A behind-the-scenes photograph backstage at a ballet theater. A 25 year old Black ballerina in a pale pink practice leotard and a frayed white tutu sits on the scuffed wooden floor lacing her pointe shoes, her hair pulled into a tight bun with a few loose strands, a sheen of sweat on her collarbones. A single row of bare mirror bulbs on the right throws warm light across her face and leaves the rest of the room in deep shadow, where racks of costumes and a coiled rope hang. Shot at 85mm with a wide aperture, focus on her hands and the satin ribbons, the background dissolving into soft blur, subtle film grain and true-to-life skin tones.