Aphiwe November joins Cape Town City Ballet

by Kristine Elliott

Credit: Jaime Lagdameo Photo 2024

We are so incredibly excited to share that Aphiwe November has accepted a contract as a professional dancer with Cape Town City Ballet!

I first met Aphiwe as a student at Dancescape School in Zolani, South Africa. With two accomplished cousins, Muthuthuzelli November, a former member of Ballet Black and successful choreographer, and Siphe November, a principal at National Ballet of Canada, Aphiwe showed the same raw ability and drive I’ve experienced working with his family members and which made him stand out, even at a young age.

Since that initial meeting, Gugulethu Ballet Project has worked to nurture Aphiwe’s talent. In 2019, Gugulethu Ballet Project sponsored Aphiwe to attend American Ballet Theatre's Bournonville workshop in New York City, where he also took classes at the Ailey School and Dance Theatre of Harlem. In 2021, while the world was in lockdown and dancers taking class in their homes, Aphiwe was the recipient of a dance mat from Harlequin Floors USA courtesy of Take the Floor 2020, an initiative by American Ballet Theatre Principal Dancer James Whiteside. In the summer of 2022, Gugulethu Ballet Project sponsored Aphiwe to attend Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet’s intensive summer program in San Francisco, then for three weeks of study in New York City with the Manhattan Youth Ballet.

From 2023-2024 Aphiwe attended Houston Ballet’s year-round Professional Program on a full scholarship, with living costs supported by Gugulethu Ballet Project. He benefited immensely from the quality of their training, the incredibly positive environment, and the wonderful support—physical therapy, housing, residential advisors, counselors—that the program provides. 

We send our sincerest thanks to Houston Ballet Director Julie Kent, and to all the incredible teachers and mentors who supported Aphiwe’s journey and gave such care to his training. 

We can’t wait to see what Aphiwe does next!

Our work is made possible by donations from caring patrons of the arts like you, and we are so grateful for your support. Help us continue to support talented young dancers like Aphiwe by making a donation online at http://www.gugulethuballetproject.org/donate/ or by mailing a check to Gugulethu Ballet Project at P.O. Box 620465 Woodside, CA 94062. 

Ubuntu,

Kristine Elliott

Director, Gugulethu Ballet Project

Building Pride through Dance