He won a silver medal at the Prix de Lausanne in 1989 and also received a Princess Grace Foundation-USA grant in 1991. In 1998, Stiefel was nominated for the Benois de la Danse award as one of the rising stars in ballet. In 2007, Stiefel made his debut with the Australian Ballet in Nureyev's staging of "Don Quixote", for its Melbourne and Sydney seasons, in the role of Basilio. In 2008, Stiefel was a recipient of the Dance Magazine Award along with Pina Bausch, Sylvia Walters, and Lawrence Rhodes for his role as a leader in the dance field.