Whenever a prima ballerina takes the stage, she is the very picture of perfection. Inspired by this elegance, Japanese photographer Hajime Yoshida searches for the reality to be found elsewhere: backstage and in the halls of ballet schools. In his series Dancers, Yoshida reveals intimate moments in analog black-and-white photographs. He shows how young dancers prepare for their performances. In their composition and the use of light and dark contrasts, the works develop a fascinating tension that can only be deciphered upon deeper inspection. There is a clear sense of Yoshida’s