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2022 Pas de Deux Dance Photo Competition

We are excited to announce the opening of the 2022 Pas de Deux Dance Photography Competition. We are currently accepting submissions! The competition is a fun and exciting celebration of dance photography. It is open to photographers from around the world.

Entries can be from any year. Only images that placed in the Top 15 of any category of the 2021 competition are not eligible. Individual entries are $35 each, or 5 for $140. Each fifth entry is free, so 10 entries is $280. An entry of 4-7 images in the Series category is $45. You must submit at least 5 individual images (a Series entry counts as one image toward the Grand Prize qualification) to qualify for the Grand Prize. There is no additional cost if you qualify for the Grand Prize.

Finalists in each category will be announced in mid- to late-January, 2022.

Winners of the photo competition will be announced at the opening night Welcome Reception of the Pas de Deux Dance Photography Conference at The Lost Pines Resort and Spa east of Austin, TX, on Feb. 24-27.

Submissions will be accepted through Jan. 9, 2022.

Before submitting, be sure to read the Terms and Conditions to understand the requirements for each category. For example, to submit, your file name must adhere to our specifications. Images should be submitted as full resolution JPGs with a minimum size of 2mb but not more than 15mb.

SUBMIT IMAGES

Sponsors

2022 Competition Jurors

DAVID COOPER

David Cooper has worked for 40 years in the performing arts with some of the top theatre and dance companies in North America. Some of his larger theatre clients include The Shaw Festival, The Stratford Festival, The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Theatre Calgary, Canadian Stage and, Yale Repertory Theatre.

David is based out of Vancouver and works regularly with The Arts Club Theatre, The Belfry Theatre, Pacific Opera, Bard on The Beach and other local companies photographing their shows and creating marketing images to promote their plays.

David has also developed a nation-wide reputation shooting dance with The Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Ballet BC, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Pacific Northwest Ballet, The National Ballet of Canada, Company 605 and a dozen dance schools in British Columbia. He has recently been active creating Screen Dance films with local choreographers.

Two of his films have been seen at the San Francisco Dance Film Festival. He is a Pioneer member in the BC Hall of Fame, won a Jessie Award for Scenic projections and received the Order of Canada in 2020.

ASHLEY BOUDER

Ashley Bouder is a principal dancer with the New York City Ballet. She was born in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and began her ballet training at the age of six at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet with Marcia Dale Weary.

Ms. Bouder was named an apprentice with New York City Ballet in June 2000 and became a member of the corps de ballet that October. She was promoted to the rank of soloist in February 2004, and in January 2005, Ms. Bouder was promoted to principal dancer.

Ashley participated in a Pas de Deux webinar in 2020, talking about her experiences about becoming a professional dancers with our dancers.

LEVENTE SZABO

Levente Szabo is a Hungarian photographer based in Russia who is shooting worldwide but focuses on portrait sessions with many of the best principal dancers in Moscow. His ballet portrait sessions with talented ballet dancers show their best sides in a classical and modern way. He teaches photography online and organizes live workshops in different countries.

Levente is planning to be featured in a Pas de Deux webinar in November or December.

MELODY MENNITE WALSH

Melody is a principal dancer for the Houston Ballet. A native of Santa Cruz, California, Melody trained at Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre under Robert Kelley and Diane McLarty and at Pacific Northwest Ballet.

At the age of 17, she joined the Houston Ballet Company in 2001 as an apprentice, rose to Corps de Ballet dancer in 2002 then Soloist in 2005. Ms. Mennite was promoted to principal in 2008.

Melody was featured in a Pas de Deux webinar in 2020, talking about audition pictures. She is scheduled to model for photographers at our 2022 Pas de Deux Dance Photography Conference in Austin on Feb. 24-27 if her Houston Ballet schedule allows it.

PHIL LIVINGSTON

Philip Livingston owns Precision Camera & Video, Texas’ largest camera store. Precision has two stores in Austin and is opening in Houston this year. Before buying the business in 2019, Phil was a longtime corporate leader with companies such as Celestial Seasonings, LexisNexis, World Wrestling Entertainment and The Tile Shop. Most importantly Phil has been a balletomane for over 30 years and is a devoted patron of the NYC Ballet and the Vail Dance Festival. He has been supporter and committee member of the Dance Against Cancer since its inception. Phil is an avid amateur photographer and collects dance photography, especially Irving Penn pieces. He was also a member of the 1981 Super Bowl champions Oakland Raiders.

Precision Camera is a sponsor for the 2022 Pas de Deux Dance Photo Competition and the 2022 Pas de Deux Dance Photography Conference.

Categories

Studio Portraits. Studio portraits are defined by images created in a photography studio using natural light or strobes or any other type of lighting. Images photographed in a dance studio with studio lighting and a backdrop in a way that resembles a photo studio session.

Performance Photos. These would be shots from rehearsals or live performances using stage lighting. Any performance shots where the photographer supplements the lighting with their own lighting should be in the On-Location Portraits or Fine Art.

On-Location Portraits. These portraits can be photographed at any location indoors or outdoors that is not a photography studio. Lighting can be used in these images, or it may be natural lighting.

Fine Art Portraits. These portraits may have been shot in a studio, on location, or at a performance or rehearsal. These may be composites. These images may also be eligible for the other categories, and yet submitted to the fine art category.

Teen Dance Portraits. These portraits may be studio portraits or on-location portraits, but they may not be portraits that would be classified as Fine Art. These should be taken of a dancer (or dancers) aged 13-19 years old at the time of the shoot.

Children & Preteen Dance Portraits. These portraits may be studio portraits or on-location portraits, but they may not be portraits that would be classified as Fine Art. These should be taken of a dancer (or dancers) aged 12 years old or younger at the time of the shoot.

Dance Photo Series. This should be a series of 4-7 images that share a theme or concept.

Grand Prize Winner. The Grand Prize Winner is evaluated based on their body of work submitted to the competition, regardless of the category or categories. Must submit 5 or more images to be considered for the Grand Prize Award.