Letter from Ballerina

When I first started photography, I simply wanted to capture people, without fully understanding what kind of photos I wanted or having the courage to ask people on the streets to let me photograph them. Nevertheless, the desire to photograph people was always there. At that time, I was fortunate enough to ask a friend who attended a ballet class to allow me to photograph their practice sessions. The ballet company was the historical Matsuno Michiko Ballet Company, established in 1958. Despite my lack of knowledge about ballet, Matsuno Michiko-sensei warmly welcomed me. I was able to photograph their rehearsals every Saturday and Sunday. Initially, I didn't know when to click the shutter to capture the beauty of the ballerinas, but as I attended weekly, I began to understand the timing for shutter opportunities. As the performance day approached, a different atmosphere enveloped the entire spacious rehearsal space, distinct from the usual foundational practices. Matsuno Michiko-sensei's words to her ballerinas and the expressions of the ballerinas receiving those words took on a different tone compared to the usual rehearsals. Sometimes strict, sometimes warm and observant, her words conveyed the importance of art, cultural exchange, and human character, which she had learned through her journey in ballet, to the next generation. Realizing this, I understood that the photos I wanted to capture were about showcasing the journey and accomplishments of each individual. In that place, there were serious expressions and smiles that seemed to embody each person's pride. On March 11, 2011, Japan experienced the largest earthquake in its recorded history. A letter addressed to the ballet company contained words about the ballerinas expressing themselves through dance.

写真を始めた頃、ただ人を撮りたかった私は街に出て人々に「撮らせてください」と声をかける勇気もどんな写真を撮りたいのかも自分ではよく分かっていなかった。それでも人を撮りたいと思う気持ちは常にあった。そんな時、バレエ教室に通っていた友人にお願いして稽古を撮らせてもらう機会を得ることができた。そのバレエ団は1958年発足の歴史あるバレエ団、松本道子バレエ団だった。バレエのことを全く知らない私を松本道子先生は快く受け入れてくれた。毎週の土曜日と日曜日の稽古を撮らせてもらった。最初はどのタイミングでシャッターを切ればバレリーナの美しさが撮れるか分からなかったが、毎週、通ううちにシャッターチャンスが理解できるようになっていった。発表会が近づくと普段の基礎的な稽古とは違う空気が広い稽古場全体を包んでいた。松本道子先生のバレリーナたちにかける言葉も、それを受けるバレリーナたちの表情も普段の稽古とは違うものになっていった。ときには厳しく、ときには温かく見守る言葉は松本道子先生が自ら学んできたバレエをとおして芸術や文化交流、人間性の大切さを次世代に伝えること言葉だった。それを感じた私は自分の撮りたい写真がその人の獲得してきた立てる場所であることに気づいた。その場所には真剣な表情や笑顔があり、それはその人の誇りに思えた。2011年3月11日、日本観測史上最大規模の地震が発生した。バレエ団宛に届いた一通の手紙にはバレリーナの表現者として踊る言葉が綴られていた。