Okay...You Can Dance, But Can You Pose?

September 30, 2007:

I had the privilege of being able to help a new dance studio in my town that recently opened!

Gina Mandella Dance Studio in Oxford, MA has just about every type of dance instruction anyone could need or want! The list is so long that I can't name them all. But if you go to: http://www.ginamandelladance.com/ you will learn all about what they have to offer.

Gina is the owner/instructor and what a sweet, sweet person she is! She has a lot of experience having come from some of the best dance schools herself and she is GREAT with kids...I know for a fact, I have seen her in action. She's fun, patient, understanding, she listens to input from her students and she's open to try new things as well. Anyone interested in dance is welcome. She offers instruction to all ages.

Gina asked me to take photographs of her three 2007-2008 Scholarship recipients for a large wall hanging she wanted to put up in her school to honor them. I happily agreed and confessed that I had never photographed dancers before. She said not to worry cause she was going to come to my studio along with the three dancers and she would be able to tell them which poses to do for the portraits. No worries - right?

Well, guess what? The day before the portrait session she became very ill and could not make it to the session. Instead, she sent the three dancers (Jordan, Summer & Natalie) to my studio accompanied by their Mom's. No problem. When they get here the Moms can just tell them what poses to get into and I'll just snap away.

Right?

Yeah right!

When they all showed up none of the Moms nor the dancers knew what poses Gina wanted them to do for the portrait. Neither did I! (Now what?)

("Hey Rocky, watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat!" - Bullwinkle)

After the three girls gave me a brief lesson on what the dance positions are, I proceeded to do a little "dance" of my own - if you know what I mean. Can you say - "Wing it"?

The girls were all very good sports & the Moms were too. We went through the series of poses that I had just learned and then I chose my favorites from them. After those shots I asked each dancer to choose her favorite dance position or favorite pose and I photographed those.

Then we all agreed on a pose for the wall portrait of the three dancers together.

It was a lot of fun and I'm glad to have been able to capture their portraits. I am also a little smarter now and I know: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th position. :-) I am ready for dance school now!

Gina was very pleased with the results of the session and in fact, so were the Moms!

(Of course I was also.)

The Moms even purchased prints from that session and because I had "winged it" I felt I should give them a discount on the prints.

It was a very fun session and I hope to be able to do it again someday soon.

Gina, I am happy to have met you and I look forward to a long relationship with your school and all of the families whose children attend there. I'm working on getting you pictures for your website! I'll have them to you soon!

Thanks for this great opportunity and see you at the Festival (recital) if not sooner!

Thank you Jordan, Summer and Natalie! I'm going to go practice my moves now. :-)

Beauty Discovered.