Center Center

"A daring, hilarious, and inspiring memoir-in-essays about dance, queerness, and creativity from the American Ballet Theatre principal dancer, drag queen, and pop star who's redefining what it means to be a man in ballet"--

There's a mark on every stage around the world that signifies the center of its depth and width: it is called "center center." Whiteside has dreamed of standing on that very mark as a principal dancer with the prestigious American Ballet Theatre ever since he was a twelve-year-old blown away by watching the company's spring gala. Here he tells us the story of how he got to be a primo ballerino, as well as tales of the two alter egos he created to subvert the strict classical rigor of ballet: JbDubs, an out-and-proud pop musician, and U hu Betch, an over-the-top drag queen named after Yoohoo chocolate milk. The result is a raunchy, curious, and unapologetic celebration of queerness, self-expression, friendship, sex, creativity, and pushing boundaries that will entertain you, shock you, inspire you... and maybe even make you cry. -- adapted from jacket