Michaela DePrince, Principal Ballerina & Dancer From Beyoncé's 'Lemonade' Project is Dead at 29

Michaela DePrince/Instagram

Ballerina Michaela Mabinty DePrince from Sierra Leone has died at 29. At this time, no cause of death has been given.

Michaela's achievements in the ballet world were remarkable. She had a cameo in Beyoncé's 'Lemonade' video and was the youngest principal dancer at the Dance Theatre of Harlem. She also performed with the Dutch National Ballet and the Boston Ballet, where she held the position of a second soloist.

The ballerina was reportedly an orphan in war-torn Sierra Leona before being adopted into the DePrince family.

In 2014, DePrince co-authored a memoir about her life with her adoptive mother called 'Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina' and went on to become an ambassador for War Child Holland, promoting the well-being and mental health of children living in war zones, per CNN.

Instagram/@michaeladeprince

Her sister, Mia Mabinty DePrince, shared her thoughts about her sister's passing via Facebook:

I am truly in a state of shock and deep sadness. My beautiful sister is no longer here. From the very beginning of our story back in Africa, sleeping on a shared mat in the orphanage, Michaela (Mabinty) and I used to make up our own musical theater plays and act them out. We created our own ballets. She would choreograph, and I was the composer and conductor. When we got adopted, our parents quickly poured into our dreams and arose the beautiful, gracefully strong ballerina that so many of you knew her as today. She was an inspiration. Whether she was leaping across the stage or getting on a plane and flying to third-world countries to provide orphans and children with dance classes, she was determined to conquer all her dreams in the arts and dance. Michaela (Mabinty) has left her footprints in the sand and on so many stages across the world. She will be truly missed.

I love you, my beautiful Butterfly,

Mia Mabinty DePrince

Mia & Michaela DePrince/Facebook

[Michaela is survived by her sisters Mia, Beelee, Jaye, Mariel, Amie, and her brothers Adam and Erik].

The family will be holding a private funeral service to honor Michaela's life and achievements. She had an incredible legacy. May she rest in peace.

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