THE BALLERINA PROJECT

One of my favorite NYC sights is seeing dancers warming up in the subway…have you experienced it? You’re waiting for the train and all of a sudden the person standing next to you starts to do a plie. There’s just something about that kind of beauty against a urban backdrop.

Which is why I’m equally fascinated with a photo series that’s been around for sometime now, The Ballerina Project. It’s an ongoing  project by Dane Shitagi that depicts ballerinas amongst organic backdrops.

The project has been going steady for 10+ years in New York and now it’s trying to move on to a new phase – mini documentaries to compliment the photographs. Dane hopes these will give new audiences a more complete and accurate representation of ballet to help sustain it’s future.

*Unfortunately, Dane’s Kickstarter for this new phase ended 6 days ago without being funded. Here’s hoping he can get it rev’d up again.

**STORY was originally written for ARTNERDNY - where you can check out my weekly artnerd obsessions.

ART TAKEAWAY SHOWS WITH FAILE & THE NEW YORK CITY BALLET

The New York City Ballet commissioned this AMAZING four story high, 2,500 box installation piece from FAILE the Brooklyn-based artistic collaboration between Patrick McNeil and Patrick Miller. The pallets and pieces of the installation are wood and very much part of an interactive show. Audience members for the Feb 1st and May 29th shows will receive a limited-edition work made specifically for this event.

I love FAILE’S statement on the project, “If they’re the ballet then we’re the New York City. It’s a little bit of mixing the grime with the glamour…wrestling with the beauty & the beast. It’s taking these two elements and pushing them together.”

Special gallery hours to see the work are February 10-17th.

*pics via The Wooster Collective but you can see some great behind the scenes shots from the FAILE site. And of course order your tickets for the New York Ballets Art Series here.