'Far too brief': Ballerina Michaela DePrince, who danced for Beyoncé, dies at age 29
Michaela Mabinty DePrince, a shining star in the ballet world who once danced in a Beyoncé video, has died too soon at the age of 29.
DePrince's family confirmed the news of her passing on social media, writing in a Friday post they were making the announcement with "profound sadness." DePrince's death was "sudden," but other details surrounding the circumstances of her death were not immediately available, according to the post.
"The family thanks you for their privacy as they navigate this very difficult time. Services will be private," according to the post.
Decades before DePrince became a world-renowned ballerina, she was living at an orphanage in Sierra Leone, hoping to be adopted, according to reporting by Glamour. And she was.
She was raised by the DePrince family in New Jersey, where she began to take dance classes. DePrince competed and by age 14, won a prestigious scholarship to attend the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School in New York City, a pre-professional ballet training program at the American Ballet Theatre, Glamour reported.
DePrince starred in "First Position," a 2011 documentary following six young dancers. She also released two books about her life "Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina" and "Ballerina Dreams."
Michaela Mabinty DePrince danced in Beyoncé's 'Freedom' music video
DePrince was hand-picked by Beyoncé to star in a music video for "Freedom," a track off of the singer's 2016 album "Lemonade," according to reporting by The Wall Street Journal.
The then 21-year-old DePrince thought it was a joke when she heard that Beyoncé wanted her to dance in the video, but reality quickly set in as she boarded a flight to New Orleans from Amsterdam, the Journal reported.
DePrince even got to meet the pop star.
“She said I looked like I was a creature from another planet,” DePrince told the Journal. "She walked up to me and said, ‘It’s such an honor to have you here.’ I was really cheesy and said, ‘The honor is mine.’ I was on cloud nine.”
She also recalled interacting with Beyoncé and Jay-Z's oldest daughter, Blue Ivy, who showed off moves she had just learned in ballet class to DePrince, the Journal reported.
Beyoncé's "Freedom" is currently being used as a campaign anthem by Vice President Kamala Harris in her bid for the presidency.
More about Michaela Mabinty DePrince
DePrince landed gigs at a number of prestigious ballet companies over the years, including the Joburg Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Dutch National Ballet and most recently the Boston Ballet.
"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," according to an online tribute posted by DePrince's team. "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."
The team acknowledged that while DePrince's time on Earth 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."
'She will be truly missed,' sister says
Mia DePrince shared some remarks about her sister, sharing in the social media post that she was in a "state of shock and deep sadness" following her sister's death.
"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 and I used to make up our own musical theater plays and act them out," Mia DePrince wrote. "We created our own ballets. She would choreograph, and I was the composer and conductor."
Mia DePrince looks back on the years following her and her sister's adoption with fondness, writing that their parents "quickly poured into our dreams." And that the "beautiful, gracefully strong ballerina that so many of you knew her as today arose" because of them.
"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," according to Mia DePrince. "Michaela has left her footprints in the sand and on so many stages across the world. She will be truly missed. I love you, my beautiful Butterfly."
Michaela DePrince is survived by her sisters Mia, Beelee, Jaye, Mariel, Amie, and her brothers Adam and Erik.
How you can help
The DePrince family has asked the public make donations to War Child, an organization that Michaela DePrince worked with closely, in lieu of flowers.
"This work meant the world to her, and your donations will directly help other children who grew up in an environment of armed conflict. Thank you," according to the post.
Boston Ballet also released a statement online, extending their love and support to Michaela DePrince's family.
"We were so fortunate to know Mabinty; she was a beautiful person, a wonderful dancer, and she will be greatly missed by us all," they said.