Creative dance portraits are a fun way to encourage and celebrate your dancer

What could be better than being a dancer, dressing up in a fancy costume, and dancing in a gorgeous location?

Dancing with your best friend!

For the past several years, my spring tradition with my daughter has been to document her dancing progress. We do a quick portrait session where she demonstrates all that she learned over the past year in ballet. It’s been wonderful to watch her grow in strength and poise over the years. Last year, it was extra special to capture her in her first pair of pointe shoes (something she’s dreamed about since she was 4 years old). It also grew from just my daughter to including her fellow dancing classmates as well.

While I love photographing her and her dancer friends in their simple leotards and tights, I’ve seen her eyeing the fancy tutus in her favorite ballet store (The Dancer’s Perfect Fit in the Strip District) and thought, what if she could pretend to be the prima ballerina that she dreams of being. And because I love to encourage those dreams, we grabbed her best friend, rented dresses, and spent an afternoon dancing.

Finding Dresses

Over the years, I’ve connected with several online groups that rent dresses. While I would love to have a room full of pretty things for photo sessions, renting is the best option at this time. Rainey’s Closet is a great site with a variety of options, and anyone can rent from them.

Are these sessions only for dancers?

I believe that everyone’s a dancer whether they’re in a formal class or not. These creative dance portraits started out as a fun treat for my little girl who has dreamed of being a dancer since she was 2 years old. If you have a little one who’s never been in a dance class, that’s fine. They can still imagine dancing in front of a great audience. It’s all about having fun and encouraging those dreams of doing anything we like.