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Transcript

A Retelling of

Michaela Deprince

The War Orphan Who Became a Ballerina

By Gael, Ozzy, Kim, Isaiahs, and Yaretzi

Introduction

My name is Micheala Deprince and I was born in Serria Leone in 1995. I suffer from a condition called vitiligo. Which are patches of skin lose pigmentation. Both of my parents died in the Civil War. Then I was sent to place where I became a number.

Introduction

The Orphanage

They sent me to an orphanage. And they names us from 1 to 27. I was named 27. They named me 27 because of my skin condition. Our numbers were a sort of ranking for us. 1 was the most likely to be adopted, while I was the least likely. They called me a devil's child. . All the other people were discouraged to play with me. One day, I found a part of magazine. It was a woman dancing on the tips of her toes. With a lack of where to keep it, I stuffed it in my underwear randomly.

Her adoption

Her Adoption

I bacame a close friend with number 26. Who was also disliked because she was left handed. Her name was Mia and we would share a sleeping mat every night. She also became my mate mate. One day the orphange was warned that it will be bombed and so all the children were marched to refruge. At this moment I found out that my beloved mate mate would be adopted by an American women. For once I thought that everyone else would be adopted but not me. But there was a change of plan. when the Aunties told Elaine Deprince that I was unlikly to be adopted Elaine decided to adopt both us

Elaine Deprince

When Elaine Deprince adopted both of us I remember stuggling to understand what was happening. I was so intoxicated from the her pretty dazzling hair. I also remember looking at people feet because of what my mind thought is that everyone was suppose to wear ballet shoes because they are from the US. That night i looked through Elaines suitcase and she did not even have pointe(ballet) shoes either. Elaine then started to notice my obsession with ballet. We then started to watch videos from the Nutcracker. I watched that video 150 times. Than we were able to go to see a real stage preformance where I pointed out dancers who missied their steps .Thats when Elaine enrolled 5 year old me to Rock School Dance in Philadelphia

Micheala Deprince Dancing

I was a shy girl. and painfully self-conscious of my vitiligo. That is all I could think about in stage. It was even hard for me to look at myself in the mirror. I would cover up myself up whenever possible with a turtle neck sweater. One day I asked my ballet teacher if she thought my skin comdition would hold back my career. And she said "what are you talking about?"

She had not even noticed the pale patches of skin I has. A significant moment for her was watching my steps. Being a ballerina is hard, even in the US. I think the problem is the corps of ballet. Because girls are suppose to look the same.In most of ballet companies you wont really see any black girls there. You might see a mixed race girls.There are only one or two black soloists in the whole US.

Micheala Deprince Dancing

Ending

At age 17 I have completed a tour dance with the Dance Theater of Herlem. Many of the daners there are African American or mixed race. Now that I`m not shy anymore I have become more upbeat. Also now that I have grown up I`m so happy the way things are turning out.

The END :)

Ending

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