Famed ballerina Michaela Mabinty DePrince, who performed with Beyoncé and was seen by many as a trailblazer, has died at the age of 29.
A spokesperson announced her death on her personal Instagram page.
Also, in a statement, her family said she was an “unforgettable inspiration to everyone who knew her or heard her story”.
Her family said her death had been “sudden”, adding: “Michaela touched so many lives across the world, including ours.”
The cause of death has not been given.
DePrince made a remarkable journey from suffering as an orphan in war-torn Sierra Leone to receiving numerous accolades in the world of international dance.
Tributes have been pouring in, including from others in the ballet community.
Born Mabinty Bangura in Kenema, Sierra Leone, in 1995, DePrince was sent to an orphanage at the age of three after both of her parents died during the civil war.
She has spoken in the past about how she was seen as a “devil’s child” in the orphanage because she suffered from vitiligo.
However, she was adopted at the age of four by an American couple and moved to New Jersey. Her adoptive mother quickly noticed her obsession with ballet and enrolled her in classes.
She rose to fame after graduating from high school and made history as the youngest principal dancer at the Dance Theatre of Harlem.
DePrince has performed across the world, including in Beyoncé’s “Lemonade” music video album.
She joined the prestigious Boston Ballet as a second soloist in 2021 and starred in the TV show Dancing with the Stars when she was just 17.
