JOSEPH JACOB SISSENS

FIRST SOLOIST – ROYAL BALLET COMPANY

Joseph is a First Soloist with the Royal Ballet Company, and in June of 2017, at the age of 19, made his debut in a Soloist Role dancing in Sir Frederick Ashton’s Symphonic Variations. He trained at The Royal Ballet School and graduated into the Company in 2016. Joe was born in Cambridge and is of Anglo-Caribbean descent. His first vocational training was on a scholarship with Tring Park School for the Performing Arts. Early performances include, “Oliver!” The Musical on the West End, and Fritz (The Nutcracker), with English National Ballet. He entered The Royal Ballet School aged 13. Performances at the School’s annual matinees included Frederick Ashton’s Les Rendezvous, David Bintley’s SpringTime, Kenneth MacMillan’s Soirées Musicales and Peter Wright’s Sleeping Beauty. His performances with The Royal Ballet Company, whilst a student included, World Ballet Day, Draft Works, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, La Fille mal Gardée, Romeo and Juliet, The Nutcracker and Giselle.

Joe’s awards include second prize at the 2014 Young British Dancer of the Year and second prize at the 2015 Ursula Moreton Choreographic Award, with his piece Let My People Go.

Royal Ballet repertory includes Bluebird, Dance of the Blessed Spirits, Lensky (Onegin), Symphonic Variations, Benvolio (Romeo & Juliet), The Madhatter, Yugen, Obsidian Tear, Flight Pattern and The Statement.

In 2016 Joe became Patron at GPSD and has been involved with students at the school since, watching and teaching classes for them.  It is a great privilege for the students here at GPSD to have input from such a gifted and humble person as Joe undoubtedly is.

Joe has also been involved with TCYB (many GPSD students take part in this) for season 5 (2017) from the audition process right through to teaching class, rehearsing the students for season 5’s performances, and also having creative and artistic input with choreography as well as making adaptations in some pieces too.