Monday August 2, 2010 - Photographer Gene Schiavone broke the record of photographing the most dancers on pointe in one place at one time. In Central Park today approximately 240 ballerinas (plus a few boys in toe shoes) surpassed the prior Guinness record of 220, staying on pointe for a full minute. Gene Schiavone's record-breaking image above.
I was expecting to see several dancers I knew, but only ran into Laura Di Orio (of Lydia Johnson Dance) and free-lance ballerina Taylor Gordon. My long-time opera buddy, ABT soloist Craig Salstein was the host for the event (joined later by ABT principal Michele Wiles). Craig was one of the first people I met when I moved to New York City in 1998 and we were among the first voice buffs to 'get' Sondra Radvanovsky. And...we were right!
Gene Schiavone had hoped to get 1,000 dancers for his record-breaking attempt but in a way it's just as well that only a quarter of that number showed up. I do not think there would have been space for 1,000 dancers, and the logistics of organizing the 240 who did show up were time-consuming. But in the end order prevailed over chaos and Gene got his shot.
There were almost as many photographers as dancers present. I took a few pictures but it will be Mr. Schiavone's photo that matters.
Above: Taylor Gordon.
Craig Salstein gives the dancers a combination.
Spacing was a key to making it work.
This image appeared on a Chinese news website. That's Michele Wiles of ABT, front row left of center.
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