On Friday I photographed
Ellenore Scott, a finalist on
So You Think You Can Dance, and
Michael McBride, a dancer with
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, for
Dancers Among Us. I'm very grateful to the
Preston Miller Project for introducing me to these amazing dancers. The six-hour shoot was filmed by
Caleb Custer of
Design Brooklyn for a web video - keep your eyes out in a couple of weeks for the final cut. In the meantime, take a look at these behind the scenes images taken by photographer Geoff Legg, who was also documenting the event.
Our first stop with Michael was in Harlem. I wanted a shot of the famous
Apollo Theater. I walked into the lobby with an entourage carrying lots of cameras, so we didn't quite sneak in under the radar. I asked for access to the theater, they offered the lobby (not very photogenic), and they informed me, in no uncertain terms, that I cannot, under any circumstances, film the facade outside.
So we went outside to film the facade. The problem was that I didn't have a shot. The pure morning snow had melted, the light was too contrasty, and there was nothing interesting going on EXCEPT a potential confrontation between some laborers. Lots of screaming in the street. As I watched the altercation, all I could think was, "That's a really cool vest he's wearing. It matches the Apollo sign. And he has a shovel." So I headed over to the group. "Hi, my name's Jordan, I'm a dance photographer, can one of you lend me your vest and a shovel?"
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtxTXh0elqntWkwz45ghP12-yOggLtt2z_eFyuk32vUpn0XbNI07EFJ7c29-mSJBSoglWjxKkqk0yZnNwevqI2LgjRoy5hne-MzT6bDT3KXggR_pF7iKKgV0Xg7_BRdKJSHyRH-WsR5g/s400/Shovel_1.jpg)
You just never know until you ask. I got a vest, a shovel, and two workers to join the shot (I promised sandwiches for the entire crew). Michael came up with an unbelievable pose, and I laid down on the wet sidewalk to take a few quick shots. "This will only be a couple of minutes," I promised.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnoqTFeMZBdPiiOUERhkCZJdLR_t8ON6VP2UX5G0VY2wBybsUIZDAzsZ1PXMpiMnGQP7Wm_M_SHW8Ho0YUnxBzmiLq0Fd13WEuUQpbX8Vzg8nRV4W3UxLv_XH80T7_1zFLQb8vSW_rQ/s400/Shovel_2.jpg)
Thirty minutes and 100 photos later, I was satisfied that we had a nice selection of images. Plus Michael was getting sick of falling in the snow, and my jeans were frozen to my butt. It was time to buy lunch!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiun0MYz0yF2iFBBrqy25BdcRzSE3F_yFPD52t9atjpDZSrv11Oj-3pBrwysPmpE97ZmsX2D8YRBlv2rKrWzm9kuSlDWID4OuLQGHGprssZespyfGApiPDnxTA8o66hgYQq8xU7OIiVw/s400/Shovel_3.jpg)
On the way downtown, I decided to improvise a shot on the subway. I only got screamed at once, and that was easily overshadowed by an enthusiastic bystander stuffing a dollar into Michael's pants.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWCif-ciyrQStEYZLuZwDYhUl-KZ6xMqQrVxmPbqA1pDNba6ivyDYkJZz2MRmx2JqL2Q2nukxVJmO4Lh5abI2Z3iveqTZnxEHfVHBKz-7ywa8KjPVz603yL79i6KValA1_E3BixdZv0Q/s400/subway_1.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp-PhKZqePbwPmVI3oT_Ue1a4UkvolHsZMFvaGTq0AfkUCMbUXblnDLehcLctfM-py4lAinig7DSRI23CPl8lcaYaaa92g_fQumK4dG7D8uLAxEqG0tD72PvJdDi8K07BiNVPJHcZLsg/s400/Subway_2.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTwT6pIrA7nA6k3kz6KmtPOcCl1Y4vry6t5WzEQGx93kIJu07ZFdnd2UIJTSjTPdwfPo6wPhSEPaaW9zWgQKYGlFCcwh9H6-9pB8UdSqal0PzRGBS4y37Pf9VJkXxvaaQqeHAblJzupA/s400/Subway_3.jpg)
Our next stop was Bryant Park to meet Ellenore for a shot on the ice skating rink. I had settled on this location when, the night before, Ellenore called me while ice skating in Bryant Park at the very moment that I was on the other line, talking about doing a shot ice skating in Bryant Park! It was a sign.
