Trailblazing ballerina Michaela DePrince dies suddenly aged 29

Groundbreaking ballerina Michaela DePrince has died suddenly at the age of 29, her spokesperson announced Friday.

DePrince’s family has not released a cause of death for the young dancer, who won legions of fans with her story of how she escaped violence as an orphan in Sierra Leone, Africa, and became a world-famous ballerina.

Born Mabinty Mangura, she spent her first years malnourished and abused in an orphanage, and was adopted at the age of four by a couple in New Jersey.

She made her breakthrough at the age of 17 when she competed in Dancing with the Stars. She became best known for her leading role in Beyoncé’s video clip ‘Lemonade’.