Controversy and Photoshop in the Art and Business of Dance

“Love of beauty is Taste. The creation of beauty is Art.” 

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

In the past few weeks, I have seen multiple posts on FB with fairly long threads regarding the subject of photoshop. As this blog is dedicated to older dancers, it seemed appropriate for me to highlight this topic, as there seems to be some disagreement as to how we should appear in images posted on our websites, FB, promotional material, etc. In the FB threads, dancers have noted their concern over the inappropriate use of photoshop (both by photographers and dancers)  to gloss over signs of aging, hide or modify body type, and overall give a sense that the dancer is not as she appears in person. Some arguments against this type of photoshop treatment is that it gives the audience a false sense of glamour, that it won't attract students, and that it is an archaic remnant of a patriarchal society, that has no place in the modern world of belly dance. I applaud all of these dancers for speaking their mind articulately, and standing up for their beliefs. I believe that this kind of dialogue is vitally important and allows for the possibility of greater acceptance of ourselves, and each other.

I also pretty much completely disagree with all of their opinions and statements. And yes, I'm expecting to have a long line of dancers who will disagree with my opinions and beliefs as well. I'm fairly certain that I am in the minority; at least of dancers who are willing to be vocal about their use of photoshop. It's tough to be the one dissenting voice in a crowd, but I felt it necessary to be honest about my opinions and practices.

Let me start off by saying.....for those of you who may not know, that I am married to one of the premiere fine art photographers in New England. My husband specializes in studio, and on location shots of dancers, and is also tremendously talented at performance portraiture. I am extremely lucky to have such easy access to a wonderful photographer to document my performances, and do professional photo shoots several times a year. Because of his dedication to my dance career, I am able to pepper FB with high quality images, and have a website filled to the brim with his fairy tale, bittersweet works of art that have given me a type of mystique that I could not have built any other way. You see, in my opinion, mystique attracts people, including perspective students, and audience members. Now once you HAVE the students and audience members, you need to be able to follow up with a quality product; whether that is a fantastic performance, or good, solid technique, and advice as a teacher. Mystique with no skill to back it up is worthless, and a dancer that solely relies on this will soon find that they have less of a following (at least I would hope this was the case, although I have seen dancers with strong mystiques, strong followings, and poor technique). However, for a dancer that DOES offer a quality product (and please let's be honest with ourselves that for many of us, this is a business as well as an art form), having a well composed, compelling gallery of photos will attract students and audience members.

You see, in my opinion, dance....especially belly dance  is about escape. Think of the type of escapism in other aspects of show business, and how much money is spent going to movies, plays, concerts, etc.  An audience wants to escape from their everyday life, even if it is temporary. As belly dancers we also have a sense of glamour and mystery. Potential students and audience members want a little piece of the glamour for themselves! They want to feel empowered and beautiful. Now once they get to class, they realize that to be a quality dancer, one must work diligently and not just be photogenic. Some students choose to dedicate themselves to their craft, and some do not, but even for those that do, there is usually still a desire for a glamour of empowerment and mystery. If a student looks at my FB page, or my website, they will see my unique type of sensibilities and mystique through images that are artfully created through use of photoshop filters and enhacements. The mystique is not disingenuous, it is completely authentic, as my personal vision of dance, life, and art is echoed in the dark fairy tale like images in my galleries. These images help give vision to a feeling, an energy, a vibe. These photos which are imbued with darkness, but also light and hope are about escapism, fairy tale and fantasy....and they’re effective. I have pretty much no doubt at all, that if my website and FB pictures were of me looking the way I do everyday, with no photoshop and no filters, that I would have a public much less interested in my career. I'm a good dancer, a good instructor, with a very well rounded background in dance, but there are hundreds if not thousands of other dancers with the same curriculum vitae as I. How do I find a way to stand out amidst a sea of talented people? As business people, we NEED to have a way to sell our product, and attract an audience. What makes us stand out? What is our style, our vision?

