Michaela Mabinty DePrince — a ballerina who went from war-torn Sierra Leone to worldwide dancing fame — has died … in response to a press release posted to her Instagram.
A black and white pic of the star was posted to the account … with an extended caption targeted on Michaela’s “grace, goal and energy” — including she poured her efforts into each her dancing and her humanitarian efforts.
Her staff notes how she was solely alive for a short while … however, her legacy will proceed to reside on with all those that knew her. No reason for dying was famous within the publish.
MMD was initially born in Sierra Leone, and brought to an orphanage throughout a civil conflict within the nation. After the orphanage was bombed, she fled to a refugee camp … and, was finally adopted by a New Jersey couple.
She gained many alternative alternatives in america … changing into the youngest member of the vaunted Dance Theatre of Harlem earlier than heading throughout the Atlantic to affix the Dutch Nationwide Ballet.
In 2011, at simply 16 years previous, Michaela appeared as one of many important dancers within the documentary “First Place” — all about college students vying for a spot at an elite ballet college. The next 12 months, Michaela appeared on “Dancing with the Stars.”
Micahela additionally had a giant function in Brandi Carlile’s music video for her tune “The Joke” … twirling about whereas Brandi emotionally belted the tune within the black and white clip.
Lately, Michaela wrote a memoir … “Taking Flight: From Warfare Orphan to Star Ballerina.” She additionally wrote a youngsters’s e book, “Ballerina Desires,” to encourage the following era of dancers.
DePrince was 29.
RIP