AINST HER. HERE'S KATE SNOW.
>> WHEN YOU THINK BACK, WHAT WERE YOUR CHANCES FOR SUCCESS IN
THIS WORLD? >> FOR SUCCESS, THERE WAS NONE.
ABSOLUTELY NONE. THE ONLY WAY I COULD SURVIVE WAS
TO PROVE EVERYBODY WRONG. >> OVER AND OVER AND OVER.
>> AND AGAIN OVER AGAIN. >> AND THAT'S JUST --
>> IT HELPS -- IT HELPS ME TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT.
>> TO BE HONEST, IT'S UNBELIEVABLE THAT SHE'S EVEN
ALIVE TODAY, LET ALONE PLASTERED ON POSTERS, COLLABORATING WITH
BEYONCE, AND PERFORMING ON THE WORLD STAGE.
>> WE'VE TRAVELED TO AMSTERDAM WHERE MICHAELA DEPRINCE IS A
STAR BALLERINA WITH THE DUTCH NATIONAL BALLET.
BUT THE STORIES THAT PLAY OUT UP ON STAGE, AS MELODRAMATIC AS
THEY MIGHT BE, CAN'T EVEN COME CLOSE TO MICHAELA'S OWN
MIRACULOUS JOURNEY OF PERSEVERANCE, DEDICATION AND
SURVIVAL. >> MICHAELA'S STORY STARTS HERE
IN THE IMPOVERISHED AFRICAN COUNTRY OF SIERRA LEONE.
SHE WAS BORN IN 1995, NAMED MABINTY BANGURA, IN THE MIDST OF
A CIVIL WAR THAT KILLED THOUSANDS.
HER FATHER WAS KILLED BY REBELS, AND HER MOTHER DIED SOON AFTER
FROM DISEASE AND STARVATION. >> I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT MY
BIOLOGICAL PARENTS LOOKED LIKE. I CAN'T REALLY REMEMBER ANY
HAPPY MOMENTS. >> 3-YEAR-OLD MABINTY WAS
ABANDONED AT AN ORPHANAGE WHERE SHE WAS TREATED LIKE A PARIAH.
>> THE WOMEN AT THE ORPHANAGE, THEY CALLED YOU --
>> THE DEVIL'S CHILD. THEY KEPT SAYING, "WHY WOULD
SOMEBODY WANT TO ADOPT THE DEVIL'S CHILD?"
>> SO THEY SAW THE PIGMENTATION AND THEY THOUGHT THAT IT WAS
EVIL? >> YEAH, DEFINITELY.
>> MABINTY WAS BORN WITH THE SKIN CONDITION VITILIGO.
WHAT SHE CALLED HER SPOTS WERE THE REASON THE ADULTS IN
THE ORPHANAGE THOUGHT SHE WAS CURSED.
>> SO THEY RANKED US, LIKE, NUMBER ONE WAS THE FAVORITE
CHILD AND NUMBER 27 WAS THE LEAST FAVORITE.
I WAS NUMBER 27. >> NUMBER ONE GETS THE FIRST
DIBS AT FOOD? >> YEAH.
FIRST DIBS AT FOOD. FIRST CHOICE OF CLOTHES.
>> WHAT DID NUMBER 27 END UP WITH?
>> PRETTY MUCH RAGS. >> SHE HAD ONLY ONE FRIEND AT
THE ORPHANAGE, NUMBER 26, ALSO NAMED MABINTY.
SHE WAS WAY DOWN IN THE PECKING ORDER SIMPLY BECAUSE SHE WAS
LEFT-HANDED AND WET THE BED. >> SO YOU WERE TIGHT.
>> YEAH, WE WERE, LIKE, TIGHTER --
>> YOU'RE LIKE SISTERS. >> -- THAN PEANUT BUTTER, LIKE
JELLY, IT WAS LIKE, YEAH. >> THEN ONE FATEFUL DAY, NUMBER
27 MADE A RANDOM DISCOVERY THAT WOULD CHANGE HER LIFE.
>> A GUST OF WIND BLEW A MAGAZINE UP AGAINST THE GATE
OUTSIDE THE ORPHANAGE AND SHE FOUND IT.
THIS IS A COPY OF THAT MAGAZINE, AND THIS IMAGE OF A BALLERINA ON
THE COVER GAVE A DESPERATELY SAD ORPHAN SOMETHING SHE'D NEVER HAD
BEFORE. >> I NEEDED THIS TO COME INTO MY
LIFE AT THE TIME THAT IT DID COME.
