Michaela Deprince was born in war-torn Sierra Leone on January 6, 1995. Little is known about Michaela’s biological parents beyond her childhood memories, and how much can a child of three be expected to remember? That was Michaela’s age when she was abandoned at an orphanage.

Michaela believes that her mother might have been a trader, who sold goods or produce in a bazaar. She seems to think that rebels killed her father, and her mother starved to death. She knows from the orphanage record that she was brought there by a guardian – perhaps her uncle. Though she remembers playing, laughing and singing with the other children in the orphanage, Michaela also remembers abuse at the hands of the women who cared for the orphans. Even worse she remembers witnessing some of the terrible atrocities committed by the rebels, which the children called “debils.” As a result, she prefers not to discuss the early years of her life when she lived in Sierra Leone.

“I’d rather talk about happier times,” Michaela says. Those happier times include a childhood spent in suburban America, where she has lived since age four after her adoption by Charles and Elaine DePrince. Michaela was adopted in 1999 along with her best friend from the orphanage. That friend is now her sister, Mia.

When Michaela and Mia talk about their parents, they mean their American parents, who rescued them from the horrors of war, cared for them and loved them for the last thirteen years of their lives. Michaela is very close to her family. She lives at home in New York City with her mom, her dad, two sisters who are her age, and two 12-year-old nieces, whom she thinks of as little sisters.

Michaela’s interest in ballet originated in Africa when she was four years old, and the wind blew a magazine against the orphanage gates. In the magazine she found a picture of a ballerina wearing a tutu and pointe shoes. She tore the picture from the magazine, folded it carefully and hid it in the one place she knew the other children wouldn’t find it – her panties. Often she would take the picture out, unfold it and imitate the dancer by standing on her tippy toes. At the time she didn’t know that the woman was a ballerina. She just believed that where the woman came from everybody wore beautiful clothes like that and walked on their tippy toes in pink satin shoes.

Inspired by a video of the New York City Ballet’s Nutcracker, Michaela began taking ballet lessons when she was four and a half years old. Most of her ballet training took place at The Rock School for Dance Education in Philadelphia, and at the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at the American Ballet Theatre. “I feel like I grew up at the Rock School, because I began taking lessons there before I was five years old.” She describes her experiences with both schools by saying, “If I were a wedding cake, I’d say that I was baked and frosted at the Rock School, but the final decorative touches were put on by ABT. I needed both. One without the other would have left me unfinished.”

The Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) was a very important part of Michaela’s ballet life. She competed for the first time when she was 10 years old. That year she won the Hope Award at the Philadelphia Regional Competition. She competed every year after that, and won awards, including the Junior Grand Prix at the Philadelphia Regional Competition when she was 13. She competed for the last time when she was 14 and won a full scholarship to JKO.

“For me the YAGP was not about winning. It was about getting to know people in ballet from all around the world. I made friends from everywhere and loved it!”

Michaela met Bess Kargman through YAGP, and Bess invited her to participate in the documentary film, "First Position." This was filmed when Michaela was 14. She was very shy at that age, and she would often try to hide from Bess when the young producer arrived to interview and film her. “I’m amazed that Bess put up with me. I was always disappearing,” Michaela says. Eventually Michaela grew used to being interviewed, and she realized that "First Position" would help her send a message that black girls can be ballerinas too. “I am really grateful to Bess for enabling me to do that. I think it’s ironic that this tiny little white woman, who claims that she couldn’t make it as a ballerina herself, might turn out to be the person who has done the most to further the cause of black ballerinas!” Having seen Michaela in "First Position," the producer of "Dancing With the Stars" invited her to perform as a guest on that popular program.

In the summer of 2012 Michaela was invited to join the American Ballet Theatre and the Dance Theatre of Harlem performance company. It was a difficult choice, but she finally committed to the Dance Theatre of Harlem for the 2012-2013 ballet season.

Michaela had her first opportunity to dance internationally when, as a JKO student, she was invited to the Netherlands in November 2011 to dance the role of Palmyra in the DDD production of Abdallah and the Gazelle of the Basra in the Netherlands.

Her professional debut in a classical ballet occurred in July 2012. She was invited to South Africa to dance with the South African Manszi Ballet Company. She danced the role of Gulnare in its production of Le Corsaire. “Le Corsaire is a very difficult but magnificent ballet. It was a wonderful experience and great opportunity for me. Everyone treated me so kindly.”

What Michaela liked best about her trip to South Africa was that she not only had the opportunity to prove that black ballerinas can dance classical ballet, but also she was given the chance to serve as a role model to young people there.

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