Dancers Among Us: A Celebration of Joy in the Everyday

Whether you love photography or dance or don't realize that you love either, give this to your partner.

Very interesting and unique photos. However, it's a very big shame though that the author/photographer is making megabucks off the sales and promotional appearances that he has been on for this book. I bet the public has no idea that the dancers have not received any financial gain from the sale of this book, not a single cent since it was published and has gone viral. Mr. Matter may not have expected such a huge response for the sales of this book, but after he did get that unexpected response, he should have turned around and sent each of those dancers an appropriate monetary compensation. The dancers definitely should be compensated monetarily for their part in the book since THEY are the subject matter and also they each worked one on one at length with the author/photographer to get the perfect shots. These were not one time pictures, there was a series of pictures to get the one to put in his book. Mr. Matter has most likely heard of the term "Starving Artist", so he felt that it was OK to not pay anything for the dancer's obvious talents and consequently he's continuing to reap benefits because of them. Shame on him.Now the author/photographer is making a second book and I bet that group of talented people will not receive one red cent either. To me the author/photographer has created his own means of exploitation in order to get rich. I will not promote this book after finding out that the dancers were not compensated.I'm also adding this quote from K. Yohe who reports personally knowing Mr. Matter. K. Yohe is verifying how much work the dancers put into making their shoot real. It is my strong opinion that Mr. Matter needs to look into his heart and rethink his non-payment decision. Here is the quote from K.Yohe's review:"K. Yohe - See all my reviews(REAL NAME)This review is from: Dancers Among Us: A Celebration of Joy in the Everyday (Paperback)“Jordan has included background stories for several pictures, and anecdotes from his own life so you can see how personal and heartfelt the creation of this book was. The pictures would be remarkable on their own, but it is so much more meaningful to know how much went into devising each shot - or how some of them seemingly created themselves. I can say it was a privilege to witness the enthusiasm, dedication, and courage of these dancers firsthand. I watched Carrie Nicastro jumping off the side of Buckingham Fountain over 200 times during the course of almost 2 hours (page 36). Marissa Horton didn't think twice before stripping down and jumping into Lake Michigan in October when we suggested a nighttime skinny-dip (page 78). Erin Clyne leaped across active train tracks with the Northbound Metra train speeding towards her (page 172). Kara Lozanovski rolled herself in oily, gritty asphalt (page 148). Over and over again dancers volunteered, saying, "Yes!" or "I'll try!" or "What if...?". Improvising, thinking on their feet, and all the time willing to give their all just to share their love for dance. This book is a testament to humankind's best potential for creativity, spontaneity, and collaborative spirit.” (end quote)Need anymore than this be said ???

Purchased book as a gift for granddaughter who is an accomplished dancer.

What is interesting is that these images are not photoshopped or contrived in their finality; and the idea of photographing dancers in everyday settings and events is quite unique and creative.Many of the photos are "really cool", as my family said repeatedly. Several come to mind as I write this, and will stay in my mind possibly forever.But after flipping through it once, and then casually once again, I was finished; it is not a book I will return to, or rate too highly as a book of photographs (like, for example, a LIFE photo compilation book). You will enjoy it VERY much, but when you're done, you're done. Tie it up with a red ribbon to match the cover, and gift it.

Dancers are everywhere in our world - for every one on a stage, there are tens of thousands who have been through the dance education machine to not make it, and they end up in other walks of lives.Beautiful stunning photos, celebrating people doing what they love.

I was a little nervous about all the 5-star ratings... Thought it was probably the book publisher hiring people to write good reviews... But, "Dancers Among Us: A Celebration of Joy in the Everyday" seemed like an interesting concept and the few photos I could see looked inspiring.So, I took a chance and bought 6 copies - one for myself (I'm a photography instructor who stresses finding beauty in the world) and the other 5 would be gifts for a few of my photographer friends. We are always looking for people doing inspiring imagery, expressing joy and especially doing creative things.I totally forgot about ordering them... And they just arrived. Awesome! Lots of amazing photos... So many make me smile and laugh. What a trip it must have been to work on this project!The book is mostly photos, which is good for a photo book. I am looking forward to reading what is in it though, especially the "About the Photographs" section in the back. I love reading about how photos are made.Thanks to the photographer and the dancers for creating such a fun body of work. I can't wait to see my friends' reactions when they open these gifts!Awesome Book!RASanta Fe, NM

The reason I bought this book was because I had a photoshoot scheduled with the photographer of this book. So 1. I wanted Jordan Matter to sign my book and 2. I actually wanted to incorporate the book into my photoshoot. Seeing that the shoot was at the beach I went with the paperback instead of the hardcover (in case it got a little messed up). It held up well and now I have a great memory to look back on when I look through the photos in this book and read the back stories to them. Can't wait for Jordan's next book Tiny Dancers Amongst Us!*The only thing I wasn't happy about is that it was delivered USPS and the postman smashed the package into my mailbox so it got a little bent. So annoying. Laid it flat for a few days with some heavy books on top of it and it was fine after.

For my bachelor's degree, I studied theatre and dance, and although I'm not a great dancer, I am amazed at the ability to control your body with such precision. This book is the epitome of that precision, and puts it into an everyday context. I love the book, and think the photography is simply stunning, though, I have to admit that I'm quite jealous that Jordan Matter created these beautiful images and not me. I got into photography because of dance, I wanted to capture the beauty, and at some point that got away from me and I started photographing pets and products and weddings. This reminds me of why I got into this field, and what it was that made me fall in love with the arts. I highly recommend this book, as I've shown it to many non-dancer friends and they all say the same thing. It is inspirational, creative, and most importantly, extremely enjoyable!!!

Es un libro visualmente precioso. Yo sigo al señor Matters por YouTube y esta compilación vale mucho la pena. Y honestamente, no está caro. Buena idea de regalo para fotógrafos del movimiento, gimnastas, bailarines, etc de cualquier edad

This is a really cheap reproduction. The cover was worn out and the print quality is absolutely dismal. It's such a shame as the original images and book are a masterpiece. It's money down the drain.

While the sign of a good book its ability to be a 'page turner', the opposite is true for art books. I found myself stopping at every page, transfixed by the forms and compositions of each photo. This book captures the art and beauty of dance, photography, and every day people. This is a great addition to any coffee table.

Mon premier livre du photographe Jordan Matter que je trouve excellent. Certaines photos paraissent truquées mais en fait il n'en est rien et si vous n'êtes pas convaincus il faut aller voir le making of de certaines photos disponibles sur Vimeo ...Du coup j'ai bien envie de me procurer ses autres publications.

Este livro é espetacular para crianças e adultos.Tanto pelas motivações que emprestam o tom do livro quanto pela beleza visual de ver tantos movimentos perfeitamente executados pelos bailarinos e capturados pelo fotógrafo.Recomendo!