Gene Schiavone & Gavin Larsen: Leaving a Legacy through their Collaboration on their book, "Infinite Steps: Thirty-Three Dancers and Their Lives in Ballet"

"Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey and special guests dance photographer, Gene Schiavone and writer, Gavin LarsenJoin host Joanne Carey as she chats with both Gene Schiavone and Gavin Larsen about their new collaborative book 'Infinite Steps,' Thirty-three Dancers and Their Lives in Ballet." This book isn't just a coffee table dance photo, it is a book that explores the stories behind ballet dancers and reads like an entry point into what and who Gene saw and captured from behind his lens. You will not only discover insights into their careers, the creative process, and the inspiring stories of dancers' lives but while reading it, but be moved by each individual experience and journey. Listen also how Gene and Gavin's friendship and trust in each other's artistry enabled the stories to shine through and create this legacy for the dance world for generations.Gene Schiavone became interested in photography as a child.  With no formal training, he went on to become a sought after Dance Photographer. What began as a childhood curiosity became a budding career,  photographing some of the worlds best ballet dancers. Gene attributes his introduction to the world of ballet to his wife through her involvement with ABT (American Ballet Theater). His informal conversation with renowned ballerina ,Julie Kent, piqued his interest in the art form and he began to attend more ballet performances. Around that same time, Gene was given permission to photograph performances of ABT's studio company and after two years was invited to photograph the main company, which led to other requests for similar work.Gene's work and images includes Boston Ballet, Mariinsky Theatre, Bolshoi Ballet, Washington Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Atlanta Ballet and The Radio City Rockettes among others. His images have appeared New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal and all the major dance publications both here and abroad.Gene continues to acknowledge his gratitude for all the dancers he has worked with over the years and for the hundreds of pairs of signed shoes and photos he remembers them by. Gavin Larsen, Born and raised in New York City, received her professional dance training at the School of American Ballet, the PacificNorthwest Ballet School and the New York School of Ballet. In 1992, she joined Pacific Northwest Ballet under the direction of Kent Stowell andFrancia Russell, leaving the company in 1999 to join the Alberta Ballet, directed by Mikko Nissinen. In 2002, she performed with the SuzanneFarrell Ballet as a soloist at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. In 2003 Ms. Larsen joined Oregon Ballet Theatre as a principal dancerunder artistic director Christopher Stowell. Over the course of her career, Ms. Larsen danced prominent roles in ballets by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Christopher Wheeldon and Paul Taylor, among others, and originated roles in numerous ballets. She retired from performing in 2010 to focus on teaching, coaching and writing about dance. Ms. Larsen has taught and coached widely across the country and worldwide. She has been a regular contributor for Pointe, Dance Teacher, and Dance Spirit magazines. In 2015 she was honored with a fellowship to the Helene Wurlitzer Foundation inTaos, NM, to pursue her work as a writer. Her memoir, Being a Ballerina: The Power and Perfection of a Dancing Life, was published by the University Press of Florida in 2021. She lives in Asheville, NC.To purchase their book:https://floridapress.org/9780813081502/infinite-steps/https://www.amazon.com/Infinite-Steps-Thirty-Three-Dancers-Ballet/dp/0813081505https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/infinite-steps-gavin-larsen/1148313125“Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey "Where the Dance World Connects, the Conversations Inspire, and Where We Are Keeping Them Real."⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dancetalkwithjoannecarey.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Please leave us a Review.Please help support the podcast:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://gofund.me/e561b42ac⁠⁠⁠⁠