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{{Short description|Sierra Leonean–American ballet dancer (1995–2024)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}}
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DePrince rose to fame after starring in the documentary ''[[First Position]]'' in 2011, which followed her and other young ballet dancers as they prepared to compete at the [[Youth America Grand Prix]], where she won a scholarship to the [[Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School]] at [[American Ballet Theatre]]. In 2012, DePrince danced with the Dance Theatre of Harlem as the youngest dancer in the history of the company. From 2013 to 2020, she was with the Dutch National Ballet.
With her adoptive mother, [[Elaine DePrince]], she authored the book ''Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina'' (2014). From 2016 to 2024, she was a goodwill ambassador with the [[Amsterdam]]-based organization [[War Child (charity)|War Child]].
==Early life==
Born as Mabinty Bangura<ref name="guard-13sep2024"/> on January 6, 1995,<ref name="Dance Spirit 20 March 2012">{{cite news|last=Fuhrer|first=Margaret|title=Michaela DePrince|url=http://margaretfuhrer.com/2012/03/20/michaela-deprince/|access-date=July 24, 2012|newspaper=[[Dance Spirit]] magazine|date=March 20, 2012}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{cite book |last1=DePrince |first1=Michaela |title=Taking Flight: From War Orphan To Star Ballerina |last2=Elaine |first2=DePrince |date=2014 |publisher=Alfred A. Knopf |isbn=978-0-385-75513-9 |location=New York |page=75}}</ref> into a [[Muslim]] family in [[Kenema]], Sierra Leone,<ref name="The Guardian 16 July 2012" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Kuperinsky |first=Amy |date=September 13, 2024 |title=Ballet star Michaela DePrince dead at 29. Dancer with remarkable story had beginnings in N.J. |url=https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2024/09/ballet-star-michaela-deprince-dead-at-29-dancer-with-remarkable-story-had-beginnings-in-nj.html |access-date=September 14, 2024 |work=NJ.com}}</ref> she grew up as an orphan after her uncle brought her to an orphanage during the [[Sierra Leone Civil War|civil war]]. Her adoptive parents were told that her father was shot and killed by the [[Revolutionary United Front]] when she was three years old and that her mother starved to death soon after.<ref name="The Guardian 16 July 2012">{{cite news|last=Smith |first=David |title=Sierra Leone war orphan returns to Africa en pointe for ballet debut |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2012/jul/16/sierra-leone-ballet-mchaela-deprince |access-date=July 17, 2012 |newspaper=The Guardian |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120719230759/http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2012/jul/16/sierra-leone-ballet-mchaela-deprince |archive-date=July 19, 2012 |date=July 16, 2012 |location=London |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In 1999, at the age of four,<ref name=" AP 11 July 2012">{{cite news|last=Petesch |first=Carley |title=Star dancer born into war grows up to inspire |url=http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/07/11/v-fullstory/2891073/star-dancer-born-into-war-grows.html |access-date=July 17, 2012 |newspaper=[[Associated Press]] |date=July 11, 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120720233649/http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/07/11/v-fullstory/2891073/star-dancer-born-into-war-grows.html |archive-date=July 20, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> she and another girl, also named Mabinty, later given the name Mia, were adopted by Elaine and Charles DePrince, a couple from [[Cherry Hill, New Jersey]], and taken to the United States.<ref name="The Guardian 16 July 2012" /><ref>Marquis, Cate, [http://www.stljewishlight.com/features/arts_culture/article_3bb23754-9f7c-11e1-aa16-001a4bcf887a.html "Ballet documentary defies stereotypes"], ''STL Jewish Light'', May 16, 2012.</ref> The DePrince family has had 11 children, including Michaela, nine of whom were adopted.<ref>Hayasaki, Erika, [http://www.glamour.com/inspired/2015/07/world-class-ballerina-michaela-deprince "I Was Orphan Number 27: Ballerina Michaela DePrince's Inspiring Story"], ''Glamour'', July 16, 2015.</ref> She took the name Mabinty Bangura DePrince.<ref name="guard-13sep2024"/>▼
