Ja’Don Hamilton (He/Him) began his dance journey at age nine when a love for acrobatics and gymnastics led to teaching himself various skills. After performing in an elementary school talent show one of his substitute teachers, Rachel Brady, 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 her studio, 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, fusion, and modern/contemporary dance styles. During his relatively short time as a competitive dancer, Ja’Don has performed multiple national award-winning pieces choreographed by Jennifer Bishop, Sophia Bishop, and Bailey McCarry.

After retiring from the competitive dance world, Ja’Don studied at the University of Missouri - Saint Louis where he obtained a B. A. in English with a minor in philosophy upon graduating in spring of 2024. One of his first post-graduation ventures was Session 3 of the Saint Louis Dance Theatre summer intensive, where his participation earned him a formal invitation to join the trainee program for 2024-25. Ja’Don is incredibly proud to be a part of the company’s new direction, looking forward to building connections and furthering his development as an artist and professional throughout the season.