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Michaela DePrince, one of the ballet world’s biggest stars, has died. She was 29.

DePrince, a war orphan from Sierra Leone, moved to the United States as a baby and performed with the Dance Theatre of Harlem, the Dutch National Ballet and the Boston Ballet.

She rose to fame after appearing in the 2011 documentary First positionand was also known for her appearance in Beyoncé’s visual album Lemonade and perform on Dancing with the stars.

Her death was announced in a statement from her team on her official Instagram page. “It is with heavy hearts that we share the loss of star ballerina Michaela Mabinty DePrince, whose artistry touched countless hearts and whose spirit inspired so many, leaving an indelible mark on the world of ballet and beyond,” it read.

“Her life was marked by grace, purpose and strength. Her unwavering dedication to her art, her humanitarian efforts and her courage to overcome unimaginable challenges will forever inspire us. She was a beacon of hope to many, showing that beauty and greatness can rise from the darkest places, no matter the obstacles.”

No cause of death has yet been released.

DePrince was born Mabinty Bangura on January 6, 1995, in Kenema, Sierra Leone. She was raised as an orphan from the age of three, after her father was reportedly shot dead by the Revolutionary United Front and her mother died of starvation.

At the age of four, she was adopted by an American couple, Elaine and Charles DePrince, and they moved to Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

DePrince went on to study classical ballet in the US and was one of the stars of the 2011 documentary First positionwhich followed six young dancers as they competed for a spot at an elite ballet school.

She made history by becoming the youngest principal dancer at the Dance Theatre of Harlem, before moving to the Netherlands to dance with the Dutch National Ballet, before returning to the United States to dance with the Boston Ballet.

In 2012 she appeared in Dancing with the starsand in 2016 she choreographed her own dance moves to accompany the song “Freedom” on Beyoncé’s visual album Lemonade. “She said I looked like I was a creature from another planet,” DePrince told the Wall Street Journal about meeting the pop superstar. “She walked up to me and said, ‘It’s such an honor to have you here.’ I was really cheesy and said, ‘The honor is mine.’ I was on cloud nine.”

Her 2014 memoir, On the run: from war orphan to star ballerina, which she co-wrote with her adoptive mother, has been published in 12 countries. In 2018, it was announced that Madonna had been assigned to direct a film adaptation.

Boston Ballet paid tribute to DePrince following her death. “We send our love and support to the family of Michaela Mabinty DePrince during this time of loss,” their statement said. “We were so fortunate to know Mabinty; she was a wonderful person, a wonderful dancer, and she will be deeply missed by all of us.”