Berlin, February 27th, 2021
ABOUT THE PROJECT “DANCER INSIDE”
The project “DANCER INSIDE” represents my personal work and contains images of dancers
from different countries, companies and academies, taken over several years (from 2008) during
rehearsals and classes, backstage, outdoor locations focused in architectural and historical
contexts.
Each photograph represents the combination of two opposed but linked elements, which are the
pillars of my project: Architecture and Dance.
On one hand, Architecture embodies the cultural identity, the history, the geography, the religion of
each place which is unique and different from all the other ones.
On the other hand, Dance is a universal language that overcomes the national and cultural
boundaries and can be understood by everyone.
The combination of these two elements creates a synergetic work of art that aims at spreading the
cultural diversity of the world through the universal language of dancers. The beauty of the world
lies in its diversity and the artistic communication enables us to understand it and appreciate it.
This is the message that my photographs want to filter.
Even though movement is considered to be the essence of dance, what I find most interesting are
the “static “ angles and lines of the dancers I shoot. I see them very close to architectonic details
and lines. I also pay attention to the graphic and perspective elements, not just for the background
but also for the main subject.
My interest is focused on getting close to the dancer as “a person”, capturing the hard work at the
barre, the sweat, the expression of exhausted eyes, exploiting lines and details during the exercise
and the moment of relax. I am more interested to the daily training of a dancer rather than the
performance on stage. Usually I like to position my subjects on a side rather than in the center of
the frame, giving great importance to the background even when it is just abstract; I also
instinctively put the subject on a tilting horizon which offers more options to look at the scene.
Then there is the compositional side, twinned with architecture, which leads the dancer to fit in
structural and architectural contexts (stairs, windows, buildings facades, structures, abandoned
locations, etc.) That represent the elements of contrast and harmony at the same time and fit in a
landscape identifier of the place. One of the tools of this compositional work is the widespread use
of wide angle lenses, which give a strong deformation of the subject and the background, standing
out hands, feet, architectural details, sometimes up to tilt angles and lose visual orientation.
Vertical and horizontal lines blur and the horizons are rotated according to criteria absolutely
instinctive.
This is another element that generates my photographs, the pure instinct of composition, where a
photograph can be read either horizontally or vertically, according to the subjective views of the
beholder and not dictated by the technical knowledge of dance. Its important to stress this instinct
that guides me in the interpretation of the lines generated by a dancer, although not peculiar
notions about dance and its history.
I am an architect from in Rome (born in 1959), now based in Berlin, involved in photography since
my very early age, following my father on location shoots. Soon after I started to shoot by myself
during my frequent journeys around the world, developing photos in my little dark room in my
basement. Since then, the way images magically appear on the white sheets it is something I find
absolutely fascinating. Lately I came back to photography exploring the digital world and improving
my technical skills, concentrating my attention on the use of lighting, which I consider one of the
most creative aspects of photography. In this occasion I developed coincidentally this
work focused on the world of dance. This subject has attracted me ever since.
