13/09/2024
Michaela DePrince has died. The Sierra Leone-born ballerina was 29, her team announced on social media. The cause of death has not been disclosed.
“It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of star ballerina Michaela Mabinty DePrince, whose art touched countless hearts, inspired many, and left an indelible mark on the ballet world and beyond,” the Instagram post reads.
DePrince was active for the Dutch National Ballet in Amsterdam for a long time. In 2022, she left Amsterdam to continue her dance career with the American Boston Ballet. In the meantime, she was asked to appear in video clips for Beyoncé and Chef’Special. She also played the lead role in the film version of Coppelia and Madonna bought the film rights to her autobiography.
De Dutch Don’t Dance Division
The ballerina lost her parents at a young age and was adopted by the American DePrince family. There she followed her dream of becoming a ballet dancer, which brought her to Europe in 2012. At the time, she was invited by the Hague dance company De Dutch Don’t Dance Division to dance in one of their productions. After that, she came into contact with Het Nationale Ballet.
‘Sadness and despondency’
The National Ballet announced that it was “with great sadness and dismay” to learn of the news of DePrince’s passing. “Michaela left us far too early. Our thoughts go out to her loved ones and family.”
