Sunday Snapshot: Klara’s Rehearsal

This photo is from rehearsal for Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre’s Contemporary Nutcracker as performed by Conservatory of Dance Studio Company. The girl in the photo is “Klara” and she is about to pick up the sword, illuminated, and kill the Mouse Queen in revenge of her dead Nutcracker.”

Sunday Snapshot: Trapezium

I was so wowed by this image when I saw it appear in the Sunday Snapshot pool. The distal reach of the dancer’s arms create a striking diagonal and, of course, the musculature of a dancer’s back is always an absorbing feature. I was very taken by the angular shape of the body and play of shadow and light, and I thought you would be too. About the Photographer: Dave Wood is a part-time photographer from Denver, Colorado. His primary focus is on black and white images of the nude human form.

Sunday Snapshot: Outside the City

This image arrests a moment in performance that seems to have great significance, a blessing or ritual perhaps. It is one among many striking images which have been submitted via the Dance Advantage Flickr Pool. However, this particular photo by Brian Mengini stands out not only because it is expertly captured but because it features a dance company rather than a soloist.

Sunday Snapshot: Shape and Shadow

Simone Boos is currently a second year college student who started Simone Boos Photography in January of 2009 at the age of 18. A native of Indianapolis, Simone works all around the Hoosier state as well as in mid-Michigan where she attends school. Simone became interested in photography as a high school student and has, since that time, pursued it at every opportunity. The dancer is Sara Little of Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre (Indianapolis, Indiana). The photo was from the dance company’s season shoot for 2009-2010 specifically for a production called The Casket Girls

Sunday Snapshot: Pretty in Pink

Though Hannah began just for fun, photography has since become very important to her. “I love it. It helps me express what I’m feeling and is an easy way to sort my thoughts out. I’d encourage anyone to become involved in photography! It’s so fun!”

Sunday Snapshot: Blizzard-Ready

Brian Mengini has been involved with the dance world for over 8 years, first as company management and now as a photographer. He is based in Philadelphia, PA and has shot the Royal Ballet of London, Pennsylvania Ballet, Ballet X and many others. His recent project Spirit of the Fallen, pays tribute to the fallen officers of the Philadelphia Police Department. The photo exhibition, which depicts dancers from the Philly area wearing angel wings, also raises funds for the FOP Survivor’s Fund.

Maria Is Moving, Creating, Educating

I was immediately drawn to the material over at Move. Create. Educate for its emphasis on creative movement for young children and began interacting with Maria, the teacher and blogger behind it all.

Sunday Snapshot: Athletes of God

I don’t know if Albert Einstein really ever said that “Dancers are the athletes of God.” Whoever said it was a pretty smart individual, though. The statement sets dancers apart from other athletes. Physically proficient and powerful, yes, but with a deeper, perhaps more spiritual connection to the self and to the enigmatic force of creation (which, depending on your view, may indeed be a higher power).

From Page to Screen to Classroom

In 2004, Houston Dance Critic Molly Glentzer in her review of the book for Dance Magazine stated, “Li’s tenacity is an inspiring lesson to any reader, dancer or not. It’s the stuff of which great movies are made. Expect this one soon, and bring Kleenex. But read the book first.” A handful of years later, Li’s story is now a motion picture. It has already done well in Australia but unfortunately distribution in the U.S. is still speculative.

Sunday Snapshot: Impressions

The painter Degas seemed to enjoy capturing the natural asymmetry of dancers in training. He preserved the everyday moments of dancers between barre exercises, waiting or tying their ribbons, or shared with viewers the skewed perspective of performance from the wings.

Sunday Snapshot: The Eiffel Tower

Hannah’s “The Eiffel Tower,” a lovely arabesque penchée silhouetted against a beachscape, is a welcome sight as I sit at my computer on a winter’s day in the U.S. Even here in Houston it’s been chilly so I figured many of you might also appreciate the warming thought of dancing on the beach with sand squishing through your toes!

Sunday Snapshot: Chalk Dust Dancer

A new feature for 2010! Each Sunday I will highlight a dance photograph selected from the Dance Advantage Sunday Snapshot pool on the photo-sharing site Flickr. This week is Chalk Dust by Rene Michaels. Find out more about this weekly feature and how to enter your own photographs in the pool!

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