Michaela Deprince

Michaela Deprinceoperaballet.ntl

Looking into the mirror, she saw only a girl with oddly shaped blotches all over her body. As a result, she lost hope in everything. Devil child that was what she was called just because of a skin disease. Michaela Deprince now lives a glamorous life, but it wasn’t always that way. At the age of four she was an orphan in Sierra Leone. Her father was killed when rebels attacked him at his work and her mother starved to death. Michaela was spared the fate because her mother gave her what little food she had, sacrificing her own life so that her daughter might live.  Michaela was sent to an orphanage where she was hated by the teachers because she had a skin disease called vitiligo, which caused certain parts of her body lose pigment. One day she saw a magazine with a ballerina on the cover and instantly fell in love with the idea of becoming a ballerina herself one day. Fortunately, she was adopted by a loving family. Her parents signed her up for classes and Deprince’s love of dance began to grow more and more. Despite the hardships Michaela faced as a child, she persevered and accomplished her goal of being a successful ballerina, as a hero would. Michaela Deprince is not only a famous ballerina but also a hero because she leads by example and puts others before herself.

Michaela Deprince performingmichaeladeprince.com 

Deprince leads by example by showing young adults that despite their race, they can accomplish anything. When interviewed, Michaela Deprince said, "I'm still trying to change the way people see black dancers, that we can become delicate dancers, that we can be a ballerina" (Mabuse). Since African American dancers may constantly be judged upon for their skin color, it is harder for them to do what they truly love because they are not as well accepted as other dancers. Deprince says she wants to change the way people view black dancers. In spite of people's skin color she believes everyone should have equal chances. She sets an example for other people facing racial barriers. While Werman is introducing Michaela Deprince he says, “A devil child, they called her; last in line for everything. But despite those overwhelming challenges, Michaela emerged on top” (Ballet Dancer Michaela DePrince: From Sierra Leone to the Stage). Michaela always works hard and wishes to empower people despite stereotypes. She cares for the new generation and wants everyone to have a fair chance. Michaela Deprince is a great role model for young children.

Michaela Deprince helps studentswlrn.org

Deprince has achieved fame, but she also acts humbly by helping other kids in need regardless of her fame. As stated in the website, “Besides dancing, Michaela loves reaching out to disadvantaged young people, with whom she shares her message of hard work, perseverance and hope, in order to encourage them to strive for a dream. In 2016 she was named an Ambassador for War Child Netherlands” (Michaela Deprince). Michaela Deprince unlike some famous people, takes her fame and turns it into something beautiful. She helps people by sharing her story of how she made the transition from a hopeless child. She wants to reach out to children help them make their lives better. With a humble attitude, Deprince actively helps kids in Sierra Leone to improve the quality of another child's life. In an interview with Michaela Deprince, Mabuse talks about how  “...she'd like to start an art school in Sierra Leone. She wants to use her remarkable story to teach little girls on the continent that if they have a dream they can definitely achieve it” (Mabuse). Deprince doesn’t just keep her career and fame to herself. She wants to go to her hometown to build an art school so the kids there can be happy and find something they like. Even though she didn’t have a good childhood in Sierra Leone she wants to go back to show little girls that they have a lot to live for.  Michaela Deprince does not focus only on herself but also on people in need.  

Through Deprince’s journey she has rose above stereotypes and her selfless acts  truly inspired young people. An African American ballerina wasn’t common, but knowing this, she still pursued her goal to become a successful dancer. Through all the tears she shed through her journey, she came out on top. Deprince doesn’t just influence children who desire to be ballerinas but also people who need to be inspired or have a role model to look up to. As Michaela Deprince once said, "Sometimes you just need to make a little ripple to open the doors for others” (Orphan No. 27 Pirouettes to Stardom). The ballerina that Deprince saw on the magazine cover was something she treasured not just because she was beautiful but also because she looked happy and graceful. Deprince need something like this to give her hope and strength through dark times.  That magazine was the “little ripple” for her; it showed her she had more to live for. Not only does her fame earn opportunities for herself, but it also serves a good platform to inspire other dancers. Looking back into the mirror, she sees a confident girl ready to take on any challenge that is thrown at her.

Works Cited

“About.” Michaela DePrince, www.michaeladeprince.com/about-1/.

"Ballet Dancer Michaela DePrince: From Sierra Leone to the Stage." PRI's The World, 18 July 2012. Student Resources in Context, https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A297375752/SUIC?u=powa9245&xid=b2bf836a. Accessed 4 Feb. 2018.

"Michaela DePrince: From war orphan to teen ballerina." CNN Wire, 29 Aug. 2012. Student Resources in Context, https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A301044201/SUIC?u=powa9245&xid=f769ab41. Accessed 4 Feb. 2018.

"Orphan No. 27 pirouettes to stardom." Washingtonpost.com, 21 July 2015. Student Resources in Context, https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A422606648/SUIC?u=powa9245&xid=e45bde15. Accessed 31 Jan. 2018.