Media Release
Siphesihle November to Depart The National Ballet of Canada at the End of the 2025/26 Season
March 24, 2026… Hope Muir, Joan and Jerry Lozinksi Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada, announced today that Principal Dancer Siphesihle November will be departing the company at the end of the 2025/26 season. His final performances will be in Helen Pickett’s Emma Bovary and Wayne McGregor’s MADDADDAM in the Summer Season from May 29 to June 21.
“I have truly valued my time working with Siphe. He had just been promoted to Principal Dancer when I arrived and it has been deeply rewarding to curate repertoire that has supported his continued growth into the artist he is today. Our time working together has been meaningful for both of us. As an Artistic Director, I strongly believe that dancers benefit from a range of experiences. Within the relatively short span of a dancer’s career, opportunities for exploration are incredibly important. Siphe will always have a place at The National Ballet of Canada and there will be opportunities for him to return as a guest in the future. I wish him every success,” said Muir.
“I will always carry deep gratitude for my time with The National Ballet of Canada. It has been a profound honor to grow, perform and share the stage with such extraordinary artists. I look forward to the possibility of continued collaborations and to crossing paths again in the future,” said November.
November trained at Canada’s National Ballet School, joined the National Ballet in 2017 and was promoted to Principal Dancer in 2021. With his signature musicality, charisma and brilliant technique, he is a natural in both classical and contemporary ballets. Most recently, he performed in the North American premiere of Crystal Pite’s Flight Pattern and the world premiere of Procession, choreographed by Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber. November has danced such roles as Siegfried in Swan Lake, Albrecht in Giselle, Peter/The Nutcracker in The Nutcracker, Bluebird in The Sleeping Beauty, Benvolio and Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, Lensky in Onegin, Basilio in Don Quixote, Puck in The Dream, Lewis Carroll/White Rabbit in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Jimmy/Snowman in MADDADDAM and Rodolphe Boulanger in Emma Bovary. In 2019, he won The International Competition for The Erik Bruhn Prize and he was named one of Pointe Magazine’s Star of the Corps and one of Dance Magazine’s 25 to Watch in 2018. He was also featured in Beyond Moving, a documentary that followed his journey from Zolani, South Africa to Canada’s National Ballet School and The National Ballet of Canada.
– 30 –
Siphesihle November is sponsored through Dancers First by Jerry Lozinski, O.C. & Joan Lozinski, O.C.
IG Private Wealth Management Presents MADDADDAM
Lead philanthropic support for MADDADDAM is provided by The Walter Carsen New Creations Fund, Tony Arrell, C.M. & Anne Arrell, Rosamond Ivey, Tim & Frances Price and Gretchen Ross & Donald Ross, O.C. Additional support is provided by The Gail Hutchison Fund and The Producers’ Circle (2023).
The commissioned score for MADDADDAM is underwritten by Noreen Taylor, C.M. & David Staines, C.M., O.Ont.
Lead philanthropic support for Emma Bovary is provided by The Sabourin Family Foundation. Additional support is provided by The Anna McCowan-Johnson New Creations Fund and The Producers’ Circle (2024).
The National Ballet of Canada gratefully acknowledges the ongoing support of the Canada Council for the Arts; the Ontario Arts Council; the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council; the Government of Canada – Department of Canadian Heritage with the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages; and the Government of Ontario with the Honourable Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming and Minister of Sport.
Siphesihle November. Photo by Karolina Kuras.
For more information and interview opportunities, please contact:
Touchwood PR
Andréa Grau, Founder and Owner
Keira Hunt, Senior Manager of Publicity and Promotions
Chelsea Cabello, Senior Publicist
NBOC@touchwoodpr.com
The National Ballet of Canada
Catherine Chang, Associate Director of Communications & Content Strategy
Sarah Johnsen, Interim Communications Manager
Media@national.ballet.ca