I was pretty certain our time would be limited - maybe a few chances before we got kicked out. So we rehearsed several poses first.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKqyUReCn6z6zSRECWwzJ3p7cHCf_X66PKv5mpVQ1Vn0-QJmDQunWS_T-_hKuBzLHPNOzjvzeHMlra88h5ZOL2Y1jsnX0iNPOpDC19neXXsGOunIeWfEHJzjEdVQWZ2flymDKPyBZPCQ/s400/ice_skating_1.jpg)
I found a nice spot on top of a mound of snow and felt very optimistic. No idea why I felt that way, since neither of them can really ice skate very well.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiWjybTR3g-20xI2XbaAnBvv1m128PLuVgBKj880Um8LOVXQi4v-ZPgTxQzBoyr2V5x1-zuENzoplEkDwnCPxafAuYMJDQMii4gsuZhNnLGxWVJSlzFY04SziwwN7rB985OeIAQHsvZw/s400/Ice_skating_2.jpg)
They can't skate, but they sure can dance - even on skates. Amazing. And much to my surprise, we had lots of time to shoot. They had no intention of kicking us out.
That is, until I jumped over the wall to shoot from a different perspective.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicrOFeSZ1WQyMFLMBCcXYB5rT-MYqrb3eYyOkA632iNXAArG0SQtGw2O_xTX9yiAWs1Io2CrITTIEmF2dNgg1Rh_kx6TsBKCwgzr0F6dl3Tl9IWRZkBWKiba-gDj0W0DThmfdRjfi4GQ/s400/Ice_Skating_3.jpg)
But not before we got our shot!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPS4YuUwhTNBg6vXHgeDfYCDy3mhseFtAeooQlOoOschBsdVNMYRzrk-EECkPdQnxdzscrfZq8TQESPzLfe7QfzFAcTb9P3_GsnyK7KSYCrZtktOoKAR11PAkywC1yWtppA_nFgAjQMA/s400/Ice_Skating_4.jpg)
Next, we headed uptown to shoot in the
Plaza Hotel. Having learned from the Apollo experience, I asked Caleb to hide his video camera as we walked inside. I promptly forgot my own advice and held my camera for the world (and security guards) to see. The lobby has a beautiful staircase and chandelier, but you won't see any photos of it here. They had us out of there before I could say, "Jump." I have to remember to thank them because the exterior is much cooler looking anyway.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwtdecXf3X8ZUn6ccVm-YCD2-tf7fw7xot4HkyBE6tLWmaqhHpE34oNUyZRLTQT8rLJJaTDp_ySP-lvWEujxYBk9ukhrYwOGiRBTKlWRx1pYgJYDq4Mb28kKzydPA6pxvPzujzzknJIg/s400/Plaza_1.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfCEnFB18hvJpwd9eX8dl8-GxVM1XlWgFVV5mVWG_WHqg54aKrUJMbx6MMYrPJ21RTmJmyV2DBj2b81jtMjUrFjUsfYI7ncs_EnRwn7Aez5an6XT9TRSq6eUQIfOGRkQ6H72OJl93COA/s400/Plaza_2.jpg)
The photography gods were definitely with us. It started snowing! The pure morning snow I missed was replaced by pure evening snow. I grabbed four Spanish tourists and asked them to snuggle together. Ellenore survived hypothermia of the....., and we headed off to our next location.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWDO6GJ0hJQRRB7empbHC_s9rYLyALd_auK7T3Kovx-QjUUrBulTqR53eQjcKf9We6EblPgRG5U-DVNwllC30CRuaTrc8MAuGBt8iurq9I-_w5Bl4xERKHwc85mYGxJnntvmyNKiZd3Q/s400/Snow_1.jpg)
I have to save some surprises so you'll watch the video. Stay tuned!