February 15, 2024 njads
Siphesihle (Siphe) November has been making waves in the ballet industry in recent years and is the perfect addition to our Influential Dancers series breaking boundaries and making Black history. From being the youngest ever Principal Dancer in the National Ballet of Canada to the first Black dancer to play the role of Peter/The Prince in The Nutcracker and more he has been wowing audiences since a young age.Siphesihle was born and raised in Zolani, Western Cape, South Africa. As a young child he and his brothers would dance kwaito a form of street dance. He would later begin ballet classes and by the age of 10 he was noticed by a Canadian couple whose child danced with Canada’s National Ballet School. At the age of 11 with the support of his mother and his dance teacher, Siphesihle would travel to Toronto to stay with the couple and begin his studies at Canada’s National Ballet school on a scholarship.
Just 7 years later, before even completing an apprenticeship, Artistic Director of the National Ballet of Canada, Karen Kain, invited Siphe to join.
In 2019 a documentary called Beyond Moving followed Siphesihle’s journey from his home town Zolani, through his school career at Canada’s National Ballet School and into his beginnings at The National Ballet of Canada. This same year he won The International Competition for the Erik Bruhn Prize.
In 2021 Siphesihle was promoted to principal dancer at 22 making him one of the youngest principal dancers in the company matching Guillame Côté. Siphesihle would then become the first and only Black dancer to play Peter/The Prince in James Kudelka’s version of The Nutcracker. Unfortunately, this production was cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Siphesihle has danced a variety of both classical and contemporary ballet roles including, Siegfried in Swan Lake, Peter/The Nutcracker in The Nutcracker, Bluebird in The Sleeping Beauty, Benvolio and Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, Puck in The Dreamland Lewis Carroll/White Rabbit in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. His repertoire includes The Winter’s Tale, Nijinsky, Anna Karenina, The Four Seasons, The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude, Chroma, The Second Detail, Etudes, Chaconne, Angels’ Atlas, Emergence, A Streetcar Named Desire, Being and Nothingness, Paz de la Jolla, Night, Elite Syncopations, Concerto, Orpheus Alive and The Dreamers Ever Leave You.
In 2022 he made his debut as a choreographer with On Solid Ground. This debuted on the National Ballet’s mainstage. He created All that is Within for MAD HOT BALLET: Deco Danse, to mark the retirement from the company, of former First Soloist Tanya Howard.
Siphesihle describes dance as a lifeline in his childhood and growing up. It was a way to communicate sadness and emotions and helped him to learn who he was. Using his kwaito experience, he was able to create incredible jumps and perfect his classical ballet technique bringing something unique to his performances. Of course, it’s his choreography where he can show off his range of technique and skills combining his range of ballet skills with his kwaito skills to create something truly beautiful.
Siphesihle is an example of someone who using dedication, sacrifice, and hard work, has taken his challenges in life and turned it into a source of strength creating masterpieces in the dance world.