And in deference to the topic of vision, look at the website of any nationally/ internationally known belly dancer. They are replete with well composed, beautiful, haunting images designed to create a sense of intrigue, and give the audience a sense of wonder and awe, maybe even create a desire to have that type of glamour for their own. These dedicated artists have a mystique, a charisma, an air of mystery. This type of image is not even remotely possible without the use of photoshop.

I'm also wondering if the threads describing the injustice and disingenuousness of photoshop have considered other ways that we choose to improve our appearance. Are those against photoshop also against coloring their hair, wearing makeup, wearing attractive costumes, or wearing contact lenses instead of glasses? After all we should be accepted exactly as we are correct? According to this line of thought, we shouldn't even need to put on a fancy costume, or do makeup and hair to dance. So why do we?

Because dance, and especially belly dance is not just about hard work, and dedication to art and technique, it's also about glamour and escape. How many of us have seen dancers need HOURS to get ready for a performance? How many of us have spent our paychecks on beautiful costuming and accessories? The perfect Bedlah, or a gorgeous piece of assuit? Hair, makeup, and costuming is essential in performance. I've seen plenty of FB posts and threads complaining about dancers who don't spend enough time and money on professional costuming commenting that it looks amateurish and reflects badly on the art form. So why do we speak out if a dancer allows their images to be photoshopped to make them look their best?

Why have a picture of yourself on the website at all if image doesn't matter? It really isn't mandatory. We can have websites filled with resumes of past performances, upcoming classes and performances, quotes from satisfied students, etc.... We don't NEED to have our picture of the website. We choose to, as we know that dance is a business and we; our skills, talents, experience, training, and our bodies are the product. And to dancers who say that having a picture showcasing your appearance in a flattering way is not important, I ask why have a professional shoot done at all? Why not just go to CVS if a picture is needed for a promotional image? And finally, for those dancers who have had professional photo shoots.... with this type of shoot, you are usually provided with a number of images. When was the last time you just closed your eyes and randomly picked out an image to put on your site? Chances are that you chose a flattering portrait of yourself; one with a beautiful smile, or a flattering angle for your head, something that showcased your assets. How is the act of choosing a flattering picture that different than the act of creating a flattering picture through photoshop?

So as an older dancer, I choose to have my images photoshopped in a way where I still look like myself, but a better version of myself......and to be honest, that would have been the case even if I was much younger. I choose to have my images reflect the  dancer that the audience sees when I am onstage, rather than how I might appear at the grocery store. I choose to wear contacts, color my hair (no grays yet, but my boring brown hair just isn't as appealing as red), wear sunscreen, wear makeup, and find costumes that are appealing on my body. I choose to have many photo shoots with an infra red camera, which sees only heat and not light, glossing over many surface imperfections (no photoshop needed). I choose to present the very best version of myself for my audience, and for myself. I choose this, NOT because I wish to be inauthentic, or disingenuous, but because I know that I am my own product.  I approach dance as an artist, but also as a business person. I know that image sells and attracts an audience, and quality maintains and builds an audience. I encourage dancers of all body types, shapes, sizes, and ages to feel empowered and proud of their appearance. You do not need to radically alter your appearance with photoshop to have a sense of glamour and beauty. A little photoshop goes a long way, and you can still look like yourself in an image even after it's been tweaked a bit. I am not in any way advocating that your images be dramatically modified. I am however stating that it's ok to find ways to help ourselves look and feel our best in order to attract an audience, and stay competitive. And having said all of this....no amount of photoshop will conceal personality flaws, cruelty, or avarice. A good photo, just like a good performance, reveals our humanity.  A truly great photographer can capture the essence of their subject in a portrait. But the essence of that person; their spirit, light, and energy, can also be highlighted by the right filters, the right lighting, the right artist, the right photoshop.

All images in this post by Peter Paradise Michaels of RavenWolfe Photography. Please see link below for his website:
http://www.peterparadise.net/RavenWolfe_Photo/Home.html