How World-Famous Ballerina Michaela DePrince Broke Barriers By Refusing to Blend In
Our hearts go out to the friends and family of Michaela Mabinty DePrince. She was an inspiration to many, and especially the vitiligo community. We will always be in awe of her strength and confidence, and grateful for the awareness and representation she made possible for those living with vitiligo.
As news of Michaela Mabinty DePrince’s passing at 29 years old makes the rounds on the internet, she is remembered for her inspirational story. As an orphan of war who became a world-renowned ballerina, Michaela defied cruel stigmas and stereotypes to blaze a trail of empowerment for generations to come. Her story with vitiligo is just one of the ways she did that.
According to her website biography, Michaela was born in Sierra Leone during a decade-long civil war. After her parents died when she was three years old, Michaela, whose vitiligo appeared in early childhood, was orphaned and alone. As vitiligo is seen as a curse in Sierra Leonean culture, family members were unwilling to care for Michaela and she was taken to an orphanage. In the orphanage, the stigma around vitiligo resulted in bullying and taunting.
“There were 27 children in the orphanage and we were numbered. Number 1 got the biggest portion of food and the best choice of clothes. Number 27 got the smallest portion of food and the leftover clothes,” Michaela shared in a Refinery 29 interview. “The aunties thought I was unlucky and evil—they called me ‘Devil child’ because of my vitiligo. I was number 27.”
In her memoir, Michaela describes how ballet captured her imagination and inspired her to picture herself as joyful as the white ballerina she saw on a glossy magazine cover, sharing “Someday I will dance on my toes like this lady. I will be happy too!”
Within a few years, Michaela was adopted by a U.S. family who recognized her deep passion for ballet and supported her through years of classes, training and auditions. The combination of a nurturing family and her own innate talent and drive helped Michaela overcome stereotypes and barriers and excel in the world of ballet.
“It’s hard to be a Black ballerina,” DePrince said in an interview with Refinery 29. “I was worried that my vitiligo would be a problem, but my skin turned out to be an issue in a different way.”
In an art known for its traditionally narrow definition of beauty, Michaela let her skills and dedication as a dancer speak for themselves, and the accolades began to stack up. From junior positions with companies in South Africa and Holland to the TV show “Dancing with the Stars,” in her late teens and early 20s, Michaela gained recognition as a dynamic and talented dancer, and was ranked as a soloist by age 26. A starring appearance in Beyonce’s music video album “Lemonade” followed, and she was hired by the Boston Ballet in 2021.
By refusing to let her skin color or condition limit her, Michaela set an inspiring example for other dancers—and anyone—who might believe they don’t fit the mold.
Dancer Misty Copeland shared on Instagram how Michaela defied racial prejudice to achieve her dreams: “Despite being told the ‘world wasn’t ready for Black ballerinas’ or that ‘Black ballerinas weren’t worth investing money in,’ she remained determined, focused, and began making big strides.”
Vitiligo added another layer to these barriers, Copeland said, adding, “Colorism is without a doubt an issue in the professional ballet world, and her vitiligo differentiated her aesthetic even further.”
In news coverage since her death, Michaela has been dubbed a “pioneer” and called a “boundary-shattering” dancer.
Michaela’s story leaves behind a powerful legacy of resilience and strength—the type of resilience and strength required to face a world where you ‘don’t belong’ and decide to show up anyway. She pushed conventional beauty standards and stigmas to the side and dared to step into spaces where some had only dreamed of being.
For those living with vitiligo, Michaela created representation in places where it didn’t exist. Her story is an incredible testimony to the vitiligo community, and a message of encouragement to those shying away from the life they want because of the way they look.
You can be anything you want to be, even when you live with vitiligo.
Rest in power, Michaela.
