Beyonce, Michaela DePrince David M. Benett/Dave Benett/WireImage ; Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images
Professional ballet dancer Michaela DePrince was starstruck to appear in the 2016 visual album for Beyoncé’s Lemonade.
“She said I looked like I was a creature from another planet,” DePrince, who died in September, told the Wall Street Journal in an April 2016 profile. “She walked up to me and said, ‘It’s such an honor to have you here.’”
DePrince was completely blown away that Beyoncé, now 43, wanted the ballet principal dancer to appear in her music video.
“I was really cheesy and said, ‘The honor is mine,” DePrince recalled. “I was on cloud nine.”
For the Lemonade concept, DePrince self-choreographed a ballet routine. While on set. Beyoncé’s eldest daughter, Blue Ivy, showed off her own dance skills as the singer’s husband, Jay-Z, watched in awe.
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“I don’t know if he was bothered by the song,” DePrince told the newspaper of the LP, rumored to be about Jay-Z’s alleged infidelity. “He was there watching us film and he was super, super sweet.”
After the success of Lemonade, DePrince became a principal dancer at the Boston Ballet company. Eight years later, she tragically died at the age of 29.
“With pain in our hearts, we share the loss of star ballerina Michaela Mabinty DePrince, whose artistry touched countless hearts and whose spirit inspired many, leaving an indelible mark on the world of ballet and beyond,” a Friday, September 13, statement on the athlete’s Instagram account read. “Her life was one defined by grace, purpose, and strength. Her unwavering commitment to her art, her humanitarian efforts, and her courage in overcoming unimaginable challenges will forever inspire us.”
The statement added, “She stood as a beacon of hope for many, showing that no matter the obstacles, beauty and greatness can rise from the darkest of places.”
A cause of death has not been publicly revealed.
“Though her time with us was far too brief, her brilliance and legacy will continue to shine in the hearts of all who were touched by her story, for generations to come,” the Friday statement concluded. “Love and prayers go to her chosen family, friends, and those who loved her.”
DePrince’s death has also impacted the ballet community, with Misty Copeland noting via Instagram that she was “devastated by this news.”
“Michaela had so much more to give, not just to ballet, but to the world. Her legacy will continue to inspire generations of dancers, but her absence leaves a void that will be felt deeply,” Copeland, 42, wrote. “The ballet world, and all those whose lives she touched, will miss her profoundly. She was a bright light, and her impact will never be forgotten.”
DePrince is survived by her parents, who adopted her from Sierra Leone at the age of 4.
