Michaela DePrince | |
|---|---|
.jpg) DePrince in 2019 | |
| Born | Mabinty Bangura January 6, 1995 Kenema, Sierra Leone |
| Died | September 10, 2024 (aged 29) New York City, U.S. |
| Education | |
| Occupation | Ballet dancer |
| Years active | 2010–2024 |
| Career | |
| Former groups | |
| Website | michaeladeprince |
Michaela Mabinty DePrince (born Mabinty Bangura; January 6, 1995 – September 10, 2024) was a Sierra Leonean–American ballet dancer who danced with the Boston Ballet, the Dutch National Ballet, and the Dance Theatre of Harlem.
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.