The project “DANCER INSIDE”: was shown in several exhibitions:
1. Roma, Galleria La Pigna, Palazzo del Vicariato (in center of Roma, inside the Vatican State)
Personal exibition – January 24th 2011 to february 2nd 2011;
2. Madrid, Estay, Calle Hermosillo 14 (barrio Salamanca) Personal exibition
January 31st 2011 to february 19th 2011;
3. Roma, Galleria La Pigna, Palazzo del Vicariato, Collective exhibition for the calendar of ITALIARUSSIA events 2011 – February 5th 2011 to 20 th 2011;
4. Saint-Petersburg, Nonconformist Art Center PUSHKINSKAYA-10, Personal exhibition
July 2nd 2011 to August 31st 2011; this exhibition was supported from The Italian Institute of
Culture in Saint-Petersburg;
5. Moscow, restaurant Isola Pinocchio and Hotel Radisson, Personal exhibition – October 13th to
30th 2011;
6. Roma, “Torretta Valadier”, an historical site in the oldest bridge in Rome (roman bridge),
managed from Municipality, Personal exhibition – November 2th 2011 to November 23rd 2011;
7. Roma, Centro Russo di Scienza e Cultura (Palazzo Santacroce XVI° century), Piazza
Benedetto Cairoli n°6; Personal exhibition – March 2nd to 7th 2012;
8. Tel Aviv, Gallery floor of Azrieli Center, Collective exhibition “The Swan Lake Project”- May
1thst 2012 till June 8th;
9. Roma, Galleria La Pigna, Palazzo del Vicariato (Vatican State) , Collective exhibition “ FotoGrafica-Mente” of “Gruppo Fotografi Creativi della Galleria La Pigna” – May 2nd to 12th, 2012;
10. Saint-Petersburg, State Academic Capella gallery by Concert Hall – embankment of Moyka
20 (near Winter Palace of Hermitage) Personal exhibition – June 4th 2012 till end of June;
11. Berlin, Französischer Dom (Gendarmenmarkt), Personal exhibition DANCER INSIDE BERLIN
from August 22nd 2012 until February 16th 2013; this exhibition is supported from the Italian
Institute of Culture in Berlin and other Italian and German Public Institutions (Staatlische
Ballettschule Berlin);
12. London, Russian Institute of Culture (Representative office of Rossotrudnichestvo), Personal
exhibition “DANCER INSIDE LONDON” from June 18th to 23rd 2013; this exhibition is supported
from the Italian Institute of Culture in London;
13. Rome, Acquario Romano (Casa dell’Architettura), Personal Exhibition “DANCER INSIDE
ARCHITECTURE” from September 16th to 27th 2013;
14. Paris, Carrousel du Louvre, 99 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris – Collective exhibition “Salon
Internationale d’Art Contemporaine” from October 25th to 29th 2013; this exhibition is supported
from the Italian Institute of Culture in Paris;
15. Prague, Italian Cultural Institute in Prague – Personal exhibition “DANCER INSIDE PRAGUE”,
May 5th 2014, to 15th; this exhibition/event is realized in collaboration wit The Czech National Ballet
in Prague;
16. Wien, Russian Cultural Institute (Russischeskulturinsitut Wien) – Personal exhibition “DANCER
INSIDE WIEN” october 10th 2014 to 15th;
17. Ciudad de Guatemala, Museo Ixchel del Traje Indigena – Collective exhibition “GUATEMALA
ES GUATEMALA” November 26th 2014; this exhibition is supported from the Italian Cultural
Institute;
18. Baku, Museum of Modern Art – Personal exhibition “DANCER INSIDE BAKU” June 10th 2015
to June 30th 2015;
19. Milano, Galleria Sabrina Falzone (during “MILANO EXPO 2015”) July 1st to 10th 2015
Personal exhibition “DANCER INSIDE MILANO”;
20. Berlin, Second exhibition in the Französischer Dom (Gendarmenmarkt), as in 2012, Personal
exhibition DANCER INSIDE BERLIN from August 28th 2015 until December 31st
21. Rome, Chiostro del Bramante (Vicariato) – Personal exhibition (in loggiato and cafeteria
spaces), September 7th to October 13th 2015;
22. Rome, Brazilian Embassy in Rome – Personal exhibition “DANCER INSIDE BRAZIL” February
26th, 2016;
23. Madrid, Public Library “Biblioteca Publica Manuel Alvar”, Personal exhibition in the library
spaces, April 2nd 2016 to April 30 th;
24. New York, Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance, Personal exhibition in the
Company top floor studio, June 12th, 2016;
