A different way of seeing things

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to witness the behind-the-scenes of my cousin's last dance recital. As a child, I didn't really like dance recitals, but over the years I have come to appreciate them, especially the musical and theatrical aspect of the performance. Backstage at a dance performance is a crazy experience. When I crossed the threshold of the theater that night, I knew I was in a completely different world than I had seen up to that point.

The air was thick with excitement and the energy was palpable in every corner of the backstage area. I found myself in a maze of hallways, dressing rooms and makeshift gyms. Dancers were concentratingly preparing, costume designers were arranging outfits, and makeup artists were expertly working to transform the dancers' faces into living works of art. It was as if every part of this backstage world played a crucial role in the creation of the show. I was surrounded by nervous young dancers just offstage. I could feel their heartbeats speeding up as they did warm-up exercises and helped each other prepare for the big moment.

I approached Serena to take a picture of her before the show started. I looked at her and in that moment I realized how much effort and dedication was needed to reach that level of perfection in dance. Every step, every movement had to be executed with millimetric precision and they had to convey deep emotions through their moving bodies.

The tension increased as the moment of performance approached. I heard the music start playing from the other side of the stage, Serena was adjusting her dress, I took the last three photographs, and then the curtain went up...

Piero Corvo - Il buio e la luce
Aversa, Italy. 2018.