A war orphan from Sierra Leone, DePrince moved to the US and ended up performing with Beyoncé.

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.

  • protist@mander.xyzEnglish
    762·
    2 months ago

    It’s actually not “in the public interest” for details about how she died to be made public. Thinking that you’re owed that information is a symptom of our voyeuristic, celebrity-worshipping culture

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
      361·
      2 months ago

      This is the same shit anti-vaxxers were saying a few years ago. “So many mysterious deaths… could it be vaccines?!?”