Book (p)review: Jordan Matter: Dancers among us - A Celebration of Joy in the Everyday
Monday, 16/02/2015
Workman Publishing, 2012
Dancers are storytellers. They're trained to capture passion with their bodies. The often create a fantasy world or offer us a deeper look into familiar settings. They bring to life what we feel but what most of us, lacking their artistry and athleticism, are unable to express physically.
Jordan Matter
Concert and festival photography has been my great passion for some time, but the truth is that all kind of stage performance (e.g. theatre) makes me feel those little butterflies of excitement in my stomach. Besides music, I’ve been honoured to photograph dancers and dance performances for few years now, privileged to work with well known dance school and production house Plesna Izba Maribor in the town where I live in. So, my (p)review of this book that focuses on dancers and not musicians shouldn’t be surprise to any of my blog’s regular readers.
Jeffrey Smith, New York, NY
That said, I have to admit that two months ago, I didn’t know anything about the photographer Jordan Matter, let alone of his famous photo project "Dancers among us". In preproduction for the photoshoot I had with two young and very talented Slovenian dancers Monja Lorenčič and Domen Žugelj recently, it was they who told me about Mr. Matter and his great photos. I googled him, loved what he is doing and ordered this book via fabulous Book Depository (free delivery worldwide) immediately. Although there were a lot of images from this project already online, the book has actually so much more - if you like what you see on the official’s project website, you’ll love the book, simple as that!
Marissa Quimby, Seattle, WA
The basic idea behind this photos is dancers doing their thing in usual, everyday situations. Dancers being "fully alive in the moment, unself-conscious, present". Dancers being dancers! Amazing as the photos from this project are (no photo-shopping, trampolines or hidden wires here, as author proudly states), Jordan Matter’s own story is in a way even more amazing. He wanted to become a professional baseball player, majored in theatre, worked as actor, and after one Henri Cartier-Bresson exhibition that changed his life, became a photographer. Coming from an artistic family (he is a grandson of Herbert and Mercedes Matter, a very successful photographer and painter, respectively, and the son of filmaker Alex Matter and Ford model Paula Feiten), this actually shouldn’t be a big surprise. Inspirational, nevertheless.
Parisa Khobdeh, Yankees Stadium, NY
Great ideas + brilliant dancers = amazing photographs
The book is divided into seven chapters (with titles like "Dreaming", "Loving", "Playing", "Exploring") and every chapter has a short but very inspirational intro text not about dance and dancers per se, but about authors life, family, children, love, death and similar themes. Every image in the book has a title, the name of the dancer(s) and a location, while few of the images are supplemented with 4-5 images of the same scene, showing us that to get that perfect moment of that millisecond, is actually hard work - great addition to the book! But, the real gem is "Behind the scene" section that talks about some of the images in the book, and is an excellent bonus content, especially for photographers!
What happens to this enthusiasm, this ability to be wholly present in the moment? Why are these pure moments of passion so often replaced with cynicism, boredom, and indifference? As I played with my son, I thought about creating photographs that would show the world as if through his eyes. The people in the images would be alive and in the moment, celebrating all aspects and emotions of everyday life.
Jordan Matter
Jordan Matter has been shooting dancers for this project for three years and all around the United States (he still does it, and now around the world) and he had dancers traveling seven hours just to do a shoot with him. The photographs in the book (and some new ones on the site) are so amazing, that just to pick few ones that I included in this blogpost, has been a tough call.
Matt Oaks, Astoria, NY
To summarise, "Dancers among us - A Celebration of Joy in the Everyday" is an awesome book of even more awesome project, that I heartily recommend it to anyone interested in dance and/or dance photography!
All photographs published with author's permission.
Evgeniya Chernukhina, Philadelphia, PA Photo: © Jordan Matter
Kristin DeCesare and Jessica Press, New York, NY Photo: © Jordan Matter
Noble Motion Dance, Houston, TX Photo: © Jordan Matter
Lisa Cole, New York, NY Photo: © Jordan Matter
Product info
Dancers among us: A Celebration of Joy in the Everyday
Author: Jordan Matter
Format: Paperback, 240 pages
Publisher: Workman Publishing
Published: November 2012
ISBN-10: 0761171703
ISBN-13: 978-0761171706
Website: www.dancersamongus.com
Get your copy at:
Pandora - Art of Pole studio photoshoot 2025 - winter edition
Sunday, 11/01/2026
This winter was quite rough for me. I spent almost three weeks stuck at home due to a winter flu that swept through my family — and a good part of Maribor, Slovenia, and beyond. That’s the main reason I’m so behind on publishing photographs from this great photoshoot on my blog.
Pandora - Art of Pole studio photoshoot 2025
Monday, 24/03/2025
I had the privilege once again to photograph the talented students and teachers of Pandora – Art of Pole, a renowned Slovenian pole dance school based in Maribor. For this session, we returned to a dark studio setup, a style I love for the creative control it offers—allowing me to shape the light and sculpt their incredible movements I could never, ever, ever achieve myself! :)
Pandora - Art of Pole studio photoshoot 2024 #2
Saturday, 02/11/2024
After an intense yet energising first day of our pole dance studio photoshoot, the second day took on a different approach. While the first day was focused on capturing a large number of dancers with a tight schedule, the second day was reserved for the teachers of Pandora - Art of Pole, a renowned pole dance school in Maribor.
