Dancer in Purple

Lidia in Purple
Plano, TX

The past few weeks, I've been searching for a new project that would take me further out my comfort zone and force me to think creatively. As a result of a virtual introduction by a photographer friend, I had the good fortune of meeting belly dance instructor, Lidia Dalida. She in turn invited me to watch her rehearse at her dance studio in Plano.

For those of you who are photographers, you understand how much we abhor fluorescent and incandescent lighting. It's far from ideal. The drama heightens when you assume the task of shooting without flash or strobes. Truthfully, I wasn't there to create great images but rather to get into the rhythm of belly dance and to learn when to shoot.

Regardless of what subject matter I choose to shoot, my images continue to be about two things: passion (warmth) and details. Both are key elements of my photography. They are a must for me to release the shutter.

As I watched Lidia and her students dance, I paid attention not so much to the bare midriffs but rather to the positions of hands, heads, and feet. These also disclose the story of  belly dance and subtle seduction. I was entranced by studying the body as the revelation of a story where each position was a different verse in a chapter.