Dancers Among Us: A Celebration of Joy in the Everyday

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From Jordan Matter, YouTube star and New York Times– bestselling author of Dancers Among Us , a celebration of what it means to be young and full of possibility, featuring gorgeous photographs of well-known dancers (including Tate McRae and Sofie Dossi) as well as stars in the making.

I loved the stories about Jordan's family before every chapter. The story about the receptionist. Ugh. So good. I was beyond ecstatic to receive this follow-up collection to Dancers Among Us by the talented photographer and YouTube star Jordan Matter, featuring gorgeous color photographs of well-known dancers as well as stars-in-the-making, ages 2 through 18.Kids still see the magic in life's small moments. There's no cynicism. To them, each day is still truly an adventure,” Matter tells My Modern Met. “They are so excited to participate in every single photo shoot, like it's the Super Bowl. I hear stories about how they haven't slept for weeks leading up to a shoot, that it's all they can think about. When the day finally comes, they always want to push the limits and do mischievous things they're not usually allowed to do.” This was beautiful, one of my favorite photography books. It's inspiring to see what the human body is capable of and it's hard not to smile while reading this book. Dance is storytelling and a language; it is a means of expressing emotions, both powerful and beautiful. Dance requires you to build your problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Dance is multicultural. It transcends boundaries; it creates and connects friends” This book is absolutely true and gorgeous. If you have known, or are the parent of a wiggling little critter turning pirouettes in all of places, then you might have a dancer on your hand to support. Not everyone is born to dance, but those that are, know it. For them, there is no separation of any kind in the world, just dance. And the images as well as the dedications beautifully illustrate it. I love in the photos that the pedestrians either don't even care that the dancers are dancing around them or else they have looks of astonishment on their faces. It's great.

Often we fear the unknown when we could be anticipating it's rewards." I thought this was beautiful. And this is me. I'm so scared sometimes when I should be more excited of what the future holds.Brief Book Summary: Photographer Jordan Matter was inspired by his son’s active engagement with the world around him and created the photographic essay Dancers Among Us in 2010 in an attempt to reflect that awe and to externalize the emotions which typically go unnoticed as we pass by strangers. The dancers he has photographed express human experiences such as living, working, loving, grieving, and exploring in chapters of the same names.

The end of the book had blurbs about the pictures which made me look up more photographers, videos, and other things and made me appreciate the pictures even more.Inspired by his toddler son's wide-eyed enthusiasm for life, photographer Jordan Matter decided to rediscover the world around him through his camera lens. Using professional dancers as his muses and everyday life as a canvas, Matter began photographing dancers leaping, laughing, reclining, and soaring in some of the most unconventional spots: in offices, crossing a busy street, high up in a leafy tree limb, and even in the shower! Born to Dance: Celebrating Moments of Joy, from Toddler to Teen by Jordan Matter is a celebration of what it means to be young and full of possibility. The book is full of lovely color photographs of young dancers (ages 4-17) by Dancers Among Us photographer Jordan Matter, along with Jordan's personal observations and quotes from some of the dancers about joy, life, dance, and family. Photographer Jordan Matter's Dancers Among Us is full of images like this one of Jeffrey Smith, former member of Paul Taylor Dance Company.

I'd have loved to give it 5 stars BUT, I have a few issues with it. As other reviewers have mentioned, the author's essays at the beginning of each section add nothing to the experience, and they are so disjointed that they actually detract from it. I finally started skipping them entirely. Evaluation of Literary Elements: The power in Dancers Among Us comes from the strength of the dancers in each photograph— it places every emotion in equal impact, whether it is exuberance or devastation. Without words, the dancers are able to express and Matter is able to capture human emotion. The photographs each conjure up questions as to why the dancer is in that situation, leading to stories in the reader’s mind which fit the scenario. Jordan Matter is known to millions for his 10 Minute Photo Challenge YouTube videos. Now, in one dazzling photograph after another, he portrays dancers—ages 2 through 18—in ordinary and extraordinary pursuits, from hanging with friends to taking selfies, from leaping for joy to feeling left out. The subjects include TV and internet stars like Chloé Lukasiak, Kalani Hilliker, Nia Sioux, and Kendall Vertes, as well as boys and girls from around the neighborhood. What they all share is the skill to elevate their hopes and dreams with beauty, humor, grace, and surprise. Paired with empowering words from the dancers themselves, the photographs convey each child’s declaration that they were born to dance. Photographer Jordan Matter started his Dancers Among Us Project by asking a member of the Paul Taylor Dance Company to dance for him in a place where dance is unexpected. So, dressed in a commuter’s suit and tie, the dancer flew across a Times Square subway platform. And in that image Matter found what he’d been searching for: a way to express the feeling of being fully alive in the moment, unself-conscious, present. Born to Dance is all about the visuals so I won't hold off any longer and include my many favorite shots:

Como boa amante de dança, eu gosto dos livros com imagens relacionadas a dança, e foi isso que me levou a comprar Dancers Among Us, do fotógrafo Jordan Matter. I received a digital copy of 'Born to Dance' from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review. All opinions are my own. Thank you! This book beautifully captures young dancers on and off stage. Everyday life seems inseparable from a dancer’s heart/body connection. Each young person featured here told the photographer that they were born to dance. Dance had chosen them.