somehow amid the stress of finishing a long-term story i managed to volunteer for a portrait series of the new missour contemporary ballet company. our features editor came up with an idea that sounded too interesting to pass over for easy mug shots. the new home for the dancers is the raw workspace of the orr street studios. the series idea was to photograph each of the new dancers in a different part f of the new building.

i scouted locations and arranged the last-minute shoot with the dance company. i had a few hours to pull it together before deadline. oy. planning is not overrated. by some miracle the shoot went smoothly. dancers are beautiful and know how to move their bodies, the troupe's leader made a great art-director, and my co-worker parker helped me adjust lights and acted as a ballerino stand-in.














disaster averted. and even some good fun...