DePrince, a trailblazer and inspiration to many in the ballet world, has died at 29. Born Mabinty Bangura in Sierra Leone, DePrince was sent to an orphanage aged three, after both of her parents died in the country’s civil war. Her passion for ballet began as a young girl in Sierra Leone after she saw a photo of a ballerina. At 17, she was featured in First Position, a documentary that follows six dancers as they prepare for the Youth America Grand Prix. In 2012, she performed in her first professional full ballet in South Africa. Even with her successes, DePrince did not forget her early childhood. She became a humanitarian and throughout her career expressed a desire to open a school for dance and the arts in Sierra Leone. In lieu of flowers, DePrince’s family has asked people to donate to War Child, an organization DePrince supported.
