[Nijinsky in "Danse siamoise" from the "Orientales"] 1910

Eugène Druet captured Nijinsky mid-air in this photograph, his costume a flurry of detail against the soft-focus background. There's a beautiful contrast here, with the sharp lines of his beaded costume and the blurred lines of the garden, a kind of dance in itself. It reminds me of how paint can capture a fleeting moment, how a brushstroke can imply movement and energy. The way the light catches on his beads, each tiny detail feels important, just like every mark you make in a painting contributes to the whole. Look at the expression in his hands, held high above his head. You can see the strength and discipline that allows him to take flight. Just like the process of painting, dance is built from the ground up. It reminds me a little of Degas' dancers, but perhaps seen through a lens of mysticism. Art is always in conversation, isn't it? A constant process of call and response.