Joseph Sissens

Joseph Sissens (born 26 December 1998) is a British ballet dancer who is a principal dancer with The Royal Ballet at Covent Garden in London. He graduated from the Royal Ballet School in 2016. He was promoted to principal dancer in 2024.

Sissens is of Anglo-Caribbean descent and was born in Cambridge. He describes himself as British-Jamaican.

He made his debut in a soloist role in 2017, at the age of 19, dancing in Frederick Ashton’s Symphonic Variations. He has since originated roles in contemporary works such as Crystal Pite’s Flight Pattern and Robert Binet’s Void and Fire.

He has worked closely with choreographers like Wayne McGregor, performing in pieces such as Obsidian Tear and Yugen.

Early life and training Sissens was born at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge to a British mother and Jamaican father. Growing up in Hertfordshire as one of six siblings, he was a shy and introverted child, but found confidence and self-expression through dance. The fascination with dance started when he accompanied his sister to ballet class, where he would hide in the back and make up his own classes. The teacher soon encouraged him to join, and his passion for dance was born. At eight years old he was offered a scholarship at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts, where he would study for five years before being offered a scholarship at the Royal Ballet School. He graduated from the Royal Ballet School in 2016 joining the Royal Ballet the same year.

Selected repertoire Sissens has danced a wide range of roles in both the classical ballet canon and contemporary works by leading choreographers.

He has been characterised as a modern male lead, often favouring subtlety and restraint over displays of virtuosity. In Cinderella, his interpretation of the Prince was noted for its precise and understated style, diverging from more theatrical readings of the role.

Sissens, who identifies as queer, has described ballet as a crucial outlet during his youth, and continues to advocate for greater LGBTQ+ inclusivity in the art form.

Awards and honours In 2021, Sissens was awarded a Black British Theatre Award in Best Dance Performance in a Dance Production for The Statement. His awards further include a second prize at the 2014 Young British Dancer of the Year and second prize at the 2015 Ursula Moreton Choreographic Award for his choreography created for the piece Let My People Go.