Mthuthuzeli November and Joshua Williams shine at the 2025 Benois de la Danse Awards
Image: Paul Seaby
In a momentous night of celebration for South African ballet, Mthuthuzeli November and Joshua Williams carved their names in history at the 2025 Benois de la Danse Awards, held at the illustrious Bolshoi Theatre on June 17. The duo was recognised for their remarkable contributions to November's work, Chapter 2, showcased as part of Cape Ballet Africa's inaugural triple bill, SALT.
Mthuthuzeli November, the award-winning choreographer from Cape Town, was honoured with the Prize for Best Choreography for his vibrant modern percussive piece, Chapter 2. The work, featuring an original score by composer Peter Johnson, initially premiered in Cape Town in September 2024 and has since garnered international acclaim. Renowned critic Maggie Foyer of Dance Europe lauded the piece, describing it as 'a winner'.
Joshua Williams, an artist with Cape Ballet Africa, was jointly awarded the Prize for Best Male Dancer for his standout performance in Chapter 2. His talent shone brightly on the international stage, where he shared the accolade with Dmitry Smilevskiy, a Principal Dancer at the prestigious Bolshoi Theatre. The renowned excellence of the awards was further highlighted by the nomination of Camille Bracher for Best Female Dancer for her performance in the same production.
Debbie Turner, artistic director and founder of Cape Ballet Africa, expressed immense pride in the achievements of November and Williams. 'The Benois de la Danse Awards are considered to be the 'Oscars' of the ballet world,' she said.
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Mthuthuzeli November
Image: Helena Fagan
'For a young, South African ballet company to be considered and win among such globally esteemed company, is testament to the extraordinary level of talent, skill, dedication, and artistry of our country's dancers. We are humbled and proud to celebrate their win as a win for all South African creatives.'
'This is a profound moment for us, illustrating South African artists can compete as equals alongside our international colleagues. I have had the pleasure of working with Mthuthuzeli since he was a teenager, and Joshua joined our small fledgling company with a big vision shortly after its inception.'
She conveyed her heartfelt gratitude to the Benois de la Danse for recognising their work and talent.
Mthuthuzeli November's career has been nothing short of extraordinary. Growing up in Cape Town, he began his dance journey at the age of 15 under the mentorship of Fiona Sutton at Dance For All. After graduating with distinction from the Cape Academy of Performing Arts, November captured the attention of the dance world, winning gold medals at the South African International Ballet Competition in both 2012 and 2014. His dynamic trajectory has seen him create award-winning works for various prestigious companies worldwide.
Joshua Williams, too, has a compelling story. Discovered at just six years old by dance teacher Tamsin Williams, Joshua pursued his craft with vigour, training for seven years before earning a scholarship to the Tanz Akademi in Zurich, Switzerland. He has graced the stages of numerous companies, including Mzansi Ballet, and has made Cape Ballet Africa his artistic home since 2024.
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