Alive Ballet Center Performance - 4/29/2012

I went to the Ala Moana Center Stage to see a ballet performance and didn't quite know what to expect. It was crowded with lots of parents who were awaiting to see their child's performance. Although I got there early enough to stake a spot, it was still a difficult shoot to avoid people in front of me giving me a small range of view. These are the times I wish I was at least 6 inches taller! It was a great performance nearly an hour long with several short pieces of dances.  First was the Little Red Riding Hood with the cutest dancers in very colorful costumes.

This was great expression..if only I had a slightly wider lens...

There were a lot of lifts and jumps and I had to adjust quickly to time my shutter to click at the right moment.  I shot at shutter priority at mostly 1/250.  This dance was from the ballet Giselle. 

The young dancers waited and watched the other performances when they were done.

I really lucked out in some shots where I clicked just in time as the performer leaped right in my range.

I tried different angles to make sure I can fit all the dancers into the frame...but I still lost a foot :-(

This was a really lucky shot.. I don't even know how I manage to time it just right to stop her in the air...

I tried to capture some of the poses.

Then there were more practicing with the jumps..  I had so many shots where dancer had jumped out of my frame..

Then there were contemporary dance.

I attempted to get their flowing dress during a spin, and this was the best I could get.  It was really hard to time the shutter.

Just when I was starting to get a hang of the timing...Then it was all over.. I wish I had more time to practice..

As I was waiting around, I fussed around w/ long exposure as I wanted to duplicate this magazine shot that I saw where there was a single subject w/ motions of people passing him by.  After some help from Erick, this was the best I could do.. I'll have to go back to the drawing board and try again.