This weekend and last we’ve been busy at Ballet Austin putting on our “Studio Theater Project”. Performing in our Austin Ventures Studio Theatre (that seats approximately 280) is a very intimate experience, for performers and audience alike. It’s a short program with just two ballets: Nicolo Fonte’s “Left Unsaid” and Stephen’s new work for us “Songs of Innuendo”.
“Songs of Innuendo” (which I don’t have a picture to share… yet) is set to the music of Ray Charles, James Brown, Nina Simone, and others is a blast to dance. In contrast, Nicolo’s “Left Unsaid” is set to Bach. These two pieces, both with two casts, give us a great variety of things to do over the two week performance period.
Always unable to simply leave my camera at home, and with a couple fully capable photographers in house, I decided to experiment. Nicolo, among other things, often spoke of the dynamic changes in the work. I wondered if I could find a way to express these changes photographically, so one rehearsal I played around with prolonged exposures. I tried to find moments where a dancer might sustain a moment before jetting out of it.
I’m not usually one for blurry dancing photos, but I thought some of them were fun:
Paul Michael Bloodgood in "Left Unsaid"
Ashley Lynn and Ed Carr
Ashley Lynn and Ed Carr
Frank Shott and Allisyn Paino
Paul Michael Bloodgood and Ed Carr
Allisyn Paino and Ashley Lynn
Ashley Lynn and Allisyn Paino
Aara Krumpe, Paul Michael Bloodgood (foreground) with Allisyn Paino and Frank Shott (background)
If you’re in Austin, come check the Studio Theater Project out!
bill
These are fun - I especially like the second Ashley-Allisyn shot. What camera/lens/settings were you shooting?
Apr 03, 2009 @ 19:21
M
Hey, fellow Winger! I’m usually not a fan of prolonged motion blur exposures with dance, but I really enjoy these. The first three (especially the third) are very striking and for some reason have an interesting angelic/demonic interaction that I really like! Thanks for sharing! Nice work!
Apr 03, 2009 @ 22:13
Ricca
wow!!! such a different style of capturing dance!love the 2nd and 3rd!
Apr 04, 2009 @ 06:15
ella
wow. these photos are really intriguing!
Apr 04, 2009 @ 13:39
Debbie
Thanks, Anne Marie. Love the one of your husband with Ed. Leyna told us the performances were wonderful (glad Ashley is ok!).
Apr 06, 2009 @ 14:57
Shuriu
These are amazing!!!
Apr 08, 2009 @ 05:29
Jonelle
Hi, Anne Marie! Thanks for posting—I enjoyed this ballet. I’ve shared these on Twitter at @austindance. Cheers!
Apr 09, 2009 @ 02:28