Maximiliane Leuschner

Mthuthuzeli November knows a thing or two about world-building. He doesn’t just choreograph dance, he immerses himself in the process, from ideation to the premiere. He sets the scene, develops characters from scratch, and breathes life into them in a style all his own. Imagine, for example, a sequence of classical poses: One minute, dancers perform an arabesque en pointe from first position to second position, the extension of the leg, the turnout of the hip and knee.

Mthuthuzeli November's "Rhapsodies" Rehearsal. Photography by Julien Benhamou. Image courtesy of Paris Opera. Mthuthuzeli November knows a thing or two about world-building. He doesn’t just choreograph dance, he immerses himself in the process, from ideation to the premiere. He sets the scene, develops characters from scratch, and breathes life into them in a style all his own.