Photographing Movement and Grace

By Adam Docker

In earl 2024, I was commissioned to document the behind-the-scenes world of the Ballet Icons Gala at the London Coliseum. The event brought together some of the most celebrated dancers in the world.

Being backstage in that atmosphere was a privilege. The intensity of preparation, the last-minute stretches before the curtain rose. It was an intimate world, one I had never experienced before and something I would have scoffed at in the past, but having seen what goes into it and experiencing it from behind the curtain, really opened my eyes.

I have always been drawn to movement, whether it’s a fighter in the gym, a street scene in Havana, or dancers leaping across a stage. I love how a photograph can feel like it’s arriving from somewhere and moving on to somewhere else and photographing ballet was like capturing pure poetry in motion.

It was an unforgettable experience and one I hope to repeat again.