The Ballerina Project

After perusing The Ballerina Project on a long train journey at the weekend, it has totally charmed me with its mix of urban photography and and elegant ballet poses.

I tried ballet at college once. It's so damn difficult. I'm certainly not the most graceful of dancers and I tend to gawp at ballerinas with a mix of awe and envy. Dress them up in as many layers of pink tulle as you like; they're tough. They kick ass on their tippy toes. I like that this project moves away from the pretty little Swan Lake routine.

Photographer Dane Shitagi has been working on The Ballerina Project for ten years. The models he uses for his portraits are usually professional ballet dancers. It goes further than dance photography, it's not just about the poses. I love the contrast between the dancers and the landscape.

You can buy the portraits (and you really should look through all of the albums on their Facebook page). Each print is a limited edition and prices start at $80, with around $40 for express international shipping. Even if you don't buy any of the prints (I'm very tempted by the one above), make a cup of tea and settle down for little bit of a browse. This is a truly breathtaking project.