Silas Farley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Silas Farley
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Farley speaks to the Church of the Heavenly Rest in 2020
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| Born | 1994/1995 (age 30–31) |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | School of American Ballet |
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| Organization | New York City Ballet |
| Spouse(s) | Cassia Wilson |
| Family | Matthias Farley (brother) |
Silas Farley is an American ballet dancer, choreographer, and teacher. He was born on 1994 or 1995. He danced with the famous New York City Ballet from 2013 to 2020. He also created new dances for other groups. From 2021 to 2023, he was the leader of the dance program at the Colburn School.
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Early Life and Dance Training
Silas grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was the youngest of seven children. His brother, Matthias Farley, is a football player. Silas started dancing when he was seven years old.
He joined a special dance program for boys. There, he learned from Darleen Callaghan. He also learned from former New York City Ballet stars Patricia McBride and Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux. When he was eleven, he created his first dance for a student show. At thirteen, he started teaching other students.
At age fourteen, Silas went to the School of American Ballet (SAB). This is a very famous ballet school. He was too young to create dances there at first. So, he helped an older student, Lauren Lovette, with her dance. He helped for another year, then created his own dances for two years. Silas got a scholarship to SAB and finished his training after four years. After high school, he was accepted to Harvard University. He chose to focus on his dance career first.
Silas Farley's Dance Career
In 2012, Silas became an apprentice with the New York City Ballet. He also became a teaching helper at SAB. The next year, he joined the main dance group, called the corps de ballet. He danced important roles like the Cavalier in The Nutcracker. He also played Prince Ivan in Firebird. Silas was one of the few African American dancers in the company. He also hosted a part of the company's podcast called "Hear the Dance."
In 2013, Silas created a dance for the SAB Winter Ball. In 2019, he made a dance called Songs From the Spirit. This dance was about life in prison. It was shown at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He also joined the board of the George Balanchine Foundation that year.
In June 2020, Silas announced he would leave the New York City Ballet. He was 26 years old. He said he would still host "Hear the Dance" and teach at SAB. He became an artist-in-residence at the Meadows School of the Arts in 2020.
Working During the Pandemic
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Silas worked with the Colburn School. He was the first artist in their Amplify Series. This series celebrates artists of color. He taught dance classes online. He also created dances for the school's online summer program. He even choreographed a part of their online The Nutcracker.
He also created a video dance called Werner Sonata for the Washington Ballet. He made another dance for The Guggenheim's Works & Process series. In June 2021, he created Collage & Creed for American Ballet Theatre.
Leading the Colburn School Dance Program
In July 2021, Silas became the dean of the Colburn School's Trudl Zipper Dance Institute. He took over from Jenifer Ringer. Darleen Callaghan, his former teacher, became the associate dean. Silas stepped down from this role in 2023.
On May 5, 2022, Silas's first big dance for the New York City Ballet premiered. It was called Architects of Time. He and composer David K. Israel created this ballet. It was inspired by a poem that Balanchine wrote for Igor Stravinsky.
Personal Life
Silas Farley is married to Cassia Wilson. She is also a ballet dancer.
As of 2020, he is studying at the Harvard Extension School.