AND I NEEDED TO FIND SOMETHING TO GIVE ME HOPE.
>> SHE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT.
A WHITE WOMAN IN STRANGE CLOTHES STANDING ON HER TOES.
NUMBER 27 SHOWED IT TO A BELOVED TEACHER.
>> SHE EXPLAINED TO ME SHE WAS A BALLERINA, DANCING BALLET.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO BE. A BALLERINA.
AND IT WAS NOT JUST THE FACT THAT SHE'S A BALLERINA.
IT'S THAT SHE LOOKS HAPPY. AND I WANTED TO BE HAPPY.
>> BUT THAT HOPE WAS SMASHED BY UNIMAGINABLE HORROR.
SHE WAS ABOUT TO ENDURE SOMETHING SO TRAGIC THAT THE
MEMORY IS STILL SCALDING. OUTSIDE THE ORPHANAGE, REBELS
ATTACKED THAT FAVORITE TEACHER OF HERS.
>> SHE WAS PREGNANT. AND THEY CUT HER STOMACH OPEN
BECAUSE THEY HAD A BET. THEY WANTED TO KNOW IF IT WAS A
GIRL OR BOY. AND SO, THEY DECIDED TO FIND
OUT. >> WHEN MABINTY TRIED TO HELP
HER TEACHER, A REBEL BOY TURNED ON HER, SLICING HER STOMACH WITH
A MACHETE. SHE WAS SPARED ONLY BECAUSE A
NIGHT WATCHMAN AT THE ORPHANAGE BEGGED FOR HER LIFE.
>> WHEN I GOT STABBED, I WAS REALLY HOPING -- I FELT VERY
MUCH ALONE. I REALLY WANTED TO DIE.
I DIDN'T SEE THE POINT. I DIDN'T THINK I WOULD HAVE
ANYTHING GOOD IN MY LIFE AT ALL. >> HER TEARS, HER PAIN WOULD
ONLY DEEPEN, EVEN AS AMERICANS WERE COMING TO ADOPT THE
ORPHANS. HER BEST FRIEND, NUMBER 26, WAS
ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES, CHOSEN BY A FAMILY WHO SENT A BOOK OF
PHOTOS. BUT NO ONE WAS COMING FOR NUMBER
27. >> EVERYBODY ELSE, YOU KNOW,
THEY ALL HAD FAMILY BOOKS AND -- I'M SORRY.
>> AND THERE WAS NO BOOK FOR YOU?
>> NO. >> NUMBER 26 GOT A BOOK.
AND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, YOU WOULD LOOK AT HER BOOK.
>> YOU KNEW YOU WANTED TO ADOPT. >> THIS IS THE WOMAN WHO SENT
THAT BOOK OF PHOTOS. ELAINE DEPRINCE WAS LOOKING TO
FILL HER OWN VOID, AN EQUALLY UNIMAGINABLE ONE.
ELAINE AND HER HUSBAND CHARLES HAD ADOPTED BEFORE, THREE
AMERICAN BOYS. TRAGICALLY, THEY ALL WOULD DIE
OF AIDS FROM CONTAMINATED BLOOD. AFTER THE FIRST TWO DEATHS,
ELAINE WAS HEARTBROKEN, BUT SHE WASN'T GOING TO LET THAT STOP
HER FROM LIVING AND LOVING. >> I DECIDED TO ADOPT ONE CHILD
FROM A WAR-TORN COUNTRY IN AFRICA BECAUSE MY SON MICHAEL
LOVED AFRICA. >> THAT ORPHAN WAS NUMBER 26.
>> AND THEN I GOT A CALL FROM THE ADOPTION AGENCY AND THEY
ASKED, "WHICH MABINTY ARE YOU ADOPTING?"
THEY SAID, "WE HAVE TWO OF THEM."
>> THE ORPHANAGE TOLD ELAINE THAT 12 FAMILIES HAD REFUSED TO
TAKE THE OTHER MABINTY, NUMBER 27, BECAUSE OF HER VITILIGO.
>> I SAID, "WELL, WE'LL TAKE HER."
>> JUST LIKE THAT? >> JUST LIKE THAT.
I SAID, "WE'LL TAKE HER." I SAID, "I REALLY DON'T HAVE A
PROBLEM WITH SPOTS, AFTER DEALING WITH AIDS."
