Ballerina Michaela DePrince has died aged 29, her household has introduced.
The dying of the dancer, born in Sierra Leone and who carried out with stars the world over and appeared on Dancing with the Stars aged simply 17, was introduced on her private Instagram web page, along with her household including in a press release that she was “an unforgettable inspiration to everybody who knew her or heard her story.”
The BBC reports that the cause of DePrince’s death has not been given, save that it had been “sudden,” in line with her household.
DePrince’s life story was an inspiring one. She was made an orphan in Sierra Leone by the civil struggle in that nation. In an orphanage, she was seen as a “satan’s baby” on account of her vitiligo, a situation through which patches of pores and skin lose pigmentation.
She was adopted aged 4 by an American couple who took her to New Jersey. Her new mom enrolled her in ballet lessons, and she or he quickly turned the youngest principal dancer on the Dance Theatre of Harlem.
Her spokesperson wrote that her artistry “touched numerous hearts” and her spirit had “impressed many, leaving an indelible mark on the world of ballet, and past”.
They added: “Her life was one outlined by grace, objective, and power. Her unwavering dedication to her artwork, her humanitarian efforts, and her braveness in overcoming unimaginable challenges will ceaselessly encourage us.
“She stood as a beacon of hope for a lot of, displaying that irrespective of the obstacles, magnificence and greatness can rise from the darkest of locations.”
American ballerina Misty Copeland penned a tribute on social media saying: “Regardless of being informed the ‘world wasn’t prepared for black ballerinas’ or that ‘black ballerinas weren’t price investing in,’ she remained decided, centered, and started making large strides.”
