An International Experience Right Here in the Queen City

Biscuit readers, it’s Makayla Binter here, and I am ecstatic to talk arts and culture (duh).

Charlotte’s arts and culture calendar has been full of reasons to get out of the house — festivals, gallery openings, markets, films, DJ sets and parties in the park — enough to make a visitor’s head spin.

From grassroots experiences to institutional programming, we can encounter internationally recognized work right here at home: a Caravaggio painting at Mint Museum Uptown and, most recently, stories from around the world at The Independent Picture House during the Charlotte Film Festival.

And Charlotte Ballet is adding another reason to go out.

The Black Box Series returns Oct. 2–17 with From Africa With Love by internationally acclaimed artist and Charlotte Ballet resident choreographer Mthuthuzeli November.

Charlotte is an international city. And you can experience it in one night.

Born in South Africa and trained in both classical and contemporary dance, November began dancing at 15 and quickly gained recognition as an artist. Today, his choreography has been seen on stages around the world, from the Royal Ballet to the Paris Opera Ballet. He’s won major honors along the way, including a 2025 Benois de la Danse Award for Best Choreography.

Charlotte has become a creative home for November. His collaborations with Charlotte Ballet include Vibes and Variations and From Africa With Love, which returns to the stage this October.

Drawing from personal history, communal memory and universal themes, November’s work explores identity, displacement, resilience and the power of belonging. Whether telling intimate human stories or creating expansive visual landscapes, his choreography invites us to feel, reflect and connect.

Charlotte Ballet Artistic Director Alejandro Cerrudo says November’s “movement language [is] deeply human” and his “storytelling resonates across cultures.” Read more about November’s appointment as resident choreographer.

The Black Box Series also features Dos y Dos y Dos by Cerrudo and a new work by choreographic duo FLOCK.

As a visual artist, I can always appreciate another creative language.

It pushes me to think about the dimensions of an experience beyond what someone can see. I can influence how viewers perceive my work, but what engages their other senses?

What might something feel like, even if you can’t touch it?
What smells bring up memories, and how can I translate that visually?
What does something sound like without a soundtrack? (Cue K-Pop Demon Hunters.)
How can these senses overlap to create an experience for the audience?

Dance makes me ask those questions, too. I greatly appreciate how dancers can feel something and share it with the world, translating emotion through their bodies in a way an audience can feel for itself.

There’s an intimacy in that exchange. A choreographer creates the movement, dancers bring it to life and each person in the audience finds their own meaning in it.

Even the way the work is presented changes the experience. How close can we get to the performers or the music? Can we interact directly? Are we viewers or participants?

The language of creativity knows no bounds. As viewers, we get to appreciate the chance to experience it up close and consider what it takes for someone to share it with the world.

And yes, that means you, Biscuit reader.

Don’t take it for granted. Share the experience with someone.

We often tell you, dear readers, about all the cool things happening in Charlotte. Lately, we’ve also been sharing ways to stack them into your perfect creative evening.

You’re in a world-class city with art to explore across mediums and experiences. Better yet, you can bring someone along.

Let’s take a Friday night, for example. Here’s your itinerary:

Start with visual art at 5 p.m.: Spend an hour meandering through an Uptown museum. If you’re a member, check your admission benefits before you go. You might even catch some creative programming.
Get dinner in Uptown: Choose your cuisine, make a reservation and run with it. Stay near the museums or make your way up Tryon toward the Center for Dance. I suggest Aura Rooftop, Caroline’s Oyster Bar or Mico at the Grand Bohemian.
Head to the Center for Dance: The Friday performances start at 7:30 p.m. at 701 N. Tryon St. Leave yourself enough time to get from dinner to your seat.
Keep the conversation going afterward: Talk about the performance over a glass of wine amid the eclectic vibes at Substrate, a short drive away in Area 15.

The evening takes you from art with international impact to Charlotte’s culinary scene, into the intimate setting of Charlotte Ballet and finally to a friendly gathering spot for creatives.

But, to be honest, you’ve been in the heart of Charlotte’s creative community all night.

Don’t take our word for it. Make the night your own.

See Charlotte Ballet’s Black Box Series Oct. 2–17 at the Center for Dance. Explore performance dates and get tickets here.

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