The entertainment world is mourning the loss of Michaela Mabinty DePrince, a renowned ballerina who passed away at the age of 29.
Her death was confirmed via her official Instagram account on September 13, though no cause of death has been disclosed.
DePrince, who performed with Beyoncé was celebrated for her resilience, talent, and humanitarian efforts.
“Her life was one defined by grace, purpose, and strength,” her spokesperson wrote in a statement, adding, “Though her time with us was far too brief, her brilliance and legacy will continue to shine in the hearts of all who were touched by her story.”
Born in Kenema, Sierra Leone, in 1995 during the country’s civil war, DePrince faced unimaginable hardships early in life. She was sent to an orphanage after losing both of her parents and was ostracized because of her vitiligo, a skin condition.
It was in this orphanage that her love for ballet was born. DePrince once shared that she found a discarded magazine with a ballerina on the cover, dressed in a pink tutu, standing en pointe.
“I had never seen anything like it,” she recalled in a 2012 interview with the BBC. “It was just so much beauty, hope, and love, everything I didn’t have. I thought to myself, ‘This is what I want to be.’”
At 4 years old, she was adopted by an American family and brought to New Jersey, where her adoptive parents noticed her love for ballet and enrolled her in dance classes.
Her family shared their grief in a statement posted on Facebook, saying, “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 sister, Mia Mabinty DePrince, also expressed her heartbreak, writing, “I am truly in a state of shock and deep sadness. My beautiful sister is no longer here.”
DePrince’s career was nothing short of remarkable. After training at The Rock School for Dance Education in Philadelphia and the American Ballet Theatre’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, she went on to perform with the Dance Theatre of Harlem and the Dutch National Ballet.
In 2021, she joined the prestigious Boston Ballet as a principal soloist. DePrince also made appearances in Beyoncé’s Lemonade and on the television show Dancing with the Stars.
In response to her passing, the Boston Ballet shared their sorrow, stating on Instagram, “We were so fortunate to know Mabinty. She was a beautiful person, a wonderful dancer, and she will be greatly missed by us all.”
Tributes from across the ballet community have poured in. American ballerina Misty Copeland wrote, “Despite being told the ‘world wasn’t ready for Black ballerinas,’ she remained determined and began making big strides.”
DePrince is survived by her sister Mia and siblings Beelee, Jaye, Mariel, Amie, Adam, and Erik. Her family described her death as “sudden,” and her lasting impact on the arts and humanitarian work will continue to inspire.
