On September 10, 2024, world-renowned ballet dancer Michaela Mabinty DePrince passed away at 29 years old. Born in Sierra Leone, DePrince’s childhood was rough. Her parents were killed by rebels during the Sierra Leonean Civil War, and DePrince was taken into an orphanage where She struggled to get fair treatment from others because of her vitiligo, a skin condition which causes the skin to lose pigment through spots. This Made her stand out from the other kids. At the orphanage, DePrince became attached to one of her teachers who was later killed in front of her.
On the same night, DePrince was stabbed but survived. Later, it was at this orphanage that she held within her grasp a magazine picture of a ballerina, and from there, it was evident that DePrince was going to be one of the world’s greatest ballet dancers. Deprince, along with her sister, were adopted by Elaine and Charles DePrince, who immediately enrolled her in ballet classes. Elaine passed away on September 11, 2024. One day after Michaela.
As a ballet dancer myself, I have had the pleasure of working with some of the greatest teachers and former dancers of the entire ballet community. Suzanne Slenn, the director of Philadelphia Studio Ballet and a ballet teacher, who once taught Michaela during her time at the Rock School of Ballet mentioned in DePrince’s book, “Taking Flight,” where she remembered Slenn as a motivating teacher. DePrince said that “she never forgot” the compliments Slenn gave her. I asked Slenn her recounts of memories of DePrince, starting from her first class. She knew she was special,“Right from the beginning. She was maybe 6 or 7. As soon as she came into class, you could tell.” Slenn continued to teach DePrince throughout her time at the Rock School of Ballet, noticing DePrince as a standout student:“She was very young, but she achieved quite a bit. I would say she had a meticulous work ethic.” DePrince continued to train before she transitioned from student to star. Slenn remembers that she was “thrilled” to hear DePrince went professional at the Dance Theater of Harlem. The dancer later moved to dance with the Dutch National Ballet before coming to her final company at the Boston Ballet. Slenn, along with many others, realize that DePrinces loss leaves a large hole within ballet community, but one with large impact.“Just her background, from coming from such an oppressed beginning in life, losing her parents, and just coming up and being an amazing dancer, especially for dancers of color,” Slenn states, saying DePrince inspires others “to achieve.” While the world grieves the loss of a talented and resilient dancer, Slenn hopes that people will remember, “the admiration for what she achieved, even with her rough beginning.”
Her death has left a hole in the ballet community, and around the world. Not only did DePrince’s dancing move hearts, her story did as well. She showed people how to rise above challenges and how being who you are will help you achieve your dreams. DePrince was a storyteller onstage, and an advocate offstage. She is remembered by her company executive director at the Boston Ballet, Ming Min Hui, “She was an advocate for what ballet can be, as a much bigger art form and a much bigger source of inspiration and hope for people. She was brave in being willing to share not only her artistry but also her story with the world.”
