Sergei Polunin dances in new Rankin-directed video for Hunger TV

Sergei Polunin, the Ukrainian-born dancer known for his rebellious persona and extraordinary talent, features in a new video directed by photographer and filmmaker Rankin for Hunger TV. The video, set to music by the trio Husky Loops, presents Polunin in a dark interior, confined in a cage or a miniature painter's studio, emphasizing rage, virtuosity, and improvisation. This contrasts sharply with his earlier appearance in David LaChapelle's video for Hozier's 'Take Me to Church,' which amassed nearly 24 million views in a bright, church-like setting. Polunin, who trained at the Royal Ballet School and became the Royal Ballet's youngest principal at 19, left the company after a few years. He has been compared to Nureyev and Baryshnikov, and described by The Observer as 'the most talented dancer of his generation' and by the Daily Telegraph as 'the James Dean of the ballet world.' His upcoming film roles include 'The Nutcracker and the Four Realms' (directed by Lasse Hallström and Joe Johnston, Walt Disney Pictures, out in Italy late October) and 'The White Crow' (directed by Ralph Fiennes, based on Julie Kavanagh's biography of Rudolf Nureyev), where he plays Yuri Soloviev, a Kirov Ballet star who died by suicide in 1977 at age 37. A 2016 documentary by Steven Cantor, 'Dancer,' covers Polunin's life and career.