Swan Lake Ballet de Santiago
An editorial look at the discipline, beauty, and quiet athleticism of ballet, photographed during Swan Lake rehearsals with Ballet de Santiago at Bord Gáis Energy Theatre.
Personal project
Behind the Curtain: Swan Lake, Ballet de Santiago
An editorial look at the discipline, beauty, and quiet athleticism of ballet, photographed during Swan Lake rehearsals with Ballet de Santiago at Bord Gáis Energy Theatre.
Rehearsal spaces hold a different kind of energy than performance nights. There is no audience, no polish for anyone but the dancers themselves.
What I found, moving quietly through the space with my camera, was a company entirely present with one another.
Discipline that looked effortless.
Trust between dancers who have spent years learning each other's movement. Moments of stillness backstage that felt just as compelling as anything happening under the lights.
What struck me most was how closely this work mirrored what I already do. An editorial wedding photographer spends a day looking for connection inside choreography, whether that choreography is a first dance or a corps de ballet.
Different tools, but the same instinct, presence over performance, feeling over posing.
Ballet De Santiago
Photographing this company has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career so far, and one I hope to return to. Some of these images I plan to print large and hang in my own home, a rare thing for me to say about my own work. A marvel, from start to finish.
Vendor Notes
Location: Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin
Company: Ballet de Santiago
Production: Swan Lake
Type: Personal editorial project
