Dance is the art of the present tense…

… and they have made the present large by dancing in it.

Said Alastair Macaulay, dance writer for the New York Times, in his piece published on June 10th 2007, covering the retirement of four prima ballerinas.

Prompted by the unusual timing of seeing four long serving masters of their art, all retiring in quick succession, Macaulay wrote a truly tender, eloquent and impassioned tribute to ballet and specifically these four prima ballerinas. With decades of knowledge and critical experience he expertly identifies the distinct individual genius they offered the world. He makes it brilliantly clear why their departures are a poignant loss – and their careers cause for celebration.

The four are Darcy Bussell, Patricia Barker, Kyra Nichols and Alessandra Ferri. The full article is available on the New York Times site but requires a subscription.

The images below are from a series of ballet theme shots produced in my London studio in the 80s. I also constructed the set.

For clarity images from spreads are repeated as individual shots.

Ballerina-Bungi-White-Mask

Ballerina-Red-Spread

Ballerina-Red

Ballerina-Profile

Ballerina-Adjusting-Spread

Ballerina-Adjusting-01 Ballerina-Concert

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