DANCER AS MOTIF
NYC Workshop :: April 2025
Led by photographer Ted Forbes and choreographer Alexandra Light, the Dancer as Motif workshop ran from April 4-6, 2025. Twelve photographers attended, and the group was joined by three professional ballet dancers as models.
An intensely collaborative experience, photographers gained feedback from peers and enjoyed moments of one-on-one instruction from Ted and Alexandra. The workshop focused on understanding how to photograph the human figure, both statically and dynamically, through the lens of ballet.
The 3-day workshop was held at a studio in Lower Manhattan. The experience included presentations from the workshop leaders as well as a ton of time with the camera in hand photographing the dancers.
HIGHLIGHTS
A virtual session with Ted and Alexandra occurred prior to the workshop, providing opportunities for students to introduce themselves, gain insights about what to expect in the studio, and review examples of Ted and Alexandra’s previous photographic collaborations.
Studio sessions included presentations from Ted on photographic practice covering topics like form, gesture, and counterpoint. Alexandra spent time presenting the technical and artistic aspects of dance to help the photographers better understand what they were photographing.
Photographers captured the dancers while in motion as well as posed. This provided incredibly diverse ways of exploring the human figure over the course of the workshop. The photo shoot sessions allowed plenty of time to experiment, problem solve, and create portfolio-worthy images.
WORKSHOP GALLERY
Images by Dan Bennett, Phillip Serna, Coleman Fung, Jose Guerra, Nicholas Tiliacos, Kashif Salahuddin, Aaron Zeng, Anh Nguyen, Linda I’Anson, and Chris Routt. Image rights belong to each photographer.
