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 a dancer with the New York City Ballet from 2013 to 2020. He also created dances for other groups. From 2021 to 2023, he was the dean of the Trudl Zipper Dance Institute at the Colburn School.
Early Life and Dance Training
Silas Farley grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina. He is the youngest of seven children. His brother, Matthias Farley, is a football player. Silas started dancing when he was seven years old.
Learning Ballet in North Carolina
He joined a special program for young male dancers. This program was at the North Carolina Dance Theatre School of Dance. His teachers included Darleen Callaghan, Patricia McBride, and Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux. McBride and Bonnefoux were famous dancers from the New York City Ballet.
First Steps as a Choreographer
When Silas was eleven, he created his first dance. This was for a student workshop in Charlotte. At thirteen, his teacher, Darleen Callaghan, encouraged him to start teaching other students.
Studying at a Famous School
At age fourteen, Silas went to the School of American Ballet (SAB). This is a very famous ballet school. He was too young to choreograph there at first. So, he helped an older student, Lauren Lovette, with her dance. He did this for another year. Then, he created dances for the workshop for two years in a row. Silas received a scholarship to attend SAB. He graduated after four years of training. After high school, he was accepted to Harvard University with a full scholarship. But he decided to become a dancer first.
Silas Farley's Dance Career
In 2012, Silas became an apprentice with the New York City Ballet. He also became a teaching fellow at SAB. The next year, he joined the main dance group, called the corps de ballet.
Dancing Lead Roles
Silas performed many important roles. He danced as the Cavalier in Balanchine's The Nutcracker. He also played Prince Ivan in Firebird. During his time with the company, he was one of the few African American dancers. He also hosted a part of the company's podcast called "Hear the Dance."
Creating New Dances
In 2013, Silas choreographed a dance for the SAB Winter Ball. In 2019, he created Songs From the Spirit. This dance was about life in prison. It was performed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He worked with the podcast Ear Hustle on this project. In the same year, he joined the board of the George Balanchine Foundation.
Leaving the New York City Ballet
In June 2020, Silas Farley announced he would leave the New York City Ballet. He was 26 years old at the time. He continued to host "Hear the Dance" and teach at SAB when he could. For the 2020–21 school year, he became an artist-in-residence at the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University.
Work During the Pandemic
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Silas worked with the Colburn School in Los Angeles. He was the first artist in their Amplify Series. This series celebrates artists of color. He also taught special classes and created dances for the school's online summer program. He choreographed a part of their online The Nutcracker show. He also made a video called Werner Sonata for the Washington Ballet. Another video he choreographed was for The Guggenheim's Works & Process series. In June 2021, he created Collage & Creed for American Ballet Theatre. This dance premiered in Green Mountain Falls, Colorado.
Becoming a Dean
In July 2021, Silas Farley became the dean of the Colburn School's Trudl Zipper Dance Institute. He took over from Jenifer Ringer. Darleen Callaghan, his former teacher and mentor, became the associate dean. Silas stepped down from this role in 2023.
New York City Ballet Commission
On May 5, 2022, Silas Farley's first big production for the New York City Ballet premiered. It was called Architects of Time. The company asked him and composer David K. Israel to create a 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 was studying at the Harvard Extension School.
