Maverick dancer seeks to be ballet's David Beckham

LONDON - Sergei Polunin wants to shake up the ballet world by becoming the David Beckham of dance.

The 27-year-old Ukrainian star, who has been in the headlines for rebellious tweets, tattoos and leaving the Royal Ballet, wants to challenge the dance world's established system to provide more creative freedom for its artists.

Citing Beckham's role as a soccer ambassador, Polunin says he is on a mission to make ballet more popular and more accessible for those who can't afford expensive theater tickets.