Photoset

Capturing the Energy of (Very) Flexible Folks with Photographer Patrik Monka

To discover more stories from the Spanish-speaking community, follow @instagrames.

(This interview was conducted in Spanish.)

Patrik Monka’s (@riomonka) photography is an ode to the power of gymnasts and ballerinas. “I really like the strong poses and the energy they have,” says the photographer and video editor, who is originally from Sweden and based in Barcelona. Patrik carefully chooses the landscapes where he shoots — he wants to ensure these dynamic, flexible models are inspired by their surroundings, too. “The important thing for me is to be positive and inspire others to be positive,” says Patrik. “That’s my life goal.”

photography, dance, gymnastics, ballet, Barcelona, Patrik Monka, instagrames, instagram,

Photoset

Questioning Identity and Gender Stereotypes Through Performance with @damiansiqueiros

To discover more of Damian’s photography, follow @damiansiqueiros on Instagram.

(This interview was conducted in Spanish.)

Mexican photographer Damián Siqueiros (@damiansiqueiros) found in dance a vehicle for expression that goes beyond the beauty of the body in motion — it’s a canvas where ideas and questions about gender, equality and diversity can be captured.

“During a photo shoot, the idea is not simply to create pretty positions, but to seek the position and movement that best reflects the character’s emotions, the character’s story and the subject we’re dealing with,” says Damián, who lives in Montreal and photographs artists, circus performers and dancers, including those of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montreal. He aspires to create provocative images that challenge prejudice and question the spectator. “What I’m looking for is the confluence of beauty, strength, vulnerability, the strange, the unique — something different that stretches the paradigms of beauty we have set,” he says.

photography, dance, gender identity, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Montreal, instagrames, instagram,

Photoset

Taking Risks and Feeling the Music with Dytto

This post is part of our #WhyIMove series, sharing stories of dancers from all over the globe. To see more from Dytto follow @iam_dytto on Instagram.

“Dance is expression through movement. It’s showing people what the music looks like. This is #WhyIMove,” says Los Angeles-based 18-year-old Courtney Nicole Kelley (@iam_dytto), otherwise known as Dytto. She fuses hip-hop movements such as popping, animation and tutting, all with a feminine twist. She compares her style to a “a Barbie doll who is a robot, who is also super funky and loves to groove.” Dytto steers clear of pre-choreographed moves and relies on improvisation. “I have to let myself take risks onstage,” she says. “I feel the most myself when I’m dancing, because the way I move and interpret music can tell you more about me than my words ever can.”

photography, whyimove, dytto, hip hop, tutting, popping, dance, freestyle, hip hop dance, instagram,

Photoset

Capturing Art in the Dark with Dance Photographer Andrea Mohin

To keep up Andrea’s photography, follow @andrea_mohin on Instagram.

For Andrea Mohin (@andrea_mohin), capturing dance is “like sports photography in the dark, only you don’t know the game.” Whether she’s taking pictures of a tap troupe, a flamenco dancer or the prima ballerina mid-grand jeté, the New York Times (@nytimes) staff photographer says she often senses her subjects’ moves in advance. “You have to be really sharp. You have to listen to the music and try to be part of the rhythm of what is occurring in front of you,” she says. Andrea’s favorite moments are when dancers look suspended in the air, a recurring theme in her feed. “When I shoot an entire program, we can only publish one to three pictures, so I wind up with a whole stash,” Andrea says. “Now I can let other people see what I’m seeing.”

photography, dance, dancing, nytimes, Andrea Mohin, instagram,

Photoset

Instagram @music’s Monthly Hashtag Project: #MHPpop

Monthly Hashtag Project is a series featuring designated themes and hashtags chosen by Instagram’s Community Team. For a chance to be featured on the Instagram blog, follow @music on Instagram.

For this month’s hashtag project, #MHPpop, we’re looking for the most creative photos and videos inspired by the spirit of pop music — and what better way to invoke said spirit than with a little color? Be on the lookout for bright, vibrant shades that can serve as a backdrop, or ones that show up in an outfit either you or a friend are wearing. Of course, concert pics of actual pop singers work too. Last thing: Be sure to include the name of the song that inspired your submission in the caption.

PROJECT RULES: Please add the #MHPpop hashtag only to photos and videos taken this month and only submit your own. Any tagged visual taken this month is eligible to be featured. If you use music in your video submissions, please only use music to which you own the rights.

