Ballerina Michaela DePrince dies at 29
A shock announcement on Michaela DePrince’s Instagram feed reads:
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.
Her life was one defined by grace, purpose, and strength. 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.
Sincerely,
Team MDP
Sierra Leonean ballet dancer Michaela Mabinty DePrince was born Mabinty Bangura on 6 January 1995 during the civil war. She lost her parents during the war and was adopted by an American couple, Elaine and Charles DePrince, of Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
The world of ballet had already captured her imagination before arriving in the USA after seeing a ballerina on a magazine cover in Sierra Leone. Her adoptive parents enrolled her at the Rock School for Dance Education in Philadelphia. Her life changed forever when she was featured in the ballet documentary, First Position.
After a performance at the Youth America Grand Prix, she was offered a scholarship at the American Ballet Theatre’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School of Ballet.
DePrince fought many battles – not only was she a Black ballerina but she also suffered from vitiligo, a disease that causes loss of skin colour in patches. In an interview, she said, “There were 27 children in the orphanage and we were numbered. Number 1 got the biggest portion of food and the best choice of clothes. Number 27 got the smallest portion of food and the leftover clothes. The ‘aunties’ thought I was unlucky and evil — they called me ‘Devil child’ because of my vitiligo. I was number 27.”
In another interview, she said, “I grew up not feeling good enough, thinking no one would ever love me enough to be adopted, and then I literally chose an art form that fosters the same sort of ‘you’re not good enough’ [environment]. I constantly talk to my director and other people [in the industry] about how important starting conversation around mental health is in dance classes. Mental health in dance is so important, and absolutely not spoken about enough.” This was after an injury with a ruptured achilles tendon in 2019 when she was a soloist with Dutch National Ballet.
Not an easy life certainly, but one with challenges that saw her rise way past what could have been anticipated when she became an orphan. She wrote the book Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina with her adoptive mother. She danced with the Dance Theatre of Harlem as the youngest dancer in the company’s history, was a soloist with the Dutch National Ballet, and in 2021, joined Boston Ballet as second soloist.
DePrince took the leading role in the cinematic adaptation of Léo Delibes’ Coppélia that blended animation, visual effects and live action based on a Dutch National Ballet production from 2008. The Guardian said, “DePrince, really shines with a natural photogenic presence, strong acting skills and athletic form.”
Michaela Mabinty DePrince, born Mabinty Bangura: 6 January 1995 – 13 September 2024
Graham Spicer, aka ‘Gramilano’, is a writer, director and photographer based in Milan. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. His articles have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the Danza in Italia column for Dancing Times magazine. Graham was the historical advisor on Codice Carla, the 2023 documentary on Italian ballerina Carla Fracci.
Graham also works as a dance photographer, and his photos have appeared in many books, theatre programmes, and magazines, including Dancing Times, Dance Spirit and Ballet2000, as well as all the major Italian newspapers.
He is a member of the Dance Section of The Critics’ Circle.
A painful loss for the world! DePrince was such a beautiful dancer and a profoundly beautiful and inspiring person. Her valiant and generous spirit lives on. My heart goes out to those who knew and loved her personally.