Still Dance

While Edinburgh’s performance venues are the centre of attention during August, throughout the year Dance Base boasts a busy schedule of classes, workshops and residencies, and some of this activity has been captured by resident photographer Maria Falconer and is on display at Dance Base this month.

Maria takes dance classes as well as dance photographs, having trained at London’s Laban conservatoire “more years ago than I care to remember”.

“I still like to take classes at Dance Base when I can,” she adds, “but these days it's just for fun”. The photographer’s passion for dance preceded her passion for photography: “I have always loved dance and so it seemed natural to me to capture it with a camera although I was dancing long before I knew the first thing about taking pictures.”

Maria’s practical experience is clearly an asset to her dance photography. “I think all photographers have their own way of seeing the world,” she suggests, “which is inevitably influenced by their background and experience. I think we best photograph the things that we love and are fascinated by. I am passionate about dance and physical theatre and am fascinated with translating it into two dimensions.”

Discussing the process of taking photographs, Maria tries “not to be intrusive” when she works in the dance studio but says “it's inevitable that I have to move around the dancers and sometimes get very close to them.” Despite this, her rehearsal photographs capture the atmosphere of a working dance studio. “I usually find that professional dancers are very good at getting on with what they do and leave me to get on with what I do. Professional dancers are natural performers; they are used to an audience, that's what they do.” The beautiful, evocative photographs are testament to Maria’s own professionalism and talent and her skill for making dancers feel at ease.

While Maria enjoys watching dance “I absolutely have to be doing one or the other - watching or photographing. When I have a camera I can't enjoy the performance because I'm looking for ‘moments’ whereas when I watch a good dance performance I become engaged with the performance. The only exception is when I shoot the publicity shots for Dance Base during the preview day, and then when I go back to watch the performances later I can't help but see all the ‘moments’ that I missed first time round!”

Of this year’s Festival shows, Maria says “I am going back to watch the whole programme at Dance Base because it really is stunning,” and adds “I will definitely get to see The Red Room by David Hughes [at the Traverse Theatre] and there is a piece called The Overcoat by Gecko at Pleasance which looks most promising.”

Maria’s enthusiasm for dance comes across in her work and makes the exhibition worth squeezing into a fringegoer’s crowded diary. Entry is free and Dance Base provides a welcoming atmosphere for those who just want to take a look, perhaps before seeing a show or two or relaxing with a coffee in the cafe.

Speaking of her desire to ‘make dance art cool’, Maria says “The increased popularity of dance made me think that people might like to put dance images on their walls - to make a change from landscapes. Not that there is anything wrong with landscapes you understand!” For those who might be tempted to buy, the prints (each limited to 250) are priced at £95 and capture dance styles ranging from contemporary to tap to tango, in rehearsal and performance, mainly intimate shots of one or two dancers. This stunning exhibition is hung in the quieter recesses of the Dance Base building and will provide a welcome break for those looking to escape the busy streets.