▲In 1999, at the age of four,<ref name=" AP 11 July 2012">{{cite news|last=Petesch |first=Carley |title=Star dancer born into war grows up to inspire |url=http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/07/11/v-fullstory/2891073/star-dancer-born-into-war-grows.html |access-date=July 17, 2012 |newspaper=[[Associated Press]] |date=July 11, 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120720233649/http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/07/11/v-fullstory/2891073/star-dancer-born-into-war-grows.html |archive-date=July 20, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> she and another girl, also named Mabinty
==Career==
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Epstein, Eli, and Jennifer Polland (July 5, 2012), [http://www.businessinsider.com/the-most-impressive-high-school-kids-graduating-this-year-2012-6?op=1#ixzz1zmVSMYAE "The Most Impressive Kids Graduating From High School This Year"], ''Business Insider''.</ref>
DePrince pursued a professional career despite encountering instances of racial discrimination. According to her or her mother, at age eight, she was told that she could not perform as Marie in ''[[The Nutcracker]]'' because "America's not ready for a Black girl ballerina." Her mother said that a year later a teacher told her that Black dancers were not worth investing money in, because they "end up having big boobs and big hips"; ultimately,
[[File:Michaela DePrince on RealTVfilms (bearb Sp).jpg|thumb|DePrince in 2011]]
DePrince was one of the stars of the 2011 documentary film ''[[First Position]]'', which follows six young dancers vying for a place in an elite ballet company or school at the Youth America Grand Prix.<ref name="Teen Vogue May 2012">{{cite news|last=Garrett |first=Giannella |title=Defying Gravity: Teen Ballerina Michaela DePrince |url=http://www.teenvogue.com/connect/2012/05/teen-ballerina-michaela-deprince |access-date=July 17, 2012 |newspaper=[[Teen Vogue]] |date=May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120616160416/http://www.teenvogue.com/connect/2012/05/teen-ballerina-michaela-deprince |archive-date=June 16, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> She was awarded a scholarship to study at the [[American Ballet Theatre]]'s [[Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School (ballet)|Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School of Ballet]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Towers |first=Deirdre |date=August 21, 2013 |title=The Incredible Rise of a Young Ballerina, Michaela DePrince |url=https://www.dance-enthusiast.com/features/day-in-the-life/view/The-Incredible-Rise-of-a-Young-Ballerina-Michaela-DePrince.-2013-08-21 |access-date=September 14, 2024 |work=The Dance Enthusiast}}</ref> She also performed on the television program ''[[Dancing with the Stars]]''.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/08/michaela-deprince_n_1500361.html | work=Huffington Post | title=
In 2012, DePrince graduated from the [[American Ballet Theatre]]'s [[Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School (ballet)|Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School]] in New York City, and joined the [[Dance Theatre of Harlem]], where she was the youngest member of the company.<ref name="The Guardian 16 July 2012" /><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/michaela-deprince-war-orphan-star-ballerina-article-1.1314010 |author=Murray, Rheana| location=New York | work=Daily News | title=Michaela DePrince: War orphan to star ballerina | date=April 11, 2013}}</ref><ref>Mackrell, Judith (November 28, 2013), [https://www.theguardian.com/stage/dance-blog/2013/nov/28/racism-ballet-michaela-deprince-black-dancers "Everyday racism: how to be a black ballet dancer in a white world"], ''The Guardian''.</ref> Her professional debut performance was in the role of Gulnare in [[Mzansi Productions]] and the [[Joburg Theatre|South African Ballet Theatre]]'s premiere of ''[[Le Corsaire]]'' on July 19, 2012.<ref name="AP 11 July 2012" /><ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/11/michaela-prince-star-danc_n_1665341.html | work=Huffington Post | title=From A War-Torn Childhood To Dance Stardom | date=July 11, 2012}}</ref>
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In 2019, DePrince produced a gala for [[War Child (charity)#War Child Holland|War Child Holland]], which raised more than half a million dollars for children and youth affected by armed conflict.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Howard |first=Theresa Ruth |date=November 3, 2021 |title=Michaela DePrince Makes Her Next Move |url=https://pointemagazine.com/michaela-deprince/#gsc.tab=0 |access-date=September 14, 2024 |work=Pointe}}</ref> In September 2020, DePrince announced that she was taking a leave of absence from the Dutch National Ballet.<ref name=":0" /> She started online coaching sessions with Charla Genn, a faculty member at the [[Juilliard School]].<ref name=":0" />