25. Roma, Villino Corsini (Teatro di Villa Pamphilj), Personal exhibition “DANCER INSIDE ROMA”,
September 23rd, 2016;
26. Roma, Villino Corsini (Teatro di Villa Pamphilj), Personal exhibition “DANCER INSIDE
BERLIN”, January 28th, 2017;
27. Rome, Tri-Mission Art Gallery – United States Embassy in Rome, Italy, Personal exhibition,
“DANCER INSIDE NEW YORK”, from March 1st 2017 to 31st 2017–Opening March 20th
28. Roma, Villino Corsini (Teatro di Villa Pamphilj), Personal exhibition “DANCER INSIDE
PREGNANCY”, dedicated to pregnant dancers, April 22nd 2017;
29. Berlin, Brazilian Embassy, Personal exhibition, April 12th, 2018;
30. Bruxelles, Gallery “32 rue Blaes” – personal exhibition “DANCE VANITIES”, June 28th, 2018;
31. Berlin, Art Gallery “August35” – collective exhibition “ BERLINO IN ARTE” January 21st, 2018;
32. Geneva, personal exhibition, Palais des Nations (United Nations), February 26th, 2020
UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS
Photographic works:
1. Compania Nacional de Danza, Madrid 2009-2010;
2. Ballet Nacional de Espana, Madrid 2010;
3. Real Conservatorio Superior de Danza, Madrid 2010;
4. Palucca Schule fur Tanz, Dresden 2010;
5. Staatlische Ballettschule Berlin 2011-2014; on course
6. Accademia Nazionale di Danza Rome 2011-2014; on course
7. Fashion Recycle for Art, Rome 2012;
8. Staatsballett Berlin 2012-2014; on course
9. Scuola di Ballo Accademia Teatro alla Scala, Milano 2012-2013;
10. Ballettakademie Wiener Staatsoper 2014; on course
11. Scuola del teatro dell’Opera di Roma 2012-2014; on course
12. Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theatre;
13. Tanecni Konzervator and Bohemia Ballet, Prague 2014; on course
14. Czech National Ballet Ballet, Prague 2014; on course
15. Azerbaijan State Dance Ensemble;
16. Royal Danish Ballet school 2014;
17. JKO School of American Ballet Theatre, 2014;
18. Ballettschule des Hamburg Ballett 2014;
19. Bolshoi Ballet Academy, Moscow 2014;
20. Dresden Semperoper Ballett 2015;
21. Victor Ullate Ballet, Madrid 2015;
22. Sao Paulo Companhia de Danca 2015;
23. Companhia Nacional de Bailado, Lisboa 2015;
24. State Russian Ballet Theatre, Berlin 2017;
25. Dresden Frankfurt Dance Company, Rome 2017;
26. Friedrichstadt-Palast, Berlin 2017;
27. Latvian National Ballet, Riga 2017;
28. Turinger Staatsballett, Gera 2018;
29. Classical Russian Ballet Theatre, Roma 2019;
30. Academie Princesse Grace, Principauté de Monaco 2019;
31. Les Ballets de Montecarlo, Principauté de Monaco 2019;
Photographs
http://www.simonegheraphotography.com/site/
Video
http://www.youtube.com/user/DANCERINSIDEBERLIN/videos
You have here some links and articles:
http://roma.repubblica.it/cronaca/2017/01/28/foto/dance_in_the_world_le_ballerine_di_berlino_in_mostra_
a_villa_pamphilij-157062076/1/#1
http://bachtrack.com/dance-photographers-ghera-medwell-trenberth?destination=%2Fall-articles
http://rbth.ru/arts/2013/06/24/language_of_dance_speaks_at_londons_russian_institute_27405.html
http://espresso.repubblica.it/style_design/fotogalleria/32117026
roma.repubblica.it
http://larussiedaujourdhui.fr/art/2013/10/25/le_langage_de_la_danse_ne_connait_pas_de_frontieres_2632
9.html
www.agenziaaise.it/cultura/mostre/
ita.rs.gov.ru/it/node/1214.wordpress.com
russiaoggi.repubblica.it/
italiacollection.ru (in russo)
www.insideart.eu/2012/08/16/danzare-sopra-berlino/
http://www.berlin.de/ausstellungen/fotoausstellungen/2748878-2745254-dancer-inside-berlin.html
www.visitberlin.de
http://www.danzainvideo.it/new/index.php?option=com_oziogallery2&view=04carousel&Itemid=16
http://www.iicsanpietroburgo.esteri.it/IIC_SanPietroburgo/webform/SchedaEvento.aspx?id=284
http://www.mediascena.it/
http://www.torrettavaladier.org/dancer-inside-di-simone-ghera/1770
Catalogue exhibition Berlin, august 2012 (PDF) download here:
http://www.simonegheraphotography.com/e-catalogue/OK-catalogo_20_luglio_WEB.pdf
Catalogue exhibition London, june 2013 (PDF) download here:
http://www.simonegheraphotography.com/e-catalogue/dancerinsidelondon_catalogue.pdf