>> WHEN ELAINE ARRIVED IN AFRICA TO ADOPT BOTH 4-YEAR-OLDS, SHE
WAS THE ONE WHO BROKE THE UNEXPECTEDLY GOOD NEWS TO NUMBER
27. >> SHE WAS STANDING THERE WITH
HER ARMS FOLDED REALLY ANGRY. I THINK SHE JUST THOUGHT THERE
WAS GOING TO BE MORE REJECTION AHEAD OF HER.
>> THEN SHE TAKES OUR HANDS AND SHE SAYS, "I'M YOUR NEW MAMA."
>> BECAUSE IT WOULD BE HARD TO HAVE TWO MABINTYS, ELAINE
RE-NAMED BOTH GIRLS AFTER HER SON MICHAEL, THE ONE WHO LOVED
AFRICA. NUMBER 26 BECAME MIA MABINTY
DEPRINCE AND NUMBER 27, MICHAELA MABINTY DEPRINCE.
ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS MICHAELA DID WAS SHOW HER NEW MOM THAT
TREASURED MAGAZINE COVER. >> I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT I HAD
ADOPTED AN ORPHAN FROM AFRICA WHO WANTED POINTE SHOES.
>> SHE WANTED TO BE A BALLERINA. >> I HAD TO PROMISE HER SHE
WOULD DANCE. >> BUT FIRST, THE SISTERS
STARTED THEIR NEW ADVENTURE IN CHERRY HILL, NEW JERSEY, WHERE
EVERYTHING WAS A WIDE-EYED REVELATION.
>> I MEAN, I HAD NEVER SEEN SO MUCH FOOD BEFORE.
AND I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAD TO REALLY PAY FOR IT.
SO I WAS JUST PICKING THINGS AND EATING THEM AND --
>> AS IF IT'S FREE. >> YEAH, AS IF IT WAS FREE.
>> BEFORE LONG, MICHAELA'S MOM MADE GOOD ON HER PROMISE.
AND MICHAELA STARTED BALLET. MIA, TOO.
WELL, SORT OF. >> THERE WERE A FEW TIMES WHERE
WE WERE -- I WAS -- >> IN CLASS TOGETHER --
>> YEAH. >> AND I -- I'M VERY SERIOUS.
AND I'M, LIKE -- >> YEAH.
>> WHY ARE YOU TALKING? >> YEAH.
>> IT'S NOT TIME TO LAUGH. >> NO.
>> IT WAS A SERIOUS TIME. >> SHE WOULD BE -- MAKE THOSE
LOOKS. >> LIKE, DEATH LOOKS.
>> YEAH. >> IT'S, LIKE --
>> STOP TALKING! >> I DON'T KNOW, IT WAS, LIKE,
WE WERE IN A PROFESSIONAL COMPANY OR SOMETHING, THE LOOKS
THAT SHE WAS GIVING ME, LIKE SHE WAS THE DIRECTOR OR SOMETHING.
>> EVEN AT THAT YOUNG AGE, MICHAELA WAS LASER-FOCUSED ON
BECOMING A PROFESSIONAL BALLERINA.
BUT FIRST, SHE HAD TO GET OVER HER INSECURITIES ABOUT THE WAY
SHE LOOKED. >> I REMEMBER MY FIRST SHOW.
I WAS TERRIFIED BECAUSE I THOUGHT, "OKAY, WELL, IF PEOPLE
COULD SEE MY SPOTS THAT MEANT I COULD NOT BECOME THE BALLERINA I
WANTED TO BE." SO I ASKED MY MOM LIKE, "CAN
YOU, LIKE, MAKE SURE. LIKE, IF YOU SEE IT, LET ME
KNOW." >> AND I SAID, "NO, NOT REALLY.
THEY LOOKED LIKE PIXIE DUST." AND SHE SAYS, "OH GOOD.
NOW I CAN BE A PROFESSIONAL BALLERINA."
