I'll dance again, says ballet star who quit

The young Ukranian star who quit the Royal Ballet last week has promised he will be back - and will dance again.

Sergei Polunin, 22, shocked the dance world by storming out of the Covent Garden-based company during rehearsals following a row with management.

Friends suggested that he was turning his back on ballet and London - but speaking after his final performance in Ivan Putrov's Men in Motion at Sadler's Wells, the dancer said he will return after a holiday in Japan.

"I'm going to Japan in a couple of days. We'll see if I am allowed back into the country."

His fellow Ukranian Putrov, who also walked out on the Royal Ballet 18 months ago, further cemented hopes that he would dance again. Asked if the two men would ever dance together Putrov replied: "He's a very close friend, so I don't see why not."

It comes after speculation that Polunin, who became the Royal Ballet's youngest ever principal dancer at 19, and has been compared to Rudolf Nureyev, was planning to become a tattoo artist at the parlour he half-owns in Holloway.

Last week his friends suggested he didn't "want to go on dancing" and planned to move away from the capital.

Anthony Lammin, who co-owns Holloway Ink with Polunin, claimed London had "limited" the young dancer. He said: "He just said he's ready to leave. He didn't even sound particularly upset, he sounded bored. I guess he's just achieved so much at a young age.

"London doesn't let him be an individual: Sergei is just a product of the Royal Ballet."

He was due to appear in The Dream at the Royal Opera House this week but told bosses he was leaving immediately. But it now appears he has had a partial change of heart about leaving London, where he has lived since leaving Ukraine aged 13.

Fans said they would miss the "gifted and charismatic" performer if he gave up his craft.

Michiko Thornton, 63, said: "I bought tickets for The Dream because I thought he was going to be there. I will still go but I will miss him."

His performance in Men in Motion was described by the Standard as "thrilling".