November 21, 2012 at 4:38 pm

The Dancers Among Us [21 Pics]

by twistedsifter

 

Dancers Among Us is the recently released photo book by photographer Jordan Matter. In it, Jordan collaborates with dancers around the country, creating stunning photos of bodies in motion. In his own words, Matter explains:

The inspiration for this book came to me one afternoon as I watched my son, Hudson, playing with his toy bus. I was trying to keep pace with his three-year-old mind as he got deeper and deeper into a fantasy involving nothing more than a yellow plastic box and armless figurines. At least that’s what I saw. He saw frantic commuters rushing to catch the 77 local bus to Australia. He jumped in place, mouth open and slapping his knees, joyously reacting to a world I couldn’t see, but one powerfully present for him.

What happens to this enthusiasm, this ability to be wholly present in the moment? Why are these pure moments of passion so often replaced with cynicism, boredom, and indifference? As I played with my son, I thought about creating photographs that would show the world as if through his eyes. The people in the images would be alive and in the moment, celebrating all aspects and emotions of everyday life.

Shortly after playing “bus”, I attended an extraordinary dance performance, and I knew I had found my collaborators. Dancers are storytellers. They’re trained to capture passion with their bodies. The often create a fantasy world or offer us a deeper look into familiar settings. They bring to life what we feel but what most of us, lacking their artistry and athleticism, are unable to express physically.

I’ve created these images for Hudson and his little sister, Salish. My children are everything to me; my dreams for them are enormous. I hope they have long and healthy lives, find loving partners and fulfilling careers, and, if it suits them, experience the joys of parenthood. Most important, I want them to be free from self-consciousness, to discover the deep happiness that comes from a life filled with passion, and to find the serenity necessary to be truly present. These photographs communicate my dreams for them more powerfully than words: Relish moments large and small, recognize the beauty around you, and be alive!

 

Below you will find a small gallery of my personal favourites. You can find an 80+ picture gallery on the book’s official website dancersamongus.com. You can also find additional links to Jordan’s online profiles below.

For those interested in purchasing the book, you can find a list of online options on the official website here.

 

Jordan Matter: Book Website | Facebook | Twitter | Blog | Vimeo

 

 

1. Jeffrey Smith – New York City

dancers among us in times square jeffrey smith The Dancers Among Us [21 Pics]

 

 

2. Claire Conaty – Seattle

claire conaty dancers among  us seattle The Dancers Among Us [21 Pics]

 

 

3. Michael McBride – Harlem, NYC

dancers among us in harlem michael mcbride The Dancers Among Us [21 Pics]

 

 

4. Katherine Scarnechia – Illinois

dancers among us in illinois katherine scarnechia The Dancers Among Us [21 Pics]

 

 

5. Kara Lozanovski – Chicago

dancers among us in chicago kara lozanovski The Dancers Among Us [21 Pics]

 

 

6. Ann Maria Mazzini

dancers among us at macys annmaria mazzini The Dancers Among Us [21 Pics]

 

 

7. Sun Chong – Washinton D.C.

dancers among us sun chong washington dc The Dancers Among Us [21 Pics]

 

 

8. Michelle Joy

dancers among us stone street michelle joy The Dancers Among Us [21 Pics]

 

 

9. Danielle Brown – Sarasota, FL

dancers among us in sarasota danielle brown62 The Dancers Among Us [21 Pics]

 

 

10. Brendan Barthel – Half Moon Bay

dancers among us at half moon bay brendan barthel The Dancers Among Us [21 Pics]

 

 

11. Aisha Mitchell

aisha mitchell dancers among us The Dancers Among Us [21 Pics]

 

 

12. Angela Dice, Demetrius McClendon – Chicago

dancers among us in chicago angela dice and demetrius mcclendon The Dancers Among Us [21 Pics]

 

 

13. Orlando Martinez, Sara Newett – Grand Central

dancers among us grand central station orlando martinez sarahsadie newett The Dancers Among Us [21 Pics]

 

 

14. Alex Wong – New York City

dancers among us minetta lane nyc alex wong The Dancers Among Us [21 Pics]

 

 

15. Jennifer Jones

dancers among us as marilyn monroe jennifer jones The Dancers Among Us [21 Pics]

 

 

16. Mikey Cusumano

dancers among us on broadway mikey cusumano The Dancers Among Us [21 Pics]

 

 

17. Parisa Khobdeh – Yankee Stadium

dancers among us yankee stadium parisa khobdeh The Dancers Among Us [21 Pics]

 

 

18. Karin Ellis Wentz – The High Line, NYC

dancers among us on the highline karin ellis wentz The Dancers Among Us [21 Pics]

 

 

19. Rachel Bell – Maryland

dancers among us in maryland rachel bell19 The Dancers Among Us [21 Pics]

 

 

20. Sharon Gallagher – San Francisco

dancers among us in san francisco sharon gallagher The Dancers Among Us [21 Pics]

 

 

21. Jacob Jonas, Jill Wilson

jacob jonas jill wilson dancers among us76 The Dancers Among Us [21 Pics]

 

 

https://vimeo.com/http://www.vimeo.com/51149314

 

 

 

Jordan Matter: Book Website | Facebook | Twitter | Blog | Vimeo

 

 

 

 

 

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superhero grandmother mamika by sacha goldberger 8 The Dancers Among Us [21 Pics]

 

 

 

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