DePrince danced the leading role in ''[[Coppelia (2021 film)|Coppelia]]''<!-- Note: the film plot is substantially different from that of the Delibes ballet.-->, a 2021 ballet film without dialogue that combines live dance with animation. It is a modernized version of a story by [[E. T. A. Hoffmann]].<ref name="OperaBallet">{{cite web |url=https://www.operaballet.nl/en/news/coppelia-movie |title=Coppelia: the movie |website=operaballet.nl |date=July 14, 2022 }}</ref>▼
=== Boston Ballet ===
In 2021, DePrince joined the [[Boston Ballet]] as second soloist.<ref>{{cite web | title=Boston Ballet announces its roster for 2021–22 | website=MSN | date=September 3, 2021 | url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/boston-ballet-announces-its-roster-for-2021-22/ar-AAOaGfs | access-date=September 7, 2021}}</ref> She was drawn to the Boston Ballet due to the company having many talented Black dancers, its culture, and its repertoire.<ref name=":0" />
▲DePrince danced the leading role in ''[[Coppelia (2021 film)|Coppelia]]''<!-- Note: the film plot is substantially different from that of the Delibes ballet.-->, a 2021 ballet film without dialogue that combines live dance with animation. It is a modernized version of a story by [[E. T. A. Hoffmann]].<ref name="OperaBallet">{{cite web |url=https://www.operaballet.nl/en/news/coppelia-movie |title=Coppelia: the movie |website=operaballet.nl |date=July 14, 2022 }}</ref>
==Personal life and death==
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In 2015, it was reported that DePrince was in a relationship with ballet dancer [[Skyler Maxey-Wert]], whom she also talked about in her book.<ref>Poole, Sheila (July 29, 2015), [https://www.myajc.com/entertainment/arts--theater/black-ballerina-michaela-deprince-hopes-inspire-others/D5bg2D4Q5bcTmAtwP2fKzJ/ "Black ballerina Michaela DePrince hopes to inspire others"], ''[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]]''.</ref><ref name=":1" />
When DePrince's adoptive father, Charles DePrince, died in June 2020, she was unable to travel from Amsterdam to [[Atlanta]] to say goodbye and be with her family due to [[Travel during the COVID-19 pandemic|COVID-19 travel restrictions]], further complicated by unrest due to the [[George Floyd protests in Atlanta|George Floyd
DePrince died in New York City on September 10, 2024, at the age of 29.<ref name = Traub>{{cite web|title=Michaela DePrince, War Orphan Turned Leading Ballerina, Dies at 29|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/15/obituaries/michaela-deprince-dead.html|date=September 15, 2024|last=Traub|first=Alex|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=September 15, 2024|url-access = limited}}</ref> Her death was announced three days later via her [[Instagram]] page and the Dutch National Opera website.<ref>{{Cite web |title=In Memoriam Michaela DePrince {{!}} Nationale Opera & Ballet |url=https://www.operaballet.nl/en/news/memoriam-michaela-deprince |date=September 13, 2024|access-date=September 13, 2024 |website=www.operaballet.nl |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.instagram.com/p/C_3WuKCxYQM/?igsh=dmNsMDZyY2hncGw= | title=Instagram }}</ref> As of September 16, the cause of her death has not been determined.<ref name = Traub/> In a statement, her family requested that people donate to War Child, an organization DePrince supported, in lieu of sending flowers.<ref name="guard-13sep2024">{{cite news |last1=Walker |first1=Adria R. |title=Trailblazing ballerina Michaela Mabinty DePrince dies at 29 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2024/sep/13/michaela-mabinty-deprince-ballerina-dies |access-date=September 13, 2024 |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=September 13, 2024}}</ref> DePrince died one day before her adoptive mother, Elaine, died from heart failure.<ref name = Traub/> Her mother had not been made aware of Michaela's death, and Michaela had not been aware of the sudden decline in her mother's health.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Pikora |first=Jillian |date=September 14, 2024 |title=Michaela DePrince's Mother Elaine Died Day After Daughter |url=https://dailyvoice.com/pa/drexel-hill-upper-darby/late-pa-ballerina-michaela-deprince-lost-mom-2-days-before-she-died/ |access-date=September 15, 2024 |work=Daily Voice}}</ref>
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== External links ==
* {{official|https://michaeladeprince.com/}}
* {{Instagram|michaeladeprince}}
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