Desperately Perfect - Ballet

Ballerinas have the incredible ability to capture emotions and move us to tears with their talent and artistic expression through movement. Let’s face it; we only see little glimpses of this incredibly trying yet astonishing profession. The photographs above are part of a project by Rachel Papo entitled "Desperatly Perfect".

Here is how she describes the concept: This project is a look into the lives of a group of adolescents who, in their hope for a better life, spend the majority of their youth in fierce competition. These images emphasize the emotional side of these children’s uncompromising reality. They stretch their bodies further every day, desperate to stand out, while constantly being encouraged by their instructors to be uniform - identical to one another. Engaged in endless repetition of physical phrases, these students obsessively strive for a level of perfection that is always out of reach."

To me, all those photographs express true and raw emotions and heartache. It's truly touching to see the dedication those kids have but it's also totally heartbreaking how much pressure they are under each day. Lovelies, what are your thoughts? xo

P:S: The very brutal side and the very beautiful side of ballet.
P.P.S: Ballerina's legs.

(Thanks Mandy)