It wasn’t just that Michaela Mabinty DePrince was a ballerina; she was a symbol of strength, grace, and determination. She tells a story that goes beyond dance. It’s about not giving up, having hope, and using the strength of the human spirit to get through difficult times. Tragically, DePrince’s life ended at just 29 years old, yet her legacy endures and inspires countless individuals worldwide.
Early Life: Michaela journeyed from the war-torn country of Sierra Leone to the United States.
Michaela was born in 1995 in Sierra Leone as Mabinty Bangura. Her early life was full of tragedy. During a terrible civil war, both of her parents had died by the time she was three years old. Rebels had killed her father, and a fever and lack of food had claimed her mother’s life. The war-torn country left Michaela alone, forcing her to deal with even more problems at the orphanage.
At the orphanage, she was “number 27,” which meant she was the least liked child there. Her vitiligo, a skin condition that caused her skin to have white spots, was part of the reason for this. She endured severe abuse, receiving less food and clothing than her peers and frequently facing rejection. Even though things were bad, Michaela found a small bit of hope. She found a magazine with a picture of a ballerina one day. The dancer captured her attention, inspiring her to aspire to emulate her grace, strength, and freedom.
Elaine and Charles DePrince, an American couple, adopted Michaela when she was four years old, transforming her life significantly. Michaela moved to the United States with two other girls from the orphanage. Her new family knew how much she loved ballet and helped her follow her dream from a young age.
Getting past racism and breaking down barriers in ballet
Although Michaela’s love for ballet grew after she moved to the U.S., her path wasn’t always easy. Ballet is reputed to being mostly white and Eurocentric, so Michaela, a black girl from Africa, wasn’t always welcome.
A ballet school told her when she was eight years old that America wasn’t ready for a black girl to play Marie in The Nutcracker. When she was nine, a teacher told her mother, “I don’t like to invest in black dancers because they get big breasts and hips as adults.” These words might have broken the spirit of a young dancer, but not Michaela’s.
She kept going and got better at what she did at Philadelphia’s Rock School for Dance Education. She was 17 years old when she appeared in the documentary First Position. The film followed six young ballet dancers as they trained for the Youth America Grand Prix, which is one of the most prestigious ballet competitions in the world. This documentary made Michaela famous by showing off both her skills and her drive to do well in a field that hasn’t always been open to people who look like her.
As you move up in the ballet world
Michaela’s career took off after her big break in first position. She was awarded a scholarship to study at the American Ballet Theatre’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School of Ballet. This is one of the best ballet schools in the United States. She then became the youngest principal dancer in the history of the Dance Theatre of Harlem when she joined.
People noticed Michaela’s skills and charm, and in 2013 she joined the junior company of the Dutch National Ballet. She was a second soloist with the Boston Ballet by 2021 and played lead roles there, including in the ballet film Coppelia. Throughout her career, Michaela always spoke out about how ballet was lacking in diversity. She utilized her fame to advocate for the inclusion of more black and brown dancers.
She demonstrated a commitment to giving back and doing good things for others.
Michaela loved ballet, but she never forgot where she came from or how difficult things were for her as a child. The orphanage and her early life in Sierra Leone had a big impact on how she saw life and made her want to help others. She served as an ambassador for War Child, an organization that aids children affected by war and other conflicts. Michaela wished other war zone kids could succeed like she did.
Hope in a Ballet Shoe, a memoir she wrote with another person, came out in 2015 and told the story of her life from being an orphan in Sierra Leone to becoming a famous ballerina. In the book, she wrote about her dream of opening a dance school in Sierra Leone so that kids who might not normally be able to enjoy the arts could do so. She once said, “The arts can change you as a person.” She meant this by talking about how ballet had helped her show how she felt and connect with her new family.
A legacy that lasts
Michaela DePrince died at the age of 29. Her fans, as well as people who work in ballet, are shocked. Her family hasn’t said what killed her yet, but there’s no denying how much she changed the world of dance and other fields. Her family expressed in a statement that her life was characterized by grace, purpose, and strength. Her unwavering dedication to her art, her work with others, and her bravery in facing unimaginable challenges will always inspire us.
Michaela knew she wanted to be a ballerina as soon as she saw that first picture of one in a magazine. Even though it wasn’t likely, she made that dream come true. She not only broke down barriers in the ballet world, but she also changed what it means to be a ballerina. She showed that beauty, strength, and grace can come from the worst places.
Because Michaela truly cared about that cause, her family has requested donations to War Child in lieu of flowers. This request is a reminder of the things that Michaela cared deeply about. Her story incorporates ballet, art, hope, strength, and the importance of helping others.
Michaela DePrince’s journey from an orphanage in Sierra Leone to the biggest ballet stages in the world shows what is possible if you follow your dreams, even when things get hard. Even though she’s not here with us anymore, her memory will live on for years to come and inspire dancers, artists, and dreamers.