The Ballet Dichotomy

Ballet dancers are often seen only through the lens of stage lights and perfection. This is simply not true, especially when you are a student. My subject matter is the moments of life in a ballet studio; the imperfections, loneliness, and community intertwined. I enter the space, take, retake, and wash away to grow on what I had before. My concept shifted and soared to places I never thought of applying to the subject, revealing layers of complexity within the art form.

Everything I captured attaches to ballet, revealing a dichotomy where two separate effects of the art form coexist. Culture may disconnect our view of strength and fragility, but ballet grows deep roots that link opposite notions. In this world, order and disorder become close friends; elation and misery are birthed from the same mother. Ballet fosters relationships but can strip them away, creating a dynamic between connection and isolation. Through my lens, I aim to show that the beauty of ballet is not just in its perfection, but in the experiences and emotions it encloses, displaying a deeper venture into the art form.