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.
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
This is the same shit anti-vaxxers were saying a few years ago. “So many mysterious deaths… could it be vaccines?!?”
Yes, what a contentious ask: If your death is newsworthy, then so are all its particulars. How dare we!