Melissa Hamilton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Melissa Hamilton
Hamilton in 2014
Born	(1989-08-02) 2 August 1989 (age 36) Belfast, Northern Ireland
Occupation	Ballet dancer
Years active	2007-present
Current group	The Royal Ballet
Former groups	Dresden Semperoper Ballett

Melissa Hamilton, born on August 2, 1989, is a famous ballet dancer from Northern Ireland. She is a top dancer, called a 'principal dancer,' with The Royal Ballet in London.

Early Life and Training

Melissa Hamilton was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. She spent most of her childhood in a town called Dromore, County Down. She started dancing when she was just four years old. For many years, she only had one dance class a week.

When she was 16, Melissa received a special scholarship. This allowed her to attend Elmhurst Ballet School in Birmingham, England. She trained there for two years. At first, she was told it would be hard for her to catch up with the other students. But in her second year, a teacher named Masha Mukhamedov saw her talent. Masha believed Melissa could have a great career in dance. When Masha moved to Athens, Greece, Melissa followed her. She trained privately with Masha for ten months to improve her skills.

Becoming a Professional Dancer

Hamilton with fellow Royal Ballet dancer Eric Underwood in 2014

In 2007, when Melissa was 18, she decided to enter the Youth America Grand Prix. This is a big ballet competition. She won the competition, which usually means joining a second company of the American Ballet Theatre. However, Melissa did not want to move to New York.

Instead, her teacher Masha Mukhamedov contacted Monica Mason. Monica was the artistic director of The Royal Ballet in London at the time. Melissa sent a video of her dancing. She was then invited to take classes with The Royal Ballet. Within a week of her competition win, she was offered a contract to join the company as an Artist. She officially joined The Royal Ballet in 2007.

Key Roles and Promotions

Melissa quickly made a name for herself at The Royal Ballet. In 2008, she created a role in a ballet called Infra by Wayne McGregor. She has worked with Wayne McGregor many times since then. She also performed in famous ballets by Kenneth MacMillan. These included playing Juliet in Romeo and Juliet and the main role in Manon.

Melissa was promoted several times:

• In 2009, she became a First Artist.
• In 2010, she was named a Soloist.
• In 2013, she became a First Soloist.

Dancing in Dresden

A dancer from the Dresden Semperoper Ballett in Germany, Jiri Bubenicek, asked Melissa to dance with him for his farewell performance. The directors of The Royal Ballet and Semperoper Ballett agreed to let Melissa take a break from London. She joined the Semperoper Ballett as a principal dancer for the 2015/16 and 2016/17 seasons.

While in Dresden, she performed many important roles. These included Nikiya in La Bayadere, Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, and Odette/Odile in Swan Lake. She returned to The Royal Ballet in London for the 2017/18 season.

Melissa has also performed in other countries. She toured Italy with famous dancer Roberto Bolle. She also performed at the Mikhailovsky Ballet's 85th anniversary in Russia.

In 2024, Melissa Hamilton was promoted to the highest rank at The Royal Ballet: Principal Dancer.

Selected Ballets and Roles

Melissa Hamilton has performed in many ballets with The Royal Ballet and Semperoper Ballett. Some of her important roles include:

With The Royal Ballet

• The main role in Manon
• Juliet in Romeo and Juliet
• Mary Vetsera in Mayerling
• Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker
• Queen of the Dryads in Don Quixote
• Olga in Onegin
• The Lilac Fairy and Princess Florine in The Sleeping Beauty
• Terpsichore in Apollo
• Symphonic Variations
• ‘Rubies’ from Jewels
• Agon
• Serenade

Roles Created for Her by Wayne McGregor

• Infra
• Yugen
• Woolf Works
• Limen
• Carbon Life
• Human Seasons

With Semperoper Ballett

• Nikiya in La Bayadere
• Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty
• Odette/Odile in Swan Lake
• The main role in Manon

Awards and Achievements

Melissa Hamilton has received several awards for her amazing dancing:

• Outstanding Female Performance (Classical) at the 2009 Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards (awarded in 2011).
• A gold medal in the Eighth International Seoul Ballet Competition in 2011.
• She was named an Allianz Arts and Cultural Brand Ambassador for Northern Ireland in 2013.