Ja’Don Hamilton (He/Him) began his dance journey at age nine with a love for acrobatics and gymnastics so strong he began to teach himself. His first mentor, Rachel Brady, saw him perform in his school talent show and offered him two summer intensive scholarships to formally train in ballet, tap, and jazz dance. 

He joined his high school cheerleading team at the age of fifteen where his then coach and current mentor, Aaron Elliott, observed his underlying passion and offered him a chance to dance again. Ja’Don was soon introduced to Jennifer Bishop and the studio he would call home, Jennifer Bishop’s School of Dance, where he would return to training in ballet, tap, and jazz in addition to acrobatics, hip-hop, musical theater/character, fusion, and modern/contemporary dance styles. During his time with JBSD, he acted as a senior principal on their competitive team and contributed to earning multiple national titles. His commitment earned him an instruction role, developing his experience by teaching ballet, contemporary, and acrobatics.

His performance experience has broadened with recent participation in the Saint Louis Dance Theatre trainee program, during which he worked with various artists and arts organizations in the STL area. Ja’Don is currently a company artist with Pack Dance and looks forward to sharing his love of dance with the community. 

(Image credits: Pratt & Kreidich)