County Down dancer moves up at Royal Ballet

Melissa Hamilton has performed with the Royal Ballet for three years

A 21-year-old woman from County Down has landed her first major principal role at the Royal Ballet in London.

Melissa Hamilton, from Dromore, will dance a lead role in "Mayerling", choreographed by Kenneth McMillan.

The ballet is set in the 18th century in the royal court of the Austro-Hungarian empire, described as a world "where sex is used as both a weapon and a last resort."

Melissa takes the role of Mary Vetsera, the obsessive 17 year old mistress of the depraved Crown Prince.

She has been at the Royal Ballet for three years and has had smaller lead roles, including a widely praised performance in "Infra" last year.

But this will be will be her first full-length main role.

"All the roles I've done so far have been in 20 minute ballets in triple bills," she said.

"In a three act ballet like this it's three hours long and as a dramatic ballet there's lots of acting required, as well as the technical side of the dancing."

She said she was privileged to be given the opportunity so early in her career: "Mary Vetsera was an incredibly complex person and I'm thrilled to have the chance to get my teeth into such a gritty part.

"The story is so dark and shrouded in mystery and I think that gives an extra depth to both the part and the ballet itself.

"MacMillan's choreography is incredibly challenging so it's a brilliant opportunity to push myself as a dancer and perhaps bring something new to the role. "

Melissa started ballet as a hobby and does not come from a "ballet family."

She stayed in Northern Ireland until she was 16, training with Jennifer Bullick School of Ballet, then went to Elmhurst School in England.

She continued her training with Masha Mukhamedov in Greece and after winning the Youth America Grand Prix in 2007 she was chosen by The Royal Ballet.