As a publisher of performance magazines, we here at En Face Magazine know the power of an image to capture ballet’s beauty, precision, and artistry. Through the camera lens, we are given a window into the essence of a performance or the soul of an artist. In the new book Infinite Steps, Thirty-Three Dancers and Their Lives in Ballet, former dancer Gavin Larsen and photographer Gene Schiavone celebrate this unique collaboration.
As American Ballet Theatre’s staff photographer for 20 years, Schiavone’s work is familiar to many of us; some of the most iconic shots of recent years, like Raven Wilkinson presenting Misty Copeland with flowers onstage during a 2015 Swan Lake curtain call, were captured by him. While this connection means that the majority of the dancers featured in Infinite Steps danced for ABT—either as guest artists or as company members—the grander scope of Schiavone’s work is also represented, with photos from studio sessions, galas, and performances by companies around the world.
Larson’s storytelling is a worthy pas de deux partner for Schiavone’s photography. She captures the voice of each dancer, from household names like Roberto Bolle and Maria Kochetkova to young students on the cusp of beginning their professional careers. She examines the many dimensions of pursuing an art form that is also a business—and how that journey can take you in unexpected directions. Together, Larson and Schiavone provide a multi-dimensional view of the ballet world while giving us a glimpse of the special connection that can develop between artists of different mediums.
Infinite Steps will be released on March 17 and is a great read for dancers and balletomanes of all ages and experience levels. Pre-order today from the University of Florida Press or Barnes & Noble.
Featured Image (L to R): Gene Schiavone; Cover of Infinite Steps; Gavin Larsen. Photo by Scott Treadway.
Image 1: Raven Wilkinson and Misty Copeland at the curtain call for Swan Lake. Photo: Gene Schiavone. Courtesy American Ballet Theatre.
