Nancy Pane Fortwengler artist statement: Years of working backstage and behind the scenes within the world of ballet inspired my series of ballet dancers. The relationship of the figures to one another, and the lines and shapes formed by the body in held positions, create captured moments in time, some with the stillness of calm repose and others that display the magic of flight. Seemingly fragile in nature, these dancers are fueled by steely physical strength and discipline. The dancers successfully mask the physical challenges and hardships of their art form, and I hope to have accomplished the same. Beyond the human figures, the shapes and layers of color formed by transparent fabrics of the costumes reveal yet another dimension of the choreography. This investigation and study of layers became the foundation for my further exploration into the shapes and colors unconsciously revealed by the subsequent overlapping of transparent fabrics. The ribbon series thus evolved and a new set of abstract dancers in movement was born.
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