This is grace, strength and beauty. This is a cover shot~ Picture Heavy

[sheshe2]

Like a dream becoming reality the Ballerina Project is an ongoing series of photographs created by photographer: Dane Shitagi. Constructed over the span of 12 years the Ballerina Project is not your typical “dance photography” but an etching of a ballerinas heart and emotions.

Every aspect of the Ballerina Project is carefully crafted and cultivated. The majority of ballerinas who have posed for the project are currently or have danced for companies such as American Ballet Theater, Boston Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Dresden Semperopera Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Suzanne Farrell Ballet, Ballet West and New York City Ballet. Other ballerinas are in schools such as School of American Ballet and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School. The crafts of dance and photography are truly upheld on both ends of the creation of the Ballerina Project.

Much of the project has been photographed on traditional film and cameras. Only as of the late Spring 2012 the project has begun to incorporate digital photography for a portion of our latest images.

Currently the Ballerina Project has one of the largest network of followers for ballet related pages on Facebook in the world. In the press the project has been written about in the Wall Street Journal, Huffington Post and countless blogs. The project has also been featured in advertisements for both Fujifilm and Sony Erricson.







http://ballerinaproject.com/blog/

















https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150341892464949&set=a.10150291309234949.73964.22455674948&type=1&theater

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. These are fabulous portraits!

The one of the dancer on her toes made me wince...

These dancers have so much grace and strength.

I am wowed!

[sheshe2]

7. Thanks Peggy.

Wow, the pictures at that site are inspiring, haunting and so beautiful.

[Cha]

2. Very Beautiful.. mahalo, she~

[sheshe2]

8. Thanks Cha~

I get the treat of one ballet a year, my sister takes me. Love her for that~

[Cha]

33. That's so sweet that you appreciate the ballet so much,

she~

[niyad]

37. "at the ballet"

[sheshe2]

38. I loved Chorus Line Too!

~at the ballet!

[raven mad]

3. Go away......... to the greatest page!

What was the name of the original project in Harlem, back in the 60's, that produced some of the greatest dancers ever? Senility strikes deep, into my mind it has creeped.........

[sheshe2]

5. I tried a quick search, raven mad.

I didn't find anything. I should ask my niece, she dances too.

Thank you!

[Iwillnevergiveup]

6. Are you thinking

Alvin Ailey? Fantastic dance company, now under the direction of Judith Jamison I believe.

[niyad]

15. are you thinking dance theatre of harlem?

[raven mad]

39. YES!!! Darn if my dad didn't get a reel-to-reel and a projector to show a bunch of us!

Thank you!

[niyad]

41. you are most welcome. there is another project going on now, have to think of its name--tomorrow.

[Stargazer09]

4. Beautiful!

Thank you for posting those pictures!

[Bonobo]

9. It is harder to see the grace hidden in this photo. But I see it there as well.

[Aldo Leopold]

11. Hard? Not at all.

Quite obvious it is.

[sheshe2]

13. There is sad and ugly and pain in this world Bonobo.

I know it well.

Did you need to share that here? You dumped on my thread. Is it so hard for you to stop and look at some beauty? No one is without pain, yours is not greater than the rest of ours.

Stop once in a while and take some time to smell the flowers. It is not healthy to dwell in darkness.

[Bonobo]

14. It's just where I am right now. nt

[sheshe2]

17. Sorry about that Bonobo,

yet others are there too. I am, won't go into a deep explanation, however everyone of us deserves some light in their lives.

I gave that here. There is no need to do what you did. We are all in pain one way or another. Take a break and let some light into your soul.

[Bonobo]

21. I did not mean to dampen your light. Sorry. nt

[sheshe2]

26. But you did.

I know what dying looks like. I have watched it with one family member for the past two years and it continues. Now I am watching another.

You don't own the misery, yet we all deserve the light.

You make this a habit and that is just sad.

Just take a moment, just one.

[Bonobo]

29. He's not dead. He's tired. He worked hard.

I was trying to make the point that humans are beautiful and graceful even in moments like this.

That the act of living, of working, of struggling is grace -especially when done without flaunting oneself and with humility.

That was my point and I don't appreciate all the flack over it.

[sheshe2]

50. Good to know.

Are the dancers flaunting there humility? They are soaring! They are exceptional!

You came here to dump Bonobo, you always do.

As I said, that is sad~

[Bonobo]

54. No, what is sad is your inability to give people a chance.

Your interpretation of my actions sucks.

[sheshe2]

55. Sorry,

that doesn't work here.

I posted a thread to give us a snapshot in time, of something beautiful. It was about women. Their grace, their beauty. It's not outward beauty, it is what is within their souls that projects that. They delivered 100 fold.

You threw in a picture of a man, pretty much looked like he was dead or dying. What is sad is that you had to bring a man here. Trust me I have no problem with men, yet you seem to have a problem with a thread about women.

