In The Wings

The next group of performers at the art museum were from India or Indian families in St. Louis. If you thought the ballerinas were colorful, these young women took it up another notch. They were waiting for their turn, standing in front of a painting that is an allegory based on the Mississippi River.           

Gentlemen of Vision

There is an art form in the African American community here that, being another old white guy, I didn't know about. It's called step dancing, sort of a combination of military drill,  tap dancing and calisthenics. This group, Gentlemen of Vision, performed at the art museum last Saturday.

It sounds like a wonderful organization. It puts structure and discipline in young men's lives. They work very hard. Those who finish the program through high school have a nearly 100% acceptance rate in to college, technical school or the military. Good people doing good work.

Pas de Deux

Swan Lake wouldn't be complete without the prima ballerina and her male partner showing off together. They are so strong and yet so graceful. The hours of training and practice it takes to reach this level must be enormous.            

BONUS PHOTO

Tu Tu You

 

As I mentioned, I got an awful lot of shots of the graceful young ballerinas at the art museum last Saturday. It's a bit ironic since I can't dance to save my life and have a limited appreciation of the art form.

One part of the performance brought back a warm memory.  My mother liked classical music and the family had one of those big circa 1960 console stereos. She had a few LPs, one of which was The Nutcracker. I played these records over and over, becoming entranced by the beauty and dramatic ending of The Waltz of the Flowers. Hearing it again with these gorgeous performers made me, well, just a little bit emotional.     

Madeleine Monday

Not surprisingly, Ellie was fascinated by the ballerinas. Everyone was milling around taking pictures when the show was done. One elegant young woman was happy to pose with the kid.

There are buckets more of these images - and there were two other dance companies.     

Corps de Ballet

There is a holiday festival at the art museum this weekend. One of the features is dancing by local groups in the great hall. These young women performed the second act of The Nutcracker for a big crowd. It's a holiday favorite.

Tough light. No flash, of course. The sun was coming in through big windows behind my right shoulder, creating a strong light gradient. It tested my limited Photoshop skills.        

 

Sunset on the Mississippi

Phone cam shot so not the cleanest image. Taken from my office window one afternoon this week. The foreground is the new-ish and rather pointless northern extension of the Arch park, where a useful and reasonably priced garage used to serve visitors. Eads Bridge on the left and the low sunlight falling on a casino hotel in Illinois. You can't help but notice the smog on the horizon.

But Ol' Man River, he just keep rolling along.