Ballerina Michaela Mabinty DePrince, who performed with Beyoncé and was seen by many as a trailblazer, has died at the age of 29.

A spokesperson announced her death on her personal Instagram page and in a statement her family said she was an “unforgettable inspiration to everyone who knew her or heard her story”.

The cause of death has not been given.

DePrince made a remarkable journey from suffering as an orphan in war-torn Sierra Leone to numerous accolades in the world of international dance.

Her family said her death had been “sudden”, adding: “Michaela touched so many lives across the world, including ours.”

Tributes have been pouring in, including from others in the ballet community.

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    60
    arrow-down
    2
    ·
    1 month ago

    That’s just awful. Anyone who dies that young has a tragic death, but it’s so much more tragic when you achieve the level of accomplishment she did.

    Ballet does wreck your body though. I wonder if that contributed to whatever ended up causing her death.

    • Maeve@kbin.earth
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      36
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      1 month ago

      DePrince made a remarkable journey from suffering as an orphan in war-torn Sierra Leone to numerous accolades in the world of international dance.

      That probably wrecks a body, too.

      • Stopthatgirl7@lemmy.worldOP
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        10
        ·
        edit-2
        1 month ago

        I just watched a video where she was talking about being stabbed in the belly with a machete by a child soldier right after her pregnant teacher was cut open in front of her by soldiers who wanted to know if the teacher’s baby was a girl or a boy.

        • Maeve@kbin.earth
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          3
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          1 month ago

          Wow. That’s so tragic, on every level, for both humans. I watched a documentary on the making of child soldiers, they get them hooked on drugs, so they can live with the horrors, much like human traffickers do their victims.

  • some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    20
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    1 month ago

    The cause of death has not been given.

    I think if she’d been in a car accident or something similar, they’d be forthcoming about it. I think this suggests a terrible illness. Sad news. Didn’t know who she was, but it’s a shame that someone who was truly gifted didn’t get to continue achieving greatness.

  • Cephalotrocity@biglemmowski.win
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    8
    arrow-down
    62
    ·
    1 month ago

    Quite a few public deaths of late with no reason given. When someone like this, so young and accomplished, dies it is in the public interest that the reason be revealed. There could be systemic abuse etc… and I would like to know steps are being taken to prevent this sort of tragedy from recurring if possible.

  • werefreeatlast@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    1
    arrow-down
    90
    ·
    1 month ago

    29 you say? Well there’s no time to waste! How old is she now? There’s a ton of stuff to get done before 29 comes around!