Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina (Paperback)

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Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina By Michaela DePrince, Elaine Deprince Cover Image
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Staff Reviews


— Random House Kids

Her name was Mabinty Bangura. When she was a very young child, both her parents were killed due to war and diseases of Sierra Leone. Her uncle sold her to an orphanage where she would be known as Number -27. Here the horrors of her culture and war meant she was barely surviving. Only after Mabinty was adopted by an American family that things changed. She became Michaela. She gained a new Mama and Papa, older brothers, a new sister (her best friend from the orphanage) and later other younger sisters. And Michaela would be able to follow her new found passion: ballet. Told in her own voice, Michaela and her mother Elaine, show the journey of one child who has beaten the odds. — Jeanette

Description


The extraordinary memoir of an orphan who danced her way from war-torn Sierra Leone to ballet stardom, most recently appearing in Beyonce’s Lemonade and as a principal in a major American dance company.

"Michaela is nothing short of a miracle, born to be a ballerina. For every young brown, yellow, and purple dancer, she is an inspiration!” —Misty Copeland, world-renowned ballet dancer
 
Michaela DePrince was known as girl Number 27 at the orphanage, where she was abandoned at a young age and tormented as a “devil child” for a skin condition that makes her skin appear spotted. But it was at the orphanage that Michaela would find a picture of a beautiful ballerina en pointe that would help change the course of her life.
 
At the age of four, Michaela was adopted by an American family, who encouraged her love of dancing and enrolled her in classes. She went on to study at the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at the American Ballet Theatre and is now the youngest principal dancer with the Dance Theatre of Harlem. She has appeared in the ballet documentary First Position, as well as on Dancing with the Stars, Good Morning America, and Nightline.
 
In this engaging, moving, and unforgettable memoir, Michaela shares her dramatic journey from an orphan in West Africa to becoming one of ballet’s most exciting rising stars.

“Michaela DePrince is the embodiment of what it means to fight for your dream.” Today
 
“Michaela DePrince is a role model for girls on and off stage.”NYLON

About the Author


Michaela DePrince graduated from the American Ballet Theatre's Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis school in New York, and is a dancer with the Dutch National Ballet. She travels between Amsterdam and New York City, where she lives with her family.

Praise For…


Starred review, Publishers Weekly, August 11, 2014:
"A compelling narrative . . . The book’s strong thread is Michaela’s lifelong passion for ballet and her candid depiction of the physical and emotional struggles of becoming a black classical ballerina. There is plenty of ballet detail for dance lovers to revel in, and the authors achieve a believable, distinctive teenage voice with a nice touch of lyrical description." 

"Readers will find her life story gripping whether or not they are dance fans...the heart of the journey resonates in this mother/daughter collaboration. A revealing and absorbing journey through dance classes and competitions to success."—Kirkus Reviews

“From her earliest days as an orphan in Sierra Leone to the stages of world-renowned theaters, Michaela’s incredible determination to not only survive, but triumph in the face of unthinkable adversity is an inspiration to anyone who has fought for a dream. Her grace and strength bleed through in each of her breathtaking performances. This is a story of great courage that all women—young and old—should read.” —Tina Brown

“Extraordinarily written. Hardship ads to the strength of the people and artists we become and Michaela is nothing short of a miracle, born to be a ballerina. For every young brown, yellow, and purple dancer, she is an inspiration!” —Misty Copeland, world-renowned ballet dancer


Product Details
ISBN: 9780385755146
ISBN-10: 0385755147
Publisher: Ember
Publication Date: January 19th, 2016
Pages: 256
Language: English