The ballet world mourns
She danced with Beyoncé: Star ballerina Michaela DePrince has died at the age of 29
Michaela DePrince was only 29 years old.
© imago/MediaPunch / RW
Star ballerina Michaela DePrince has died. She was only 29 years old. She became known for her collaboration with Beyoncé, among other things.
The ballet world mourns. Michaela DePrince is dead; she passed away at just 29 years old. The ballerina of the “Boston Ballet” gained fame particularly through her collaboration with megastar Beyoncé. She was a “beacon of hope for many people,” it says in a post published on her official Instagram page. It shows that “beauty and greatness can rise from the darkest places.”
Michaela DePrince became an orphan as a child after her father was killed in the civil war in Sierra Leone and her mother died of an illness, as she told “Glamour”. She lived with other orphans before she was adopted and moved to the USA at the age of four.
The life of the star ballerina was characterized by grace, determination, and strength, the post reads. It continues: “Her unwavering commitment to her art, her humanitarian efforts, and her courage to overcome unimaginable challenges will inspire us forever.”
Michaela DePrince danced with Beyoncé
The dancer’s family also confirmed her death via social media, according to media reports. “Her passion and her impact on the world of dance” were enormous, her relatives wrote in the emotional post. “We will miss her and her beautiful smile forever, and we know that you will too.” The cause of DePrince’s death was not disclosed.
DePrince studied ballet at the “Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School” at the “American Ballet Theatre”. She became known for a role in the documentary “First Position – Ballet is Her Life” and for her involvement in Beyoncé’s album “Lemonade,” she also participated in “Dancing with the Stars.”
Later she became a member of the “Dance Theatre of Harlem” and temporarily went to the Netherlands to dance. In 2021 she returned to the USA and performed for the “Boston Ballet.” She also published her autobiography “Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina” and wrote a children’s book based on her life.