Ballet star Michaela DePrince dead at 29. Dancer with remarkable story had beginnings in N.J.

Ballet dancer Michaela Mabinty DePrince, 29, has died.

An announcement on DePrince’s Instagram page Friday afternoon shared news of her death (see below).

DePrince, who had a remarkable journey from her native Sierra Leone, drew attention as a teen dancer in the 2011 documentary “First Position“ and made history as the youngest principal dancer at the Dance Theatre of Harlem.

She went on to dance for the Dutch National Ballet in the Netherlands before joining the Boston Ballet.

The ballet standout danced in Beyoncé’s “Lemonade” musical film (2016) and starred in the 2021 film “Coppelia,” which mixes live-action dancing and animation.

DePrince, born Mabinty Bangura in Kenema, Sierra Leone, was adopted by when she was 4 by Elaine DePrince and Charles DePrince of Cherry Hill, New Jersey after her parents died in the Sierra Leone Civil War.

“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,” reads the Instagram post, which did not share a cause of death for DePrince.

In 2014, DePrince told her story in the young adult memoir “Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina,” co-authored by Elaine DePrince.

As a young girl in Sierra Leone, she was called “devil child” because of her vitiligo. Her ballet dreams took root in the orphanage where she lived before moving to the United States.

“In the orphanage, I found a magazine that had a ballet dancer on point with a pink tutu,” she told ABC News in 2012. “I saved it, and I thought to myself if I ever got adopted, I wanted to become just like this.”

“It represented freedom, it represented hope, it represented trying to live a little longer,” DePrince told CNN the same year. “I was so upset in the orphanage, I have no idea how I got through it, but seeing that, it completely saved me.”

DePrince later became an advocate for children affected by war, serving as an ambassador for War Child Holland and hosting the Dare to Dream gala.

The Instagram post speaks to DePrince’s perseverance.

“Her life was one defined by grace, purpose, and strength,” it reads. “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. 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, for generations to come. Love and prayers go to her chosen family, friends, and those who loved her.”

DePrince won the Youth American Grand Prix Scholarship to American Ballet Theatre’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School in New York, which is where she trained along with The Rock School for Dance Education in Philadelphia.

Her Grand Prix quest was documented in “First Position.”

She made her professional debut at the Joburg Ballet in Johannesburg, South Africa.

DePrince appeared on “Dancing with the Stars” in 2012. In 2014, she co-authored another children’s book with Elaine DePrince, “Ballerina Dreams: From Orphan to Dancer.”

Her sister, Mia Mabinty DePrince, who was also adopted by the DePrinces from Sierra Leone, shared a statement on Facebook.

“I am truly in a state of shock and deep sadness,” she said. “My beautiful sister is no longer here. 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 theater plays and act them out. We created our own ballets. She would choreograph, and I was the composer and conductor. 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.

“She was an inspiration,” DePrince’s sister continued. “Whether she was leaping across the stage or getting on a plane and flying to third-world countries to provide orphans and children with dance classes, she was determined to conquer all her dreams in the arts and dance. Michaela (Mabinty) has left her footprints in the sand and on so many stages across the world. She will be truly missed.”

The Boston Ballet also remembered DePrince.

“We’re sending our love and support to the family of Michaela Mabinty DePrince at this time of loss,” the ballet said, dedicating an Instagram post to her memory. “We were so fortunate to know Mabinty; she was a beautiful person, a wonderful dancer, and she will be greatly missed by us all.”

Ballet icon Misty Copeland, who in 2015 became the first African American woman to be named principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre, paid tribute to DePrince on Instagram.

In her 2021 book “Black Ballerinas,” Copeland, 42, recounted taking the young dancer under her wing at ABT’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School.

“She was a prodigious talent and the first darker-skinned dancer I witnessed come through the program,” Copeland wrote. “Colorism is without a doubt an issue in the professional ballet world, and her vitiligo differentiated her aesthetic even further.”

Copeland said DePrince’s immense talent moved her to make a connection for the dancer at the Dance Theatre of Harlem.

“Rest in power, @michaeladeprince,” she said in a post, sharing an excerpt from the book. “I am devastated by this news.”

“Michaela had so much more to give, not just to ballet, but to the world,” Copeland said. “Her legacy will continue to inspire generations of dancers, but her absence leaves a void that will be felt deeply. The ballet world, and all those whose lives she touched, will miss her profoundly. She was a bright light, and her impact will never be forgotten.”

A DePrince family statement said Michaela is survived by her sisters Mia, Beelee, Jaye, Mariel and Amie and brothers Adam and Erik.

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Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com and followed at @AmyKup.