EAS Bustle Ball 2009

[rm]

One of my great pleasures is doing my blurry, dreamy dance photos.


There can be a certain menace in formal set-based dances. I caught it here.


For me, dance always has narrative.


No matter how much motion is in a room, there is always a fixed point.


Formal doesn't mean stuffy.


That dress was like a beacon, and sorrowful when it was still.


The anonyminity of male dress.


Couples waltzing.


I like the blur in this particularly -- the men look active, as the lady watches, but she's a more powerful figure for it.


Having forgotten to take my Regency formalwear to the cleaners, I wore a dress. This actually didn't feel odd to me until someone came up to me and went on and on about how refreshed I must have felt to be a lady and I was such a good sport to always wear men's clothes as trying for me as that may be.

Comments

[heron61.livejournal.com]

This actually didn't feel od to me until someone came up to me and went on and on about how refreshed I must have felt to be a lady and I was such a good sport to always wear men's clothes as trying for me as that may be.

Wow, there are no words... The world many people live in is an alien country to me.

[hakeber.livejournal.com]

Isn't it?

[marzipan-pig.livejournal.com]

God, way to miss the point. I could see someone maybe thinking you dress butch to Patty's femme and that you don't dress that way when you're aren't with her (like, that it's relationship-based instead of your individual gender expression?). Thinking you were doing it 'just to be a good sport' (even if they said it some kind of character?) seems like they don't even get the possibility of a butch/femme / lesbian-relationship dynamic, which is a little boggling.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Yeah.

I mean Patty and I aren't butch/femme really, as I'm incredibly random, and while she dresses femme, she does not wear high heels or makeup and OMG, there's a pick-axe under our kitchen sink.

Amusingly, the green dress was bought between my size and Patty's so we could both wear it! She wore it to the holiday ball with crinolines under it. I pinned it back to be more sheath-like (and have a tiny fake bustle) on Saturday.

[cleverthylacine]

*jawdrop*

I shouldn't be shocked though; people say "how nice it must be for you to relax, you should do it more often" whenever they see me in pants or in a sweatshirt.

[wcg.livejournal.com]

You look lovely in that last picture. The woman in the red dress looks arresting. Is it Susan di Guardiola? I can't make out her face clearly, but it seems like her.

The men look very good in their white tie ensembles. There are subtle ways to break the anonymity. Studs and cuff-links are one way, and it's entirely proper to wear miniature medals if one is entitled to them, though I usually leave mine at home unless decorations are specified in the invitation.

[(Anonymous)]

No, I was in black -- my attempt at not being too eye-catching, since I was calling. I don't have the easy out of blending in to the background in white tie and tails.

Susan
http://www.rixosous.com

[wcg.livejournal.com]

Ah! Thanks for the info, and the link to your blog.

[(Anonymous)]

I have a dance-related blog, too, here: www.kickery.com

Susan
http://www.rixosous.com

[wcg.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I've added its feed too.

[hakeber.livejournal.com]

So delightful! I just love these photos.

[fleur.livejournal.com]

I adore the beacon.

[shadowedkit.livejournal.com]

I love the first two photos- it seems to be a good 'icon' as how a ball goeswith the dresses, suits and the general elegance of a ball.

As for your last comment, *facepalm* I thought we were in the 21st century (where it all changes), yes?
That being said, did you enjoy wearing the dress, or do you prefer the Regency formalwear?

[lonebear.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[smirnoffmule.livejournal.com]

Lovely shots, and even better in the context of your observations. I love the balance of fixed point vs motion. In fact, you're making me want to get my camera out.

[sykii.livejournal.com]

Heh, yes, that's, um, very obliging of you.
Geez.

[hexkitten.livejournal.com]

Oh, my goodness. I love the gowns!

[melebeth]

I love the creepy set dance shot. It makes me think of an episode of Dr. Who where something horrible is about to happen.

[gement.livejournal.com]

I'm waiting for the creepy little monkey with the red balloon to wander into frame.

[bodlon.livejournal.com]

Having forgotten to take my Regency formalwear to the cleaners, I wore a dress. This actually didn't feel odd to me until someone came up to me and went on and on about how refreshed I must have felt to be a lady and I was such a good sport to always wear men's clothes as trying for me as that may be.

...

I literally just choked. Um. Whoa.

[kessie.livejournal.com]

Having forgotten to take my Regency formalwear to the cleaners, I wore a dress. This actually didn't feel odd to me until someone came up to me and went on and on about how refreshed I must have felt to be a lady and I was such a good sport to always wear men's clothes as trying for me as that may be.

Wow.

*sighs*

[coriander.livejournal.com]

You look beautiful!

That last comment... yeah, it must be so trying for you... HA!

These pictures are great! Love the action of the shots! What a fun event!

[mneme]

*boggle* at that last comment. On so many levels, at that--I mean, the dress looks nice on you, but you obviously put so much more effort into the formalwear.

Ah, I think I see myself twice in there -- once in the star, once dancing in front of the pretty red dress -- yes?

[modpixie.livejournal.com]

these pictures are fantastic. i wish i had something intelligent to add to what everyone's saying...in addition to the subjects, the sense of composition makes the pictures engaging.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I'll probably put up another batch tonight.