Michaela DePrince, a trailblazing ballet dancer, passed away at 29, with no cause of death yet reported.
By: Ajay
Date: 14/09/2024
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Born in Sierra Leone as Mabinty Bangura, she was orphaned and mistreated due to vitiligo in an orphanage during the civil war.
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She was adopted at age four and moved to the US, where she began training in ballet at five.
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Despite her talent, DePrince faced racism, being told the US wasn’t ready for a Black ballerina and that Black girls weren’t worth investing in.
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She attended the prestigious Rock School for Dance Education and earned a scholarship to the American Ballet Theatre’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School.
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DePrince became the youngest principal dancer at Dance Theatre of Harlem and later joined the Dutch National Ballet and Boston Ballet.
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She gained widespread recognition, including a performance in Beyoncé’s Lemonade.
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DePrince was an advocate for more Black dancers in ballet, inspired by pioneers like Lauren Anderson and Misty Copeland.
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She expressed a desire to open a dance school in Sierra Leone to help underprivileged children through the arts.
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In honor of her humanitarian efforts, her family has asked for donations to War Child instead of flowers.
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