Monthly Hashtag Project, MHPpop, pop music, colorful, dance, music, music photography, Instagram, Instagram music,

Photoset

Instagram @music’s Monthly Hashtag Project, #MHPdance

Monthly Hashtag Project is a series featuring designated themes and hashtags chosen by Instagram’s Community Team. For a chance to be featured on the Instagram blog, follow @music on Instagram.

This month’s prompt was #MHPdance, which asked participants to show off their best dance moves. We selected some of our favorite submissions from the project, above, but be sure to check out the rest here.

mhpdance, monthly hashtag project, dance, music, music photography, instagram, instagram music,

Photoset

Staying in Unison with Acro-Dancing Twins Teagan and Sam Rybka

This post is part of our monthlong series, #WhyIMove. Throughout May, we’ve shared stories of dancers from all over the globe. To see more of Teagan and Sam’s dance act, follow @teagan_rybka, @sam_rybka and @rybkatwinsofficial on Instagram.

“We love to perform and entertain people, and we feel at home on the stage. Our mum was a dancer and an acrobat and passed on her lifelong passion to us. This is #WhyIMove,” says 20-year-old Teagan Rybka (@teagan_rybka), one half of the Australian acro-dance duo @rybkatwinsofficial with her twin sister Sam (@sam_rybka). “Someone once told us that when they watch us it’s more like watching one person because of our strong unison, but dancing together is more challenging than people think. Trying to dance, execute acro-tricks and stay in perfect unison takes a lot of practice and patience. We’re both very similar in ability because we’ve worked together and pushed each other. We’ve spent most of our life upside down or on our hands down at the studio simply doing what we love!”

photography, WhyIMove, acro-dance, dance, acrobat, twins, Teagan Rybka, Sam Rybka, instagram,

Photoset

Dancing and Centuries of History with Bolshoi Student @ruby.tear

This post is part of our monthlong series, #WhyIMove. Throughout May, we’ll be sharing stories of dancers from all over the globe. To see more of Stanislava’s life, follow @ruby.tear on Instagram.

(This interview was conducted in Russian.)

“Every time I step onstage, I tell a story. I speak to the audience and I open up my soul. This is #WhyIMove,” says 17-year-old Moscow-based ballet dancer Stanislava Postnova (@ruby.tear). “It is hard work every day — a slow road toward technical perfection. Usually, I am at the Bolshoi Academy from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sometimes I feel totally drained, but I am extremely proud to be studying here: a place full of centuries of Russian history. As a child, I used to choreograph for my friends, and in the future, I hope to make lifetime achievements as a ballerina and try choreography, too. I have so many creative ideas!”

photography, video, whyimove, dance, ballet, user feature, ruby.tear, Russia, Moscow, bolshoi, stanislava postnova, instagram,

Photoset

The Musicality of the Moment with B-Boy David Shreibman

This post is part of our monthlong series, #WhyIMove. Throughout May, we’ll be sharing stories of dancers from all over the globe. To see more of David’s skills, follow @_kiddavid_ on Instagram.

“I come from a family full of dance and music. In a way, I am carrying on a tradition. This is #WhyIMove,” says Venice Beach, California, B-Boy David Shreibman (@_kiddavid_). “Dance for me is a pure form of being in the moment; I don’t think about anything but the music and reacting. I am a movement artist — I love seeing all the ways I can use my body to create pictures and movement.”

photography, video, dance, breakdancing, bboy, whyimove, Venice Beach, David Shreibman, instagram,

Photoset

Instagram @music’s Monthly Hashtag Project: #MHPdance

Monthly Hashtag Project is a series featuring designated themes and hashtags chosen by Instagram’s Community Team. For a chance to be featured on the Instagram blog, follow @music on Instagram.

For this month’s hashtag project, #MHPdance, we’re looking for photos and videos celebrating the best dance moves, from ballet to breakdancing. To get started, head to a concert, dance hall or even a pop-up street performance and capture the movement on stage and in the crowd. Better yet, try using our #Boomerang app to show your friends twirling and moving on repeat. We’ll be featuring our favorite submissions on @music throughout the month of May.

PROJECT RULES: Please add the #MHPdance hashtag only to photos and videos taken this month and only submit your own. Any tagged visual taken this month is eligible to be featured. If you use music in your video submissions, please only use music to which you own the rights.

monthly hashtag project, mhpdance, dance, music, music photography, instagram, instagram music,