Hope in a Ballet Shoe
By: Michaela and Elaine DePrince
Location: NF 920 DEP
Genre: My fav- real life African story of hopelessness turned into hope because someone decided to make a difference!
This book is inspirational and here is why- it shows that despite the discussion that cross cultural adoption is not acceptable in some peoples minds- it rescues, saves, gives hope and redemption! Here is a young child whose parents have been taken from her in war torn Sierra Leone, who has ended up in an orphanage with little hope- now performing on the worlds ballet stage.
Here is a family that adopted this girl, gave her love, identity, courage and security-
Who are the hero's- they all are.
We can all make a difference- we just have to decide what our avenue is and do it!
Michaela DePrince was born in war-torn Sierra Leone during the decade long civil war that took place there. After rebels killed her father, and her mother died, her uncle left her at an orphanage. There she was taunted and abused by the women who cared for the children because she had a skin condition called vitiligo, which made her appear spotted. While there Michaela found a magazine stuck to the orphanage gate. On its cover was a photograph of a beautiful ballerina en pointe. Once she saw this, Michaela became determined to be just like that ballerina.
Soon after the discovery of the ballerina, Michaela was adopted by an American family that encouraged her to pursue her passion for ballet. There she became the eighth of their eleven children, nine of whom were adopted. While attending the Rock School for Dance Education in Philadelphia and the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at the American Ballet Theatre, Michaela worked hard to develop her skills so that she could overcome stereotypes of conventional beauty and racial barriers in the world of ballet.
After she was featured in the ballet documentary, First Position, Michaela debuted professionally as a guest principal at the Joburg Ballet in South Africa. Afterwards she danced with the Dance Theatre of Harlem professional company for one year before joining the Dutch National Junior Company as a second-year member and apprentice to the main company. Despite the fact that she misses her family in the United States, Michaela will be returning to the Dutch National Ballet’s main company for the 2014-2015 ballet season.
Besides dancing, Michaela loves reaching out to disadvantaged young people, with whom she shares her message of hard work, perseverance, hope, and striving for a dream
Genre: My fav- real life African story of hopelessness turned into hope because someone decided to make a difference!
This book is inspirational and here is why- it shows that despite the discussion that cross cultural adoption is not acceptable in some peoples minds- it rescues, saves, gives hope and redemption! Here is a young child whose parents have been taken from her in war torn Sierra Leone, who has ended up in an orphanage with little hope- now performing on the worlds ballet stage.
Here is a family that adopted this girl, gave her love, identity, courage and security-
Who are the hero's- they all are.
We can all make a difference- we just have to decide what our avenue is and do it!
Michaela DePrince was born in war-torn Sierra Leone during the decade long civil war that took place there. After rebels killed her father, and her mother died, her uncle left her at an orphanage. There she was taunted and abused by the women who cared for the children because she had a skin condition called vitiligo, which made her appear spotted. While there Michaela found a magazine stuck to the orphanage gate. On its cover was a photograph of a beautiful ballerina en pointe. Once she saw this, Michaela became determined to be just like that ballerina.
Soon after the discovery of the ballerina, Michaela was adopted by an American family that encouraged her to pursue her passion for ballet. There she became the eighth of their eleven children, nine of whom were adopted. While attending the Rock School for Dance Education in Philadelphia and the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at the American Ballet Theatre, Michaela worked hard to develop her skills so that she could overcome stereotypes of conventional beauty and racial barriers in the world of ballet.
After she was featured in the ballet documentary, First Position, Michaela debuted professionally as a guest principal at the Joburg Ballet in South Africa. Afterwards she danced with the Dance Theatre of Harlem professional company for one year before joining the Dutch National Junior Company as a second-year member and apprentice to the main company. Despite the fact that she misses her family in the United States, Michaela will be returning to the Dutch National Ballet’s main company for the 2014-2015 ballet season.
Besides dancing, Michaela loves reaching out to disadvantaged young people, with whom she shares her message of hard work, perseverance, hope, and striving for a dream
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