet dancer who danced with the Boston Ballet, the Dance Theatre of Harlem, and the Dutch National Ballet.

DePrince rose to fame after starring in the documentary First Position in 2011, which followed her and other young ballet dancers as they prepared to compete at the Youth America Grand Prix, where she won a scholarship to the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre. In 2012, DePrince danced with the Dance Theatre of Harlem as the youngest dancer in the history of the company. From 2013 to 2020, she was with the Dutch National Ballet.

With her adoptive mother, Elaine DePrince, she authored the book Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina (2014). From 2016 to 2024, she was a goodwill ambassador with the Amsterdam-based organization War Child.

Early life

Born as Mabinty Bangura on January 6, 1995, into a Muslim family in Kenema, Sierra Leone, she grew up as an orphan after her uncle brought her to an orphanage during the civil war. Her adoptive parents were told that her father was shot and killed by the Revolutionary United Front when she was three years old and that her mother starved to death soon after.

Frequently malnourished, mistreated, and derided as a "devil's child" because of vitiligo, a skin condition causing depigmentation, she fled to a refugee camp after her orphanage was bombed.

In 1999, at the age of four, she and another girl, also named Mabinty, were adopted by Elaine and Charles DePrince, a couple from Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and taken to the United States. She was given the new name Michaela Mabinty DePrince, named after Michael, an adopted son of the

Michaela DePrince, Boston Ballet dancer who performed alongside Beyoncé, died on Sept. 10, 2024 at the age of 29.

Michaela DePrince's death was announced on Friday through a post on her Instagram account, which talked about her rise to ballet stardom and her humanitarian efforts.

"With pain in our hearts, we share the loss of star ballerina Michaela Mabinty DePrince, whose artistry touched countless hearts and whose spirit inspired many, leaving an indelible mark on the world of ballet, and beyond," the post said.

Michaela DePrince is survived by her five sisters and two brothers.

One of her sisters, Mia DePrince, published two different Instagram posts about her sister's death on her own account. In the first post, she talked about creating their own musicals and dances together as children.

"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," Mia DePrince said. "She was an inspiration."

Michaela DePrince was born in war-torn Sierra Leone in 1995 and went to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School on a dance scholarship when she was 14. When she was 18, she performed with the Dutch National Ballet until 2020, achieving the soloist rank there, according to her website.

What did Michaela DePrince pass away from?

No cause of death has been officially stated for the young dancer.

When did Michaela DePrince join the Boston Ballet?

Michaela DePrince joined Boston Ballet in 2021, starring in the ballet film Coppelia that same year.

Boston Ballet released a statement about Michaela DePrince's passing on Instagram, recognizing her immense talent and the tragedy of her death.

"We’re sending our love and support to the family of Michaela Mabinty DePrince at this time of loss. We were so fortunate to know Mabinty; she was a beautiful person, a wonderful dancer, and she will be greatly missed by us

Michaela’s mother Elaine was dedicated to all that encompassed Michaela’s training. She would make almost all of her tutus while training and Michaela would later say that her favorite tutu was the first one her mother made for Sleeping Beauty. Elaine would stay up for hours in the evenings, dyeing the mesh panels installed in the bodice and straps dark brown. She showed the First Position film crew a bucket by the kitchen sink filled with water and pigment, proudly displaying her work of already dyed straps. “See, this has to become dark brown, like this one.” She explained how they don’t make the “neutral” fabrics in dark brown so she would dye and color every panel and strap for her “dark brown girl.”

After the release of First Position, Michaela entered the public consciousness while also achieving equal fame in the classical ballet world. She earned many sponsors and endorsements. She worked with her mother to co-author her memoir, Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina (2014). Michaela also was the ambassador for War Child Holland, which supports children in refugee settlements. 

By the age of 17, she made her overseas debut as a guest star for Joburg Ballet in South Africa in Le Corsaire. Later that very year, she became a principal dancer with the Dance Theatre of Harlem, the youngest in its history. In 2013, she left the company after being recruited by Dutch National Ballet. She began as an élève (student) in 2013 and within three years she quickly moved up the ranks to a soloist. Michaela would go on to dance principal roles as Swanhilda in Coppélia and Myrtha in Giselle.

Prior to dancing Giselle at Dutch National, Michaela was invited by artistic director Tamara Rojo in 2017 to perform the role of Myrtha with English National Ballet alongside Alina Cojocaru as Giselle. In an interview with Pointe Magazine Michaela exp