Pandora - Art of Pole studio photoshoot 2024 #1
Saturday, 26/10/2024
A few months ago, I had the privilege of photographing the talented pole dancers (and some of their teachers) from Pandora - Art of Pole, a well-known Maribor-based pole dance school, in a studio setting. This wasn’t my first time capturing their artistry — it’s become a wonderful tradition to provide the students with lasting memories of their hard work throughout the school year and the incredible progress they’ve made.
Stoletje preobrazbe plesa in glasbe - Pandorina skrinjica 2023
Narodni dom Maribor, Dvorana generala Maistra, Maribor (Slovenia), 20/05/2023
Annual dance production of the pole dance school "Pandora - Art of Pole". "Stoletje preobrazbe plesa in glasbe".
What. A. Show!
38. Zimska plesna šola / 38th Winter dance school
Zimska plesna šola / Winter dance school, Maribor (Slovenia), 03/02 > 06/02/2023
This was already ninth Winter dance school in a row for me, next year will be 10th! Already looking forward! :)
Dancers in studio photo shoot: Jasha Robnik
Friday, 13/01/2023
Last year I had the privilege to work with another very talented young dancer (and dance teacher) Jasha Robnik!
La Place
Narodni dom Maribor, Mali oder, Maribor (Slovenia), 13/11/2022
Premiere of a great dance & music performance created by Dalanda Diallo and Maša Kagao Knez and produced by KUD Baobab.
Pot (Path)
Odprta plesna scena, Maribor (Slovenia), 21/06/2022
31. Odprta plesna scena (31st Open Dance Scene)
Choreographed by internationally renowned choreographer Mojca Ussar, this great performance was a pure joy to photograph!
Pandora TV - Pandorina skrinjica 2022
Narodni dom Maribor, Dvorana generala Maistra, Maribor (Slovenia), 21/05/2022
I’m always flabbergasted by the easiness and grace dancers perform their acts, maybe even more when it comes to the pole dancers. Simply amazing! :)
31. Zimska plesna šola / 31st Winter dance school
Zimska plesna šola / Winter dance school, Maribor (Slovenia), 19/02 > 22/02/2016
Continuing our successful collaboration from the last year, I was hired again this year to document the international Winter Dance School that has been happening in Maribor for 31 years now!
Izbine pripovedke za velike - letna plesna produkcija Plesne Izbe Maribor
Lutkovno gledališče Maribor, Maribor (Slovenia), 19/06/2015
Second part (out of three!) of the annual summer production of Plesna Izba Maribor featuring their more experienced dancers!
Izbine pripovedke za male - letna plesna produkcija Plesne Izbe Maribor
Lutkovno gledališče Maribor, Maribor (Slovenia), 17/06/2015
First part (out of three!) of the summer production of Plesna Izba Maribor featuring their youngest dancers!
Mično pomično 2015 - Gathering of belly dance groups in Maribor
Dom kulture Pekre, Pekre (Slovenia), 05/06/2015
Besides live music and festivals, dance is probably my favourite subject to photograph, so when I got a chance to shoot gathering of local belly dance groups last week, I was immediately on board! :)
30. Zimska plesna šola / 30th Winter dance school
Zimska plesna šola / Winter dance school, Maribor (Slovenia), 20/02 > 23/02/2015
Last weekend, I've been very privileged to photograph amazing young dancers from whole Slovenia (plus some foreign guests) with their amazing mentors, during the 30th Winter dance school (30. Zimska plesna šola). Such passion and talent in one place - simply, for a lack of better word, amazing!
The Moving Gallery - group photography exhibition plus contemporary dance
Thursday, 30/08/2012
Murska Sobota, August 31st and September 1st 2012
Some of the photos that I took at the recent dance photography workshop with Chris Nash, along with the ones from my fellow photographers, will be shown as part of The Moving Gallery project in the next two days, as part of Front@, contemporary dance festival.
Impressions from Dance Photography Workshop with Chris Nash
Thursday, 30/08/2012
Great photography workshop with one of the worlds leading dance photographers
Two days photography workshop with great energy and fun!
Book (p)review - Gail Buckland: Who Shot Rock & Roll, A Photographic History, 1955 - Present
Thursday, 15/12/2011
Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 2009
With over 300 black & white and color photographs - something like "Who is who?" in music photography in the last 50 years - "Who Shot Rock & Roll" is really a must have for all music photographers out there. Christmas is coming, so if you have somebody who is crazy about concert and music photography, why not give them something that will definitely put a big smile on their face?
Photo book "Moj vikend u zemlji čudesa" is out
Friday, 11/11/2011
Photo book documenting the recording of Pips, Chips & Videoclips live DVD "2x2", with 40 pages of good stuff for bands fans
The long awaited day for the release of this DVD is finally here and with that, it gives me great pleasure to say, my self-published photo book also!
Beyond thank you!
Monday, 10/10/2011
My photo to be published in the new 1x.com book
Today I got the final email confirming that my photo "Thank you!" will be published in the new 1x.com book called "Beyond", a yearly showcase of best photographs from the 1x.com site.