Dancing in the streets: Ballerina stops traffic as she leaps and pirouettes her way through a sweltering New York summer

Last updated at 3:38 PM on 28th July 2011

In the city that has it all, there aren't many sights that will turn heads on the streets of New York - but this is one.

Crowds gathered by the side of the road to watch as a prima ballerina in full costume danced alongside traffic on a busy freeway. The dancer was performing a sequence as she filmed an advert on 7th Avenue in Manhattan dressed in a full, lilac tulle tutu and structured bodice.

In the past week, temperatures in New York have soared to 110F but the dancer pirouetted and leapt repeatedly to get the right shot for the Sony ad.

Flair: The dancer launches into a sequence as passers-by look on in Manhattan

Dancing in the street: A ballerina stops traffic in the middle of 7th Avenue, New York

Flair: The dancer launches into a sequence as passers-by look on in Manhattan

En pointe: A New York cab swishes past as the ballerina freezes

Raising the barre: The ballerina was filming an advert for Sony

En pointe: A New York cab swishes past as the ballerina freezes

It looks like the electronics company could do with a striking campaign. Sony profits were down by £121 million in the last quarter after the company reported heavy losses after the earthquake and tsunami in north-eastern Japan. It also suffered following a massive online security breach and plunging TV prices. Sony Corp had posted a £200million profit in same period the year before.

The dancer performed on New York's 7th Avenue, home to Carnegie Hall where the New York Ballet will perform later this year.

It is also referred to as Fashion Avenue, being central to the clothing industry and the base for many designers in the city. The Fashion Institute of Technology is situated at 27th St.

Ballet has had a resurgence in popularity since the success of the film Black Swan, starring Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis, last year. The aesthetically beautiful but tense psychological thriller followed the relationship of two dancers vying to become prima ballerina at a fictional New York ballet company.

The film received widespread critical acclaim and won five Oscars including Best Actress for Portman, Best Picture and Best Director for Darren Aronofsky.