Ballerinas may get all the press, but photographer Matthew Brookes focused his lens on the male dancers from the Paris Opera Ballet. Their portraits are featured in his upcoming book "Les Danseurs."
Ballerinas may get all the press, but photographer Matthew Brookes focused his lens on the male dancers from the Paris Opera Ballet. Their portraits are featured in his upcoming book "Les Danseurs."
Matthew Brookes/Damiani
"There's not many male ballet dancers out there that people know of, but they know a lot about female ballerinas," Brookes said. "It was something that I hadn't seen much of and I thought it might be an interesting project to focus on the boys."
"There's not many male ballet dancers out there that people know of, but they know a lot about female ballerinas," Brookes said. "It was something that I hadn't seen much of and I thought it might be an interesting project to focus on the boys."
Matthew Brookes/Damiani
Brookes shot in black and white to accentuate the muscles and structures of the dancers' bodies.
Brookes shot in black and white to accentuate the muscles and structures of the dancers' bodies.
Matthew Brookes/Damiani
In the photos, the dancers are depicting birds falling from the sky -- an image Brookes asked them to interpret.
In the photos, the dancers are depicting birds falling from the sky -- an image Brookes asked them to interpret.
Matthew Brookes/Damiani
"Neither of us had any preconceived ideas either in terms of dance or in terms of how things were going to look visually," Brookes said. "It's just like something happened, and I had the pleasure of recording it."
"Neither of us had any preconceived ideas either in terms of dance or in terms of how things were going to look visually," Brookes said. "It's just like something happened, and I had the pleasure of recording it."
Matthew Brookes/Damiani
"I photographed them more like athletes than pure dancers," Brookes said. "It wasn't about so much the art of dance but more about the strength of dance. Their bodies are so indicative of bodies of strength and hard work."
"I photographed them more like athletes than pure dancers," Brookes said. "It wasn't about so much the art of dance but more about the strength of dance. Their bodies are so indicative of bodies of strength and hard work."
Matthew Brookes/Damiani
A closeup of a dancer's legs.
A closeup of a dancer's legs.
Matthew Brookes/Damiani
"The more I learned about it, the more I was fascinated and the more I became aware of how brilliant these ballet dancers are -- what incredible athletes and artists they are," Brookes said.
"The more I learned about it, the more I was fascinated and the more I became aware of how brilliant these ballet dancers are -- what incredible athletes and artists they are," Brookes said.
Matthew Brookes/Damiani
Brookes used natural daylight for his portraits both indoors and outdoors.
Brookes used natural daylight for his portraits both indoors and outdoors.
Matthew Brookes/Damiani
"Each (dancer) had an incredibly different spirit," Brookes said. "They were also gentle souls and kind and generous people with their time."
"Each (dancer) had an incredibly different spirit," Brookes said. "They were also gentle souls and kind and generous people with their time."
Matthew Brookes/Damiani
This shows dancers forming a kind of mirror image of each other. With the dancers extending one leg in the air while their other rests firmly on the ground, Brookes compares the structure of the dancers' bodies to a flower.
This shows dancers forming a kind of mirror image of each other. With the dancers extending one leg in the air while their other rests firmly on the ground, Brookes compares the structure of the dancers' bodies to a flower.
Matthew Brookes/Damiani
Brookes took the dancers out of the common context of ballet rehearsals and performances.
Brookes took the dancers out of the common context of ballet rehearsals and performances.
Matthew Brookes/Damiani
It is the intersection of two art forms -- dance and photography -- that makes Brookes' photos so palpable, with the dancers appearing as though they are both inanimate and animate -- like sculptures coming to life before our very eyes.
It is the intersection of two art forms -- dance and photography -- that makes Brookes' photos so palpable, with the dancers appearing as though they are both inanimate and animate -- like sculptures coming to life before our very eyes.
Matthew Brookes/Damiani
"They are from this world where everything has to be criticized and analyzed and it can always be better," Brookes said. "But at the same time, they still have the heart to compliment each other. That was just really lovely to see."
"They are from this world where everything has to be criticized and analyzed and it can always be better," Brookes said. "But at the same time, they still have the heart to compliment each other. That was just really lovely to see."
Matthew Brookes/Damiani