Dane Shitagi: New York City Ballet Project

From Honolulu, Dane Shitagi is a New York based photographer who likes to explore the rawness of the world around him. Preferring the outdoor setting to the studio, he takes inspiration from the city and the sounds around him, including the energy and diversity to be found.

Recently he undertook a New York City Ballerina project during which he was trying to express how much of a magnet for creativity New York City is. Exploring his hardship as a creative individual, he used the project to connect with other individuals creatively and in hardship too realising that his story was part of a larger tale of the city - thus he was uncovering a true identity of the city through the expressions of the ballerina's and himself through his lens.

The Ballet Russes and Fashion

Ballet was first made fashionable by the Ballet Russes of the 1920s – who were one of the most influential ballet companies of the 20^th century. Costumes designed by Bakst – a Russian scene painter and costume designer, he designed increasingly fashionable and colourful costumes for the company.

Diaghilev, the creative director of the Ballet Russes during their golden years first established the relationship between the art form and fashion by collaborating with artists, musicians and designers who were at the time popular such as Picasso, Matisse, Braque and Stravinsky. Which in turn has played major influence in designers of the modern day and age, Paul Poiret, Yves Saint Laurent and Galliano.

“The quality and novelty of productions made the Ballet Russes fashionable – so that leading composers and artists wanted to collaborate with the choreographers and dancers on the productions.” – Jane Pritchard

During the 2011 catwalk shows the ballet trend really took heed with the trend being impossible to miss. Delicate lace, ballet pump shoes and tutu shaped dresses stole the show, Erdem, David Koma and Richard Chai were just a few of the designers gaining influence from the art form of ballet.

Sebastien Tellier: Russian Attractions

Sebastien Tellier is a french singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. His video for the song Russian Attractions is seductive in innocence, and dramatic in essence. Whilst slow moving dancers grace in synchronisation to the intensity of the strings, the drama builds.

The song, about falling in love is about the intensity of the pull of love, hence the term falling is used. The video re-iterates this notion whilst synchronised swimmers climatically swim in tense timing with sharp movements combined juxtaposed to slow drowning shots that draw you in as a viewer and take your breath away - you too are drowning in love.

The video effectively capture the notion of love, the seduction of the dancing, the mesmerisation of the movement and the timeless quality of traditional dance are used with modern technology to provide a modern yet timeless effect upon the audience.