Behind the Scenes of "Dancers Among Us"

One of the things I love about art is the creative process behind it.  It may have nowhere near the aesthetics we come to expect, but that process is a very real part of the creativity.  In fact, without the latter, there is no aesthetics whatsoever.

Enter:  Photographer Jordan Matter.  Project:  Dancers Among Us.

Tenealle Farragher, at the famous Carnegie Deli in New York City

The staff at Carnegie Deli are a mix of befuddled and bemused, but Farragher proceeds nonchalantly to eat her monstrous sandwich à la ballet and Matter goes about snapping shots of the extra in the ordinary.

Matter was fortunate to meet a cooperative Deli manager, and didn't have to rush the shoot with Farragher.  Otherwise they have just a matter of seconds to shoot, before someone busts them.  But that kind of adrenaline is part of the creative process, isn't it.  

Speaking of whom and speaking of which, here's another photo in Dancers Among Us.  Expressing perhaps the relief of getting to the meter just before the parking officer nails her car with a ticket.  

Tenealle Farragher, in Washington Heights, New York City

A tweet exchange between dancer and photographer:

@jordanmatter that's awesome. Congrats #DancersAmongUs going off! love dancing in the rain especially in Paris see you in NY in 2013 :):);)
— TenealleFarragher (@TenealleNewYork) December 10, 2012

They were referring to this post on Matter's Facebook page:

This image of Tenealle Farragher was making its way around the internet uncredited until someone alerted me. And a good thing they did! When I contacted Dance World (a dance store in Dublin, Ireland) and asked them to credit us on their Facebook post, they did even better than that - they ordered 100 copies of my Dancers Among Us book!

Matter is a dancer, too, apparently.  Multi-talented, he.

Jordan Matter, in Times Square, New York City

I love Matter's biography, as he speaks in particular about his children and the inspiration behind Dancers Among Us:

The inspiration for this book came to me one afternoon as I watched my son, Hudson, playing with his toy bus. I was trying to keep pace with his three-year-old mind as he got deeper and deeper into a fantasy involving nothing more than a yellow plastic box and armless figurines. At least that’s what I saw. He saw frantic commuters rushing to catch the 77 local bus to Australia. He jumped in place, mouth open and slapping his knees, joyously reacting to a world I couldn’t see, but one powerfully present for him...

I’ve created these images for Hudson and his little sister, Salish. My children are everything to me; my dreams for them are enormous. I hope they have long and healthy lives, find loving partners and fulfilling careers, and, if it suits them, experience the joys of parenthood. Most important, I want them to be free from self-consciousness, to discover the deep happiness that comes from a life filled with passion, and to find the serenity necessary to be truly present. These photographs communicate my dreams for them more powerfully than words: Relish moments large and small, recognize the beauty around you, and be alive!

There is so much more to see, write about, and reflect on, with this super-awesome project.  Feel free to browse Dancers Among Us, Jordan Matter Photography and Tenealle Farragher.