These photographs, enlarged to be 3’ and 4’ in size, were selected and exhibited at the National Museum of Dance in New York from May, 2014 through May of 2015. The exhibition at Gwinnett Ballet Theatre marks the first time Atlanta audiences will have an opportunity to view the photographs as a collection.
Yellow Butterfly Photo By Richard Calmes
Calmes is an internationally known dance photographer who has gained a large audience of admirers since he began shooting dance images in 2006. His website has received over 40 million visits over the past 9 years, and he has produced three books of dance images
The National Museum of Dance contacted Calmes in 2013 regarding an exhibition at their facility located in Saratoga Springs, NY. The location is a popular one for dancers and dance enthusiasts as it hosts the New York City Ballet’s summer programs. Between Calmes and the curatorial staff at the Museum, 20 images were selected to become their annual “Art in the Forum” exhibition.
These images will be displayed on the various walls of Gwinnett Ballet Theatre’s 20,000 square foot facility located at 1800 Macleod Drive in Lawrenceville, GA.
Calmes says, “I call the exhibition ‘Dance Magic’….those moments where a dancer summons a lifetime of training and applies it to an incredible feat of beauty, athleticism, and art in front of my camera. My challenge is always to capture that magic for all to see and appreciate. This exhibition contains 20 of my favorite magical moments.”
The dancers depicted in these 20 images include artists from the esteemed Alvin Ailey Company as well as dancers from Gwinnett Ballet Theatre, Appalachian Ballet, Georgia Ballet, dancers from the west coast, and others. The wide variety of dancers proves Calmes’ theory that beauty can be found everywhere, not only in large urban centers with major dance organizations. The photographs range from dancers captured in studio settings and in the “great outdoors.” Many of the photographs depict dancers in unusual settings performing unusual feats of “dance magic.”
Photography has always been a major part of Calmes’ life. He was a combat photographer in Viet Nam. His career as an architect and later a high-ranking corporate executive offered supportive experience, as during this period he experienced the dance world through his wife and daughter, taking on roles behind the scenes with marketing, fundraising, and board development activities. The transition from supporter to photographer was an immediate revelation to him, a magical moment. From his first session of photos taken for marketing purposes for Gwinnett Ballet 8 years ago, he was on a definitive path.
The Opening Reception will be held at the GBT studios beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 8th. There is a suggested donation at the door of $10 and attire is casually elegant. Prints of Calmes’ most popular images will be for sale, with a part of the proceeds benefitting GBT. There will be refreshments.
Enjoy Calmes’ galleries of images at www.richardcalmes.com
