Beautiful photos of ballet dancers in dramatic poses dancing in the streets of Cuba

Dance is an art deeply rooted in human culture. It is a medium through which we can “dance” away our troubles—and a way to express our feelings. Ballet is a graceful art form and here are some incredible photographs of dancers, dancing their way into our hearts.

The art of ballet in Cuba is greatly revered. Ballet dancers there are held in the highest regard. Cuban culture considers the art of dance to be the leader of the arts. This particular form of ballet is a mix of Cuban agility, poise and rhythm along with influences of the esteemed Bolshoi Ballet of the Soviet Union. These photographs portray the heart of Cuban art and culture in dance.

The famous Photographer, Omar Robles had photographed dancers in the inner city of New York before. He recently traveled to Cuba where he decided to photograph the cream of the crop ballet dancers of the island. During the shoot he also observed a distinctive quality of dance emerging from the classically trained dancers. He found an authenticity true to to their culture in the way the dancers expressed themselves through the medium of movement.

“I found myself tangled between the rhythm of the ballerinas I set myself to shoot and the cadence of the Cubans in the streets…and I was swept off my feet by that dance,” explains Robles. The dancers expressed that they were not earning enough to follow their passion full time, but that it did not stop them from dancing. Or that it ever would.

Here are some exquisite photographs of these fascinating hero’s and heroines of dance as they dance their way into our hearts. Enjoy!