Michaela Mabinty DePrince, whose death aged 29 was announced on Friday, has been recognised for “shifting the whole ballet world” and “paving the way” for Black ballerinas.
Tributes continue to pour in for the trailblazing dancer who was orphaned during Sierra Leone’s civil war then adopted and raised in the US where she became an internationally acclaimed ballet star. DePrince performed with companies including English National Ballet (ENB), whose first soloist Precious Adams described her as the “ultimate” example of “following your dreams and succeeding”.
Adams joined ENB in 2014 and DePrince danced in the company’s Giselle in 2017. “She was the first Black ballerina I found on YouTube,” remembered Adams. “Up until then, I didn’t think any other Black people did ballet, quite frankly.” Adams said that DePrince “really bore the burden of being [one of] the first melanated Black dancers in world-class companies”.
As Adams’ career progressed, she found it “inspiring to know that, in some ways, I wasn’t alone. But we had also talked about how it can be so isolating [in the dance industry], even knowing that there are other Black dancers out there.” Adams called DePrince a “very important peer of mine” – someone she trusted and was able to relate to in a way that she was not able to with other dancers throughout her career.
“There’s a special bond that we have as Black women, there’s a community that we have, and there’s just something really beautiful – a knowing that we have amongst each other, that there’s a lot of strength you can take in just having another sister nearby,” Adams said.
DePrince’s death, on 10 September, was announced on 13 September by her family in a statement on Instagram. No cause has been given. A day later, the family revealed that Elaine DePrince, who adopted Michaela and her friend Mia (whose birth name was also Mabinty), died on 11 September during a routine procedure in preparation for surgery, without knowledge of her daughter’s death.
Misty Copeland was among the dancers who paid tribute to DePrince. “Michaela has so much more to give, not just to ballet, but to the world,” she said in a statement on Instagram. “Her legacy will continue to inspire generations of dancers, but her absence leaves a void that will be felt deeply. The ballet world, and all of those whose lives she touched, will miss her profoundly. She was a bright light, and her impact will never be forgotten.”
In a post on X, the Dance Theatre of Harlem – where DePrince performed at the aged of 17 – praised her “resilience, strength, grace, and courage”. DePrince joined Boston Ballet in 2021. Its artistic director, Mikko Nissinen, said: “It was an absolute honour to have Mabinty in our company for three seasons. Her indelible spirit inspired so many. Her courage and perseverance will have a lasting impact on the dance community, here in Boston and around the world.”
DePrince “was at the forefront of shifting the whole ballet world” and, for younger generations, she represented “a beacon of hope and of making the impossible possible” said Adams.
“I’ll remember her by speaking her name and remembering what she’s done. I think that one of the best ways to make sure that someone is enshrined in history is to keep their name alive by speaking about them, remembering them.”
