Michaela DePrince

This is a truly amazing young woman.

Born Mabinty Bangura in 1995, Michaela DePrince had many identities. One of them was “devil’s child” thanks to her vitiligo.

Attention - Violence in Africa discussed. The following video is NOT for young children.




Michaela grew up as an orphan in Sierra Leone during the civil war. Her life was difficult from the start. Her father was killed by militant rebels and her mother died of starvation. Frequently malnourished, mistreated and derided, life only got worse when she had to flee to a refugee camp after her orphanage was bombed.
In 1999 at the age of four, an American family adopted Michaela. Inspired by a picture she found in Sierra Leone, Michaela began to train in ballet. Her dream was to look as happy as the woman in the picture. It was only after many years of hard work and perseverance that Michaela’s dream came true. She was finally happy.
The story of De Prince is one of hard work, suffering, heartache and loss, but it’s also one of achievement, love, joy and daring to dream. Through her story she wants to encourage young people to aspire to a dream. Her message is loud and clear: Make your talent a part of your dream, and dare to make love a part of your life. Never be afraid of living and never be afraid of loving.

Bella Lewitzky

Bella Lewitzky, a modern dancer and choreographer was originally a student of ballet, Lewitzky launched a modern dance career in 1934, when she studied under LesterHorton, and later became a lead dancer in the Horton Dance Group. In 1966, she formed the Lewitzky Dance Company. Under her artistic guidance, the company became one of the leading international modern dance companies, performing to critical acclaim in 43 states across the U.S. as well as 20 countries on five continents.

"Great control of every motion and placement," she said, "is a kind of self-care. It's self-love in the best sense. I make a contract with the dancers (not literally, of course) to keep them alive and well and progressive-doing level best to see that they're not injured." One must bear in mind, she said, that "dancing is not normal, that only a strong, knowledgeable body can protect against damage."
Bella Lewitzky, from an interview w/ Donna Perlmutter, Dance Magazine, January 1997"

The originality, humanity and unconventional qualities for which Lewitzky's dances are famous often found their way into the management of her company. At a time when it was fashionable for dance companies to be based in New York -- and dangerous not to be -- she kept her company operating out of her native Los Angeles for thirty years.