Behind the Scenes with The Royal Ballet – photographed by Andrej Uspenski

^{February 2013 – For Immediate Release}

On Pointe and Picture Perfect
Royal Ballet Dancer to release book of photographs revealing a unique insight into the Company and its dancers.

Royal Ballet dancer Andrej Uspenski’s passion for photography began as a child when he would spend hours in his father’s photographic studio. A love for photography flourished in parallel with his dancing career and over the last two years he has been taking photographs of Royal Ballet dancers in rehearsal and on stage.

The release of his book Dancers: Behind the Scenes with The Royal Ballet brings together Andrej’s images for the first time, revealing an intimate photographic record of The Royal Ballet. Published by Oberon Books and released in April 2013 this beautifully produced book takes us into the unseen world of The Royal Ballet, revealing behind the scenes images of the dancers as they attend morning class, rehearsals, costume fittings, hair and makeup through to the thrill of live performance.

Dancers: Behind the Scenes with The Royal Ballet, includes an introduction by Andrej Uspenski and a foreword by Jeanetta Laurence, Associate Director of The Royal Ballet. The book contains more than 200 photographs, both black & white and colour including backstage images and breathtaking glimpses taken from the wings.

This photographic record celebrates the world of ballet and features some of The Royal Ballet’s finest dancers. As a Royal Ballet dancer himself, Andrej Uspenskihas a unique perspective on photographic composition of dance imagery as well as unrivalled access not only to The Royal Ballet’s productions, but also to the dancers who perform in them.

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Notes to Editors

Dancers: Behind the Scenes at The Royal Ballet
Published by Oberon Books
Publication Date April 2013
Price £35
ISBN-13 9781849433884
Hardback, 144 pages

Andrej Uspenski
Andrej Uspenski is a First Artist with The Royal Ballet and was born in St Petersburg and trained at the Vaganova Ballet Academy and subsequently in Dresden and Berlin. He has been a member of The Royal Ballet for ten years. He won second prize at the Rieti International Ballet Competition, 1998, and second prize at the Yalta International Ballet Competition, 1999. He joined Royal Danish Ballet in 1999, then The Royal Ballet in 2002, promoted to First Artist, 2004. His repertory includes Bluebird and Florestan pas de trios (The Sleeping Beauty), Gentleman (Manon), Swan Lake (pas de trois), Officer (Mayerling) and roles in La Bayadère, Romeo and Juliet, Cinderella, The Prodigal Son, Symphony in C, Giselle (pas de six), Scènes de ballet, Rhapsody, Theme and Variations, Onegin, Coppélia and Stravinsky Violin Concerto. His photographs can be seen in Royal Opera House programmes as well as national magazines and newspapers

Oberon Books
Oberon Books is the UK’s most exciting independent drama publisher specialising in drama and the performing arts. With a backlist of over 1000 books including the latest modern plays and classics from some of the world’s leading dramatists, as well as a wide range of handsomely produced publications covering the theatre, opera, dance, biography, performance studies, monologues, practical guides and fiction.
www.oberonbooks.com