BALLET BY ARTHUR ELGORT
"Dancers Are The Atheletes of God"
“I didn’t think I was going to be a photographer. I just wanted a record.” At 80 years old, this is the sentiment that New York-native Arthur Elgort harbors when speaking on his initial muse within the sphere of photography: ballet. A recently published photo book by Steidl, Arthur Elgort’s Ballet spans many years and yet feels innately timeless. Photographs from the 1980s and 2010s lie side by side throughout the book, intermingling effortlessly and impressing upon the plausible triviality of time.
While studying at Hunter College as a young adult, Elgort was discouraged from pursuing photography due to its lack of promise and financial security. Although photography wasn’t the focus of his studies, an interest in the art did blossom, especially upon his introduction to ballet. After finding a romantic partner in a ballerina, Elgort’s practice of photography became rooted in his observances of various dance classes throughout New York City.
Although Elgort later honed in on the fashion industry, ballet remained a recurring focal point in his photographic career. With the algamation of his intrinsic photography skills as well as his knack for capturing the body in movement, Elgort has made a name for himself in the arena of fashion, yet his work on ballet remains stunningly enduring. Having shot within some of the most prestigious ballet schools in the world, Elgort has additionally collaborated with some of the great choreographers and dancers in the world of ballet, such as George Balanchine, Ulyana Lopatkina, and Mikhail Baryshnikov.
The images within Ballet remain perpetually classical — a true snapshot of elegance and grace encapsulated in the testing and difficult art of ballet. The grueling sport is nothing short of breathtaking when performed under the light of the stage, and as quoted by Albert Einstein, “Dancers are the athletes of God.” Yet, while this is seemingly true, Elgort’s images also portray the more humbling lives of the dancers, shot between the performances; the learning, the straining, and the patient commitment. Sculpted legs and arms extend from the bodies of those stretching, leaping, and many times, waiting for their next queue to extend into action. In this way, Elgort beautifully and successfully captures all aspects of dancers’ lives — from the pain to the pure euphoria.
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