American prima ballerina Michaela Mabinthy DePrince, survivor of Sierra Leone’s civil war, dies at 29

In her orphanage in Sierra Leone, the little girl had discovered dance, a glimmer of hope in her life as an abandoned, abused and war-traumatized child. Her American adoptive family allowed her to realize her dream.

Michaela Mabinthy DePrince, a rare black prima ballerina who escaped Sierra Leone’s civil war, has died at the age of 29. The news was posted on her Instagram account by her team.

“It is with heavy hearts that we learn of the passing of superstar ballerina Michaela Mabinty DePrince, whose artistry touched countless hearts and whose spirit inspired so many, leaving an indelible mark on the world of ballet and beyond.”can be read on the artist’s Instagram account. The text, signed “MDP team”, is accompanied by a photo of the young woman mentioning her age.

The ballet corps of Boston, the large historic city of New England on the northeast coast of the United States, also shared on Instagram its “love and support to the family of Michaela Mabinty DePrince (…) a beautiful person, a wonderful dancer and will be missed by all of us.” The prestigious American Ballet Theatre (ABT) also welcomed “a brilliant artist and a beloved member of the ABT family.”

DePrince “had made history as the youngest principal dancer at Dance Theatre of Harlem (in New York), before moving to the Netherlands to dance with the Dutch National Ballet, then boosting her career with the Boston Ballet by returning to the United States where her performances continued to captivate audiences,” recalls the message announcing his disappearance.

Orphaned by the civil war in Sierra Leone (1991-2002), abandoned by her uncle, suffering from vitiligo – a disease causing depigmentation of the skin – Michaela DePrince was taken in by an orphanage in her country and adopted by an American couple. Having become a professional dancer, she also joined the Joburg Ballet, the ballet corps of Johannesburg, in South Africa, before going to the Netherlands and returning to the United States.

The young woman had been the subject of a documentary, The dance competition by Bess Kargman, released in 2012. American star Madonna announced in March 2018 that she was making a feature film inspired by Michaela DePrince’s story. The film, which never saw the light of day, was to be adapted from the autobiographical book Taking Flight“, published in 2014.

Tributes are pouring in from the dance world, which the star dancer had left her mark on with her talent and resilience. Misty Copeland, who was the first African-American principal dancer at the prestigious American Ballet Theatre, said she was “devastated” by the announcement of the disappearance of Michaela DePrince, whose courage in adversity she highlighted.

“Although he was told that ‘The world wasn’t ready for black ballerinas’ or that ‘Black ballerinas weren’t worth the money’she remained determined, focused, and began to make great progress.”she recalled on her Instagram page.

“Michaela, you brought a light that inspired millions of young black girls to reach unprecedented levels of resilience and to continue to dream,” wrote dancer and actress Debbie Allen (Fame) who created a dance academy where Michaela DePrince participated.