What was ballet dancer Michaela DePrince’s cause of death?

The sudden death of Michaela Mabinty DePrince on Sept. 10, 2024, has sent shockwaves around the world. DePrince was an inspiration to Black and African ballerinas and women with her story of perseverance and determination. 

Orphaned from a young age, DePrince was adopted by an American family and started training in ballet early, going on to become a trailblazer in the industry and inspiring many young dancers. What caused the triumphant star’s early demise?

Michaela DePrince’s story of perseverance and strength

Born Mabinty Bangura in Kenema, Sierra Leone, Michaela DePrince was orphaned at age three. She lived at an orphanage for a few years in her childhood where she was maltreated and bullied due to her vitiligo, a skin condition that causes depigmentation on patches of skin. During the Sierra Leone civil war, the orphanage where she lived was bombed, and she joined a refugee camp. 

DePrince was adopted at the age of four by Elaine and Charles DePrince, an American couple, and taken to the U.S. where her name was changed to Michaela Mabinty DePrince. In a 2012 interview with AP News, she shared that she was inspired to pick up ballet because of a torn magazine cover she saw outside her orphanage gates with a picture of a ballerina on it. 

She began training and first gained popularity by starring in the documentary, First Position, in 2011. The documentary followed DePrince and six other young dancers as they trained for, and competed in the Youth America Grand Prix. She won a scholarship to the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre through the competition, and also trained at The Rock School for Dance Education in Philadelphia. 

After gaining her high school diploma through online classes at Keystone National High, DePrince began pursuing a professional ballet career. She faced many obstacles due to racism and discrimination due to her skin condition. She eventually landed a role with De Dutch Don’t Dance Division, a dance company in the Netherlands in 2011. In 2012, she joined the Dance Theatre of Harlem as their youngest member, and joined the Dutch National Ballet company in Amsterdam a year later. 

DePrince worked her way up to becoming a soloist and has had many trailblazing and inspirational moments in her career. She was featured in Beyonce’s visual album, “Lemonade”, and performed on Dancing with the Stars at the age of 17. DePrince was also a dedicated human rights activist and worked closely with the organization War Child, to advocate for children affected by wars and violence. 

In 2021, she joined the Boston Ballet as a soloist where she performed the leading role in Coppelia. DePrince was also an author and co-wrote her first book, Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina in 2014 with her mother, Elaine DePrince. 

How did she die?

Michaela DePrince’s death was announced on her Instagram account in a statement from her family. The touching statement didn’t include a cause of death, but paid tribute to DePrince’s life and legacy, stating that her “artistry touched countless hearts,” and that she would be, “leaving an indelible mark on the world of ballet and beyond.”

On Sept. 14, another statement from the family clarified that, while DePrince and her adoptive mother, Elaine DePrince died within a day of each other, their deaths were not related. DePrince’s cause of death was still not stated, but for Elaine DePrince, she was reported to have died, “during a routine procedure in preparation for a surgery,” as she was dealing with some health complications. 

The family asserts that while Michaela DePrince died a day before her mother, Elaine DePrince was unaware of her daughter’s passing at the time of her death. The family has requested privacy and consideration as they deal with the grief of losing two members in such a short time.