Behind the Curtain

The inspiration for this series really began when I was a little girl, sitting in the dressing room of my mother’s ballet company watching the dancers prepare to go onstage. From that moment on, I have been enthralled and fascinated by the secret life of the dancer. This series examines the discipline, pain, emotion, passion, solitude, sweat, intense concentration, total commitment and endless hours of rehearsal that go into each performance. Through these images, I have tried to capture the magic of that moment that bridges the gap between reality and fantasy. This series is lovingly dedicated to the memory of my radiant, remarkable mother, Josephine Shields Neal, who first taught me to dance. Hannah Neal