A war orphan from Sierra Leone, DePrince moved to the US and ended up performing with Beyoncé.

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.

    • Flying Squid
      21•3 months ago

      Drug overdose is also often a possibility.

      Edit: Why am I getting downvoted? I didn’t mean she overdosed. I’m just saying that’s a possibility when someone announces a famous person’s sudden death but we don’t find out until later. See: Prince.