[Bonobo]

56. OMG, I brought a MAN into a thread about grace!!

Then you freak out and you want me to trust you that you don't have a problem with men?

Sorry, now THAT doesn't work.

[niyad]

16. was this really necessary?

[Bonobo]

20. Why is that being perceived as an attack instead of a further commentary on human grace?

People are so fucking suspicious and aggressive. Where is the spirit of love?

I did NOTHING to warrant that response.

If everyone on this thread just responded: "Yes, beautiful indeed!" would that be better?

Can't we talk and stretch a little without the attacks commencing?

[niyad]

25. wow, one asks a question and that is an attack? whatever your issues are, nobody is attacking

you, but keep trying to tell yourself that.

[Bonobo]

27. You asked if posting it was "necessary". A rhetorical question with a passive aggressive intent.

So yes, it was an "attack" albeit a weak, passive aggressive one.

[niyad]

30. keep telling yourself that.

[Bonobo]

32. Niyad, it is apparent to anyone.

You could have taken a moment and thought. You could have given me the benefit of the doubt, but you went on the attack.

Now you are trying to make me look over-sensitive. Another passive aggressive technique.

[niyad]

34. keep trying.

[Bonobo]

36. No thanks, I am done. nt

[Isoldeblue]

40. It wasn't to me.

You dumped on her OP. Take responsibility for your actions like a mature adult. All you've done is make lame excuses for yourself, when you were confronted. You have much to learn about showing others respect and dignity for their feelings. From what I see, all you cared about is protecting yourself from any wrong.

[Bonobo]

46. I would hate to live in your mind if you think that was "dumping". nt

[Isoldeblue]

51. Well, fortunately for me you never will.

If sheshe felt you dumped on her, those were her real, genuine feelings that you disregarded and refused to acknowledge. Acting as if you couldn't help it because..... ? Not cool.

Grow up and own your own shit for a change.

[sheshe2]

52. Then you would hate to live in my mind too!

[sheshe2]

48. I do love and respect you Isoldeblue!

Thank you!

[Isoldeblue]

49. And I, you, sweetheart!

[sheshe2]

22. I agree, niyad and I said so.

Why is it so bad to take one moment to enjoy a bit of beauty in our lives? None of us are exempt from pain. To dwell on it makes us bitter. I want to have a few moments in the sun, when I do it makes the pain a little less and it allows me to appreciate life all the more.

[niyad]

28. thank you for posting this. we all need moments of light and beauty in this world, no matter what

is going on in our own lives.

[Bonobo]

31. That photo was not about pain though.

It was about the grace and humility of hard work. It is another facet of human beauty.

[ReRe]

43. FYI

I wasn't offended by your photo.

[Bonobo]

47. Thank you, ReRe for speaking up. nt

[treestar]

58. What is the point?

Who is that, and what is wrong with him?

[mahannah]

10. Excellent. Wonderful shots!

[DreamGypsy]

12. Water ballerina. She is gone now...like the summer... to a beach ..

A sincere love song for all ballerinas. Somehow...shyness stayed ashore..

...we swam out in salty heaven, it was to good to be real.

So I left her a silver dolphin, so that one day...in a place that she could see...so that one day

...out in her swimming, she might remember me.

From Luka Bloom -

I am an ultradistance runner (male); I experienced a great envy for the quads (quadriceps) of the dancer in the 7th photo.

[Jefferson23]

18. Exceptional...the black and white photos are a favorite of mine, there is something about them. K&R

[Whisp]

19. wow, what beautiful shots. Thanks for posting!

Sometimes my breath gets taken away by the beautiful things in this world.

Thanks, I needed that!

[sheshe2]

24. I did too Whisp!

I needed this~

[blackspade]

23. These pics make my feet hurt.

But they are excellently shot.

[alfredo]

35. Beautiful work.

[Isoldeblue]

42. Wonderful and beautiful!

My granddaughter wants to take ballet lessons. But I don't think she has the self-discipline for it. We put her acrobatic class and after a few months she didn't like it anymore, She started violin lessons a few months ago, so we'll see how long she lasts with that.

When I see dancers like these pictured, they make it look so easy. But it takes years of grueling practice and working out to achieve what we see here. I have huge respect for that.

[dionysus]

44. amazing. that's gotta be hard on your back, knees, ankles, feet, ect!

[ReRe]

45. K&R

Beautiful, sheshe2! Thank you so much for posting these beautiful portraits.

[sheshe2]

53. Want to know what the best picture was?

Oh maybe not the picture, yet the message was clear!

1. Create Now Question Later

2. Fortune Favors the Bold

3.Do it with Love

Do it!~ Express yourself and make yourself heard! Do it.

[Isoldeblue]

57. YES! I read that too and then

was promptly distracted from it.... I'm glad you added that, so I could be reminded. It is lovely!

[Scuba]

59. ...

[CrispyQ]

60. These are wonderful!

Thanks for posting!

[niyad]

61. . . . .