These are images I took at
Ballet Repetory Theatre here in Albuquerque. It is a dance studio that I have been coming to for classes ever since I moved here 14 years ago. It is my favorite studio to go to for many reasons.
Since I have been coming here for so long, I realized that I haven't recorded anything at all from this studio. Hence this little photo essay for my muse and hopefully your pleasure. Joseph, are those your shoes hanging or Jackson's?
Details. Getting up close and personal. I love details...such as the corner of this scroll from a stage prop.
Years and years of performances accumulates many different costumes and the logistics of where to store all of this. In the two smaller, lesser used dance rooms are these costumes and stage props.
When something is out of context, it's not easy to discern what the image is of. A macro view of anything lends the subject matter to abstraction.
Such as this. I think the mirror is a prop for Sleeping Beauty. I love the distortions!
And then I wonder about all the stories to go with each of these costumes and the dancers who wore them and the emotions they experienced during the process of performing. And I know too, for me this life is one of the distant past. Almost as though it were another lifetime. I used to be able to do that...
And I wonder if I'll ever put on a pair of toe shoes again and execute those releves, let alone the terrifying pirouettes...I think I am left to my reminiscing.
And leaving it to the younger ones to carry on...
The excitement, the drama, the rehersals, the lights, the stage, the terror, the thrill of stepping out before an audience to do what you love to do so much...DANCE.
So, even if I don't do any of this anymore, it still makes me happy and I still dance in the capacity that I can. It's not only in my blood, it's in my soul...it is part of the essence of who I am.
And I am left with sitting and watching those who carry on where I left off.
These are images I took at Ballet Repetory Theatre here in Albuquerque. It is a dance studio that I have been coming to for classes ever since I moved here 14 years ago. It is my favorite studio to go to for many reasons.
Since I have been coming here for so long, I realized that I haven't recorded anything at all from this studio. Hence this little photo essay for my muse and hopefully your pleasure. Joseph, are those your shoes hanging or Jackson's?
Details. Getting up close and personal. I love details...such as the corner of this scroll from a stage prop.
Years and years of performances accumulates many different costumes and the logistics of where to store all of this. In the two smaller, lesser used dance rooms are these costumes and stage props.
When something is out of context, it's not easy to discern what the image is of. A macro view of anything lends the subject matter to abstraction.
Such as this. I think the mirror is a prop for Sleeping Beauty. I love the distortions!
And then I wonder about all the stories to go with each of these costumes and the dancers who wore them and the emotions they experienced during the process of performing. And I know too, for me this life is one of the distant past. Almost as though it were another lifetime. I used to be able to do that...
And I wonder if I'll ever put on a pair of toe shoes again and execute those releves, let alone the terrifying pirouettes...I think I am left to my reminiscing.
And leaving it to the younger ones to carry on...
The excitement, the drama, the rehersals, the lights, the stage, the terror, the thrill of stepping out before an audience to do what you love to do so much...DANCE.
So, even if I don't do any of this anymore, it still makes me happy and I still dance in the capacity that I can. It's not only in my blood, it's in my soul...it is part of the essence of who I am.
And I am left with sitting and watching those who carry on where I left off.
7 comments:
Awesome photographs! I love how you capture the textures and the feel of everything.
Hi Paula, thanks for your lovely comments too. Your photos inspire me to keep looking at things a little differently for composition. Then there's little thing of getting the camera settings right too. ;-). My email address is laenglehardt@hotmail.com. I'll look for your cemetary pictures. I'm sure they are wonderful.
Paula - I really love this. I had no idea you were a dancer. (Still a dancer? At heart, anyway?) And those costumes! My inner girl was twirling about the room!
Debi,
Dance is my first love...I'm too old to perform (I'll be 54 this Oct.) plus I could not physically tolerate rehersal schedules, etc.
I still take ballet class once a week. At the gym, I get my "fix" with a cardio dance and salsa aerobics class (which got renamed to zumba but that it totally meaningless to me!).
But, when I do watch a performance, I re-live my past and am with the dancers in every move they make. I don't think of myself as a "ham" as I don't like being the center of attention. Performing is not the same as being the center of attention. It is a form of artistic expression that only comes when you are on stage with an audience. You never really feel that artistic expression full force during rehersals. It is the magic of having it all come together at the same time.
I do love those costumes too! I have a large dance portrait that a friend did for me 25 years ago. It was, of course, before the advent of Photoshop and all, but the image is of two negatives put together to form one. Technically difficult to do and I had done a million turns so that he could get the 'right shot'. The image is hard to photograph as the surface is shiny, so I always get a glare. I'll try to reshoot it and if it comes out, I'll post is as 'evidence' of my past!
pretty, pretty pictures. You sure can capture things with that magic box of yours. Great post.
this post left me feeling a little breathless with all that tule and imagery of happy feet! i love your photo memory box and this helps me to appreciate the joys that dance has given you. what a beautiful way to tell us about your hearts history.
xo
Hi there!
Thank you for coming over to visit and leaving such a lovely comment. :)
These pictures are wonderful..so full of color! This post makes me feel a little nostalgic. I took ballet when I was really young, and still remember the look and smell of the studio. I so wish I had continued..although, my toes are probably grateful I found other interests.
So very nice to meet you!
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