DSC_7081 2013 08 29 Katie Smith

A little symbolism here.

In the time I have been photographing ballet dancers, I have learned how the professional dancers continue to practice and dance even with severe injuries. And how they are expected to perform with a smile on their faces and never show the pain. It's a behavior that you would expect to see from pro football players, not ballerinas. The industry joke is that if ballet was any easier, they would call it football. One thing I have noticed, though, is that pro football players, if they are really injured, are pulled and don't continue to play. I guess the difference is, in reality, that the pro ball player is a multi-million dollar investment by the team owners. So it comes down to a business decision about protecting your investment. I've not heard of a ballet dancer with a multi-million dollar contract over the next three years. If they were, I'm sure things would be different in the ballet industry. That's sad. It does leave me with a lump in my throat when I see the horrendous amount of time spent practicing, the dedication, self-discipline and deep passion exhibited by ballet dancers, all for the sake of creating the beautiful artistry that we so enjoy. I used to think that maybe the hardest job in the world would be to dig ditches by hand. Now I think it's the job of being a dancer.