She defies gravity with her leaps and awes everyone who sees her with her awesome ballet skills!

Michaela grew up as an orphan in Sierra Leone, West Africa. She witnessed horrible violence in her war-stricken home. Somehow she managed to survive and discovered she had a passion for ballet!

"My rebelliousness in Sierra Leone helped me survive there, and it stayed with me until I moved to the States and realized I was in a safe place with caring parents,”

She currently is featured in First Position, a documentary the follows six dancers as they compete for dance spots at some very tough and prestigious ballet schools.

She got in to American Ballet Theatre’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School in New York City. In her final year at the school she and her team also appeared on Dancing with the Stars.

Michaela is truly an inspiration. She was able to overcome extreme adversity in a war torn country and made it to the States where she was able to channel her emotions into ballet.

“I take what’s in my past and put it in my body. My life is proof that no matter what situation you’re in, as long as you have a supportive family, you can achieve anything.”

source: bck