Siphesihle November
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{short description|South African ballet dancer}}
{{Infobox dancer
| name = Siphesihle November
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| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|22|2021|06|22}}
| birth_place = Zolani, South Africa
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| education = Canada's National Ballet School
| occupation = ballet dancer
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| current_group = National Ballet of Canada
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Siphesihle November (born {{birth based on age as of date|22|2021|06|22|noage=1}}) is a South African ballet dancer. He joined the National Ballet of Canada in 2017 and was promoted to principal dancer in 2021, at age 22.
Early life and training
November was born in Zolani, Western Cape. He is the youngest of five children.{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/stage/2018/11/21/meet-the-south-african-dancer-who-followed-a-billy-elliot-like-path-to-the-national-ballet-of-canada.html|title=Meet the South African dancer who followed a Billy Elliot-like path to the National Ballet of Canada|work=Toronto Star|last=Crabb|first=Michael|date=21 November 2018}} As a child, he danced kwaito, a form of street dance with his brothers. He was spotted by a dance teacher, who invited him to her ballet classes.{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/arts/siphe-november-never-expected-to-have-a-life-as-a-ballet-dancer-now-his-grace-will-amaze-you-1.4556224|title=Siphe November never expected to have a life as a ballet dancer — now his grace will amaze you|work=CBC|last=Dechausay|first=Lucius|date=28 February 2018}} In 2009, he met a Canadian couple on sabbatical, who recognised November's talents. The following year, with the permission of his dance teacher and mother, the couple brought the eleven-year-old November to Toronto, where he studied at Canada's National Ballet School on scholarship.{{cite news|url=https://www.pointemagazine.com/siphesihle-november-ballet-2608208919.html|title=2018 Stars of the Corps: National Ballet of Canada's Siphesihle November|work=Pointe|last=Crabb|first=Michael|date=26 September 2018}}
Career
In 2017, November was invited to join the National Ballet of Canada by artistic director Karen Kain, without completing an apprenticeship first. In his first year, he danced as Bluebird, a short but technically demanding role, in The Sleeping Beauty. The following year, he was cast as Puck in Ashton's The Dream, sharing the role with three other colleagues, including two principal dancers. He was included in Dance Magazine's "25 to Watch" the same year.{{cite news|url=https://www.dancemagazine.com/25-to-watch-2019-2621787820.html|title=These Are Our "25 to Watch" Picks for 2019|work=Dance Magazine|date=10 December 2018}}
In 2019, he and colleague Jeannine Haller represented the National Ballet at the Erik Bruhn Prize by dancing a pas de deux from La Sylphide and Alysa Pires's new work The Other Side, with him winning the male category.{{cite news|url=https://www.pointemagazine.com/2019-erik-bruhn-prizewinners-2632763294.html|title=Congrats to 2019 Erik Bruhn Prize Winners Siphesihle November and Catherine Hurlin|magazine=Pointe|last=Lansky|first=Chava|date=25 March 2019}} Later that year, he was promoted to second soloist.{{cite news|url=https://www.pointemagazine.com/2019-ballet-company-promotions-2639466274.html|title=These Dancers Are Climbing the Ranks at 7 Major Companies|work=Pointe|last=Lansky|first=Chava Pearl|date=30 July 2019}} He is also the subject of Vikram Dasgupta's 2019 documentary Beyond Moving. The production began in 2015, while November was still a student.{{cite news|url=https://www.thedancecurrent.com/column/from-south-africa-canada-big-screen|title=From South Africa to Canada, to the Big Screen|work=The Dance Current|last=Dion|first=Anne|date=9 April 2020}} In 2020, he was promoted to first soloist.{{cite news|url=https://www.dancemagazine.com/news-note-may-june-2020-2646316995.html|title=News of Note: What You Might Have Missed in May and June 2020|work=Dance Magazine|last=Escoyne|first=Courtney|date=2 July 2020}}
In 2021, November was named principal dancer.{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/stage/2021/06/22/karen-kains-swan-lake-will-finally-take-flight-in-the-national-ballets-70th-anniversary-season.html|title=Karen Kain's 'Swan Lake' will finally take flight in the National Ballet's 70th anniversary season|work=Toronto Star|last=Crabb|first=Michael|date=22 June 2021}} At age 22, he tied Guillaume Côté's record of being the youngest principal dancers at the company. He is also the company's second black principal dancer, after Kevin Pugh.{{cite news|url=https://pointemagazine.com/siphesihle-november/|title=Siphesihle November, National Ballet of Canada’s Charismatic New Principal, Has Captured Toronto’s Heart|work=Pointe|last=Smith|first=Kathleen|date=January 6, 2022}} His first appearance since his promotion was in Pite's Angels' Atlas, though his debut as Peter/The Prince in The Nutcracker was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He will also choreograph a new work for the company, which is scheduled to premiere in March 2022.
References
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Category:People from the Western Cape
Category:South African male ballet dancers
Category:South African ballet dancers
Category:National Ballet of Canada principal dancers