>> BUT WHILE MICHAELA GOT MORE COMFORTABLE WITH HER SKIN
CONDITION, SHE FACED OTHER OBSTACLES BECAUSE OF THE COLOR
OF HER SKIN. >> WHEN I WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD
THIS TEACHER SAID, "YOU KNOW, WE DON'T PUT A LOT OF EFFORT INTO
THE BLACK BALLERINAS BECAUSE THEY ALL END UP GETTING FAT AND
HAVING BIG BOOBS." >> DID YOU EVER THINK THAT SHE
WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO MAKE IT AS A PROFESSIONAL BALLERINA BECAUSE
OF HER SKIN COLOR? >> I KNEW THAT IT WOULD BE
DIFFICULT. BUT SHE WAS JUST A VERY
DETERMINED CHILD. WHEN SHE GOT SOMETHING IN HER
HEAD SHE WENT FOR IT. >> MICHAELA HAD DEFIED LONG ODDS
BEFORE, OF COURSE, AND SOON ENOUGH, SHE WAS DOING IT
AGAIN, BREAKING THROUGH AND SOARING UP THE DANCE RANKS.
BY 17, SHE WAS PERFORMING WITH THE DANCE THEATRE OF HARLEM IN
NEW YORK CITY. THE YOUNGEST IN THE COMPANY.
>> THE FOLLOWING YEAR, SHE WAS HIRED BY THE PRESTIGIOUS DUTCH
NATIONAL BALLET IN AMSTERDAM AT 18, SHE WAS SUPPORTING HERSELF
AND LIVING OUT HER UNLIKELY DREAM.
>> SO WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BECOME A WORLD-CLASS BALLERINA?
PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. SO WE'RE GOING TO WATCH ONE.
>> I'M KNOWN FOR BEING ONE OF THE HIGHEST JUMPERS.
I'M LITERALLY FLYING IN THE AIR. AND THAT FEELING IS INCREDIBLE.
>> GET THERE QUICKER. >> BALLET DIRECTOR TED BRANDSEN
NOT ONLY HIRED MICHAELA BUT RECENTLY PROMOTED HER TO
SOLOIST. >> THIS -- POP.
YES. >> WHAT ARE HER STRENGTHS?
>> APART FROM HER REALLY STRONG PHYSICAL PRESENCE, AND HER
STRONG TECHNIQUE, IT'S A REALLY GOOD MIND AND A WILL TO SUCCEED.
>> AN INNER STRENGTH? >> YEAH.
>> AT AGE 22, SHE'S ONLY ONE LEVEL BELOW THE TOP-RANKED
BALLERINAS IN THE COMPANY. ♪ CAUSE A WINNER DON'T QUIT ON
THEMSELVES ♪ >> AND LAST YEAR, SHE HAD HER
BRUSH WITH SUPERSTARDOM. BEYONCE HAND-PICKED MICHAELA TO
CHOREOGRAPH HER OWN DANCE SOLO IN THE "FREEDOM" MUSIC VIDEO
FROM "LEMONADE." >> I WAS LIKE, "THAT'S MICHAELA,
THAT'S MICHAELA" AND I STARTED GOING LIKE THIS.
SHE'S SITTING KIND OF CLOSE TO BEYONCÉ, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT
A BIG DEAL. IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL."
RIGHT? NO, IT WAS NOT AT ALL.
>> MICHAELA IS ALSO THE NEW FACE OF JOCKEY'S "SHOW 'EM WHAT'S
UNDERNEATH" CAMPAIGN. >> THERE WAS A TIME WHEN YOU
ASKED YOUR MOM TO LOOK FROM THE AUDIENCE AND LET YOU KNOW IF SHE
COULD SEE WHAT YOU CALLED YOUR SPOTS.
>> YEAH. >> AND NOW HERE YOU ARE, PROUDLY
SHOWING IT ALL OFF. >> YEAH.
IT'S REAL. IT'S RAW.
IT'S SHOWING THEM WHO YOU REALLY ARE.
>> FROM AN ORPHAN WITH NOTHING TO LIVE FOR TO A YOUNG GIRL WITH
BIG DREAMS. AND NOW, A DAZZLING BALLERINA.
>> HEY, PRETTY GIRL. >> IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU
WOULD WANT TO SAY TO MICHAELA'S BIRTH PARENTS, IF YOU COULD?
>> I THINK I WOULD LIKE HER MOTHER TO KNOW THAT SHE HAS MADE
SOMETHING OF HERSELF. SHE SAW HER CHILD AS LOOKED DOWN
UPON. THIS CHILD HAS RISEN FROM THAT.
>> IT'S NOT A FAIRYTALE. YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO WORK HARD.
THERE IS A LOT OF LOSS, LOT OF PAIN.
BUT, YOU KNOW, PERFORMING, I LOVE IT.