ABT Principal Dancer James Whiteside Returns to the Hermitage

February 9, 2024 – Sarasota

The Hermitage Artist Retreat (Sarasota County, Florida) announces a new program featuring returning Hermitage Fellow and American Ballet Theatre principal dancer James Whiteside. Whiteside will offer a special hour-long program at the Hermitage Palm House Studio on Monday, March 4 at 5:30pm, where he will share a candid and entertaining look at his life as a celebrated dancer, choreographer, playwright, and entertainment impresario.

Whiteside defies genre classification and is redefining the meaning of multihyphenate as a principal dancer and choreographer for American Ballet Theatre, pop music performer, podcast host, and author of Center Center, which he adapted into the play Dead Center during a previous visit to the Hermitage. He began his ballet training at age nine and was a principal dancer with the Boston Ballet until 2012. Since 2013, Whiteside has been principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre,where he has danced principal roles in Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Romeo & Juliet, Giselle, and more. Whiteside has choreographed for pop stars Mariah Carey, Taylor Swift, and more. He performs pop music under the stage name JdDubs. In addition to writing and producing his own music, Whiteside also choreographs digital performances and music videos, which have viewership in the millions. 

“We are incredibly excited to welcome James Whiteside back to the Hermitage,” says Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “In addition to being one of the nation’s premier dancers, he has taken the entertainment and media world by storm with his many talents and irresistible personality. This promises to be an unpredictable and unforgettable program that Gulf Coast audiences will not want to miss.”

Whiteside’s talents extend well beyond the world of dance, with growing celebrity as a playwright, podcast host, and brilliant performer who has captured and energized millions online with his dynamic and hilarious content. Whiteside will engage with Hermitage audiences for a creative exploration and candid conversation about wearing his many glamorous hats, arts entrepreneurship, and the transcendent power of dance.  

 “Dancing through Life with James Whiteside” will be presented at the Hermitage on Monday, March 4 at 5:30pm. This program is free and open to the public (with a $5/person registration fee). Registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org. Capacity will be limited, and registration is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Early registration is strongly encouraged.