Exclusive: Dancer James Whiteside Transcends Modern Ballet in New Video

The foundation for modern ballet has been paved by such greats like Mikhail Baryshnikov and Rudolf Nureyev. Although James Whiteside of the American Ballet Theatre pays a good bit of respect to their work, he feels constricted in this world of contemporary ballet. That's the basis of his dance, "Foundation."

The accompanying video features the dancer's meticulously crafted movements, carrying a strong range of emotion. The performance recites a struggling artist's cycle of constriction to experimentation to failure to depression to appreciation.

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"I feel like dance today is not present in a way that I would like," Whiteside told us. "And while I do not dance for the audience, I feel like there's a lack of respect for art in general, essentially ballet right now. We're working so damn hard because it's so irrelevant in this world."

The dance was choreographed by Gemma Bond. The video was directed by Daniel Robinson. It features music by Years & Years with wardrobe from Out Fashion Vanguard winner Andrew Morrison's first collection.

Watch James Whiteside in "Foundation" below: