Choreographer
Silas Farley
Choreographer
Why They Matter
Farley's career models the expanded possibilities of classical ballet in the twenty-first century. By working across New York City Ballet's stage, the Metropolitan Museum, major regional companies, and filmed media—while simultaneously teaching the next generation—he demonstrates how a ballet…
Biography
Silas Farley is a choreographer and ballet teacher who trained at the School of American Ballet and danced with New York City Ballet from 2012 to 2020. He currently serves as Armstrong Artist in Residence in Ballet at Southern Methodist University. Farley's work spans classical performance, institutional teaching, and new choreography across stage, museum, and film formats. He has choreographed for major organizations including the School of American Ballet, Works & Process at the Guggenheim, Houston Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and New York City Ballet itself. Among his notable commissions is *Architects of Time*, which premiered at New York City Ballet's 2022 Stravinsky Festival on 5 May 2022. Farley created *Songs From The Spirit* for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in collaboration with the *Ear Hustle* podcast, with the 2019 premiere documented by SMU. His work extends to dance film as well: he choreographed *Fanfare for the Common Man* in 2022 for The Washington Ballet, filmed on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial for Marquee TV. Through these varied commissions and roles, Farley exemplifies a contemporary ballet practice that moves fluidly between the stage, the museum, the classroom, and the screen.
Legacy & Impact
Farley's career models the expanded possibilities of classical ballet in the twenty-first century. By working across New York City Ballet's stage, the Metropolitan Museum, major regional companies, and filmed media—while simultaneously teaching the next generation—he demonstrates how a ballet artist can sustain a practice that honors classical training while engaging with new contexts, collaborators, and formats. His integration of scholarship, pedagogy, and creation offers a template for contemporary ballet practice.
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