<b><b>&ldquo;James Whiteside is an electrifying performer, an incredible athlete, and an artist, through and through. &#160;To know James is to love him; with <i>Center Center</i>, you are about to fall in love.&rdquo; &mdash;Jennifer Garner </b> <br> <br><b>&ldquo;</b>A frank examination and celebration of queerness.&rdquo;<i><br>&mdash;<i>Good Morning America</i></i><br>&#160;<br>A daring, joyous, and inspiring memoir-in-essays from the American Ballet Theatre principal dancer-slash-drag queen-slash-pop star who's redefining what it means to be a man in ballet</b><br>There's a mark on every stage around the world that signifies the center of its depth and width, called "center center." James 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. The GLAMOUR. The VIRTUOSITY. The RIPPED MEN IN TIGHTS! <br> In this absurd and absurdist collection of essays, Whiteside tells us the story of how he got to be a primo ballerino&mdash;stopping along the way to muse about the tragically fated childhood pets who taught him how to feel, reminisce on ill-advised partying at summer dance camps, and imagine fantastical run-ins with Jesus on Grindr. Also in these pages are tales of the two alter egos he created to subvert the strict classical rigor of ballet: JbDubs, an out-and-proud pop musician, and &Uuml;hu Betch, an over-the-top drag queen named after Yoohoo chocolate milk.&#160;<br> &#160;<br> <i>Center Center</i> is an exuberant behind-the-scenes tour of Whiteside&rsquo;s triple life, both on- and offstage&mdash;a raunchy, curious, and unapologetic celebration of queerness, self-expression, friendship, sex, creativity, and pushing boundaries that will entertain you, shock you*, inspire you, embolden you . . . and maybe even make you cry.<br><i>*THIS IS NOT A BOOK FOR CHILDREN.</i>

Unabridged.