The Royal Ballet promotes Melissa Hamilton to Principal Dancer
In a decision that will delight her many fans, Director of The Royal Ballet, Kevin O’Hare today announced that Melissa Hamilton has been promoted to Principal Dancer, the highest rank in the Company, taking effect from 1 January 2025.
Kevin O’Hare, said:
“I am thrilled to promote Melissa to Principal dancer. She has created so many roles in ballets commissioned for the Company in recent years as well as excelling in the works of George Balanchine, Kenneth MacMillan, Wayne McGregor and Christopher Wheeldon. During 2024 Melissa reprised and debuted in many Principal roles bringing her exceptional physicality and dramatic intensity to them. With her distinctive qualities she has carved out a unique role within the Company. I know that our audiences will be delighted with this announcement, and she is very deserving of this promotion.”
Since joining the Company in 2007, Hamilton has performed many celebrated roles including in heritage works by Kenneth MacMillan as well as working with today’s leading choreographers including Wayne McGregor, Christopher Wheeldon, Kyle Abraham and Robert Binet. She recently performed the role of Toby in the European premiere of McGregor’s acclaimed ballet MADDADDAM inspired by the dystopian novels of Margaret Atwood. Other recent standout performances include principal roles in Manon and Requiem, and the role of Paulina in Wheeldon’s The Winter’s Tale.
Hamilton said:
“It fills me with immense joy that I have been promoted to Principal Dancer with The Royal Ballet. I am thrilled to be entering into a new, exciting chapter with this special company, in a position that I hold in the highest regard.”
Hamilton is currently performing the role of The Fairy Godmother in Ashton’s Cinderella, and later this Season will dance in George Balanchine’s Serenade and will perform Juliet in MacMillan’s Romeo and Juliet.
Graham Spicer, aka ‘Gramilano’, is a writer, director and photographer based in Milan. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. His articles have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the Danza in Italia column for Dancing Times magazine. Graham was the historical advisor on Codice Carla, the 2023 documentary on Carla Fracci.
Graham also works as a dance photographer, and his photos have appeared in many books, theatre programmes, and magazines, including Dancing Times, Dance Spirit and Ballet2000, as well as all the major Italian newspapers.
He is a member of the Dance Section of The Critics’ Circle.
This is the best news ever! It’s ten years overdue. I never understood how, year after year, she was overlooked in favor of other dancers who are certainly excellent but don’t move me like Melissa does. Thank you for sharing!
Great news! This means that even in the mature years of their career, a director may realize they are up for it (Calvert, Choe, Zucchetti e.g.). Similar had happened with Watson under Mason.
About time too, Royal Ballet. Such a personality and great dancer. Thank you!!!
Great news! Then there’s hope for loyal company stalwarts (and terrific dancers too), like Yuhui Choe, Stacy Calvert and Valentino Zucchetti.
CLAIRE Calvert.