Melissa Hamilton and Joseph Sissens Promoted to Principal at The Royal Ballet

The Royal Ballet has announced that Melissa Hamilton and Joseph Sissens have both been promoted to the rank of Principal dancer, effective from January 2025. The promotions mark important milestones for two of the company's most distinguished artists.

Melissa Hamilton, who hails from Belfast, Northern Ireland, joined The Royal Ballet in 2007 and has become one of the company's most versatile and admired performers. She is known above all for her work with choreographer Wayne McGregor, having created roles in landmark works including Infra, Woolf Works, and The Dante Project. Her promotion to Principal comes after nearly two decades of acclaimed performances at the Royal Opera House.

Joseph Sissens, of Anglo-Caribbean descent, trained at The Royal Ballet School before joining the Company in 2016. He made history as the first person of Black heritage to perform a principal role in Swan Lake for The Royal Ballet, and won the Black British Theatre Award for Best Dance Performance in 2021. His promotion is widely seen as recognition of both his exceptional artistry and his significance as a role model in the industry.

Kevin O'Hare, Director of The Royal Ballet, welcomed both promotions. 'Melissa and Joseph are exceptional artists who bring extraordinary depth, commitment, and individuality to everything they do,' he said. 'We are thrilled to recognise their outstanding contributions to the Company.'

Both dancers are expected to take on new principal roles in forthcoming productions across The Royal Ballet's 2024–25 and 2025–26 seasons.