If there is a bad boy among ballet dancers then Sergei Polunin might just be it. With a reputation for being one of the best dancers in the world — though notoriously hard to work with — the 25-year-old Ukrainian is now the feature of a new concept for Grammy-nominated Hozier and his hit "Take Me to Church."
Polunin, the tattooed youngster who recently left Britain's Royal Ballet in 2012 despite being its youngest ever principal, is now dancing with the Stanislasky Music Theatre in Moscow. He's also being photographed by Gus Van Sant, starring in Marc Jacobs campaigns and, now, dabbling in music videos.
Directed by David LaChappelle, Polunin is featured in a mesmerizing, four-minute video channeling the inner turmoil of Hozier's charter "Take Me to Church." And as Elle says, "It is truly a thing to behold: a remarkable display of athleticism, [and] artistry."
Taking place in an illuminated empty room, the "emotive" dancer, clad in nude tights, sautés, tombés and pirouettes through a the song's narrative. A dark presence really brings out the color of the song and its bluesy roots, making Polunin resemble some kind of spiritual force.
Is he possessed? We may never know. But since we couldn't be there to witness ourselves, here's the video featuring Polunin and Hozier. An unlikely collaboration, maybe, but it's also a concept adopted by Sia.
