Urban Ballerina: Combining Newcastle’s City Structures & its Dancers

by Emma Levine on August 2, 2011

Two young athletes begin their warm up in the new morning light. Layers begin to peel off as the girls stretch and increase their blood flow with large lunges and leg swings. Finally satisfied, they put on their point shoes and begin the show. Today they have chosen the steps of the iconic Newcastle Council building to perform with.

Urban Ballerina is a collaborative art project involving Newcastle photographer Ross Wood and a selection of local dancers. It aims to contrast the fluidity of dance with the structure of city-scapes. The aim is to have recognisable Newcastle locations featured, not just as backgrounds but as essential elements in the images. So that both dancers and structures complement each other.

“Through Urban Ballerina I’ve had the chance to view Newcastle’s streets as a stage. It amazes me how at home these dancers are amongst the city’s structures,” said photographer, Ross Wood.

The images have become a representation of the struggling Newcastle identity. Traditionally a blue-collar town, the face of the area is changing as it embraces it’s new representation as a ‘hidden gem’ and arts community. Urban Ballerina builds on the town’s heritage to add a new and beautiful element: young, optimistic dancers, proud of where they are from and excited with where they can go from here.

“A lot of Novocastrians don’t realise how strong the dance scene here is. There are many great schools here that provide young girls and boys with strong and very technical training. It’s so much fun to go into the city to take photos. I love hearing people go by and comment on my tutu or pointe shoes!”, said Molly Dawson, primary Urban Ballerina artist.

The project took a short hiatus due to work and university pressures, however is once again in motion with increased support and participation. There are many new shoots planned for the Newcastle area with plans to start shooting in Sydney. Ross and the dancers are always looking for new shoot locations and opportunities for collaboration.