There was no shortage of technical prowess during an American Ballet Theater matinee of “Le Corsaire” at the Metropolitan Opera House in early June. In the central roles, the Russian stars Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev were earning thrilled bursts of applause for the height of their jumps and the speed of their multiple turns.

Then Daniil Simkin, as Ali the slave, stepped proudly onstage and threw himself into a twisting, leg-scissoring jump that seemed to defy physics and gravity. The audience screamed, but Mr. Simkin, who became a principal at Ballet Theater in November, was already doing it again. And again, with the deliberate clarity of someone demonstrating an elementary move.

“It’s called a 540 here; I’m not sure why,” Mr. Simkin said after the performance, drinking coffee and eating a sugary confection at a nearby Starbucks. “Maybe I’m turning 540 degrees? ”

Mr. Simkin, 25, with his floppy blond hair and boy-band looks, has been known for his virtuosity since he began entering international ballet competitions at 12, eventually winning top spots at the three of the most prestigious events, in Varna, Bulgaria; Helsinki, Finland; and Jackson, Miss. He is a regular on the international gala circuit and has a pop star’s following on YouTube, where he began to post videos well before most dancers knew the forum existed.