a dancer’s creative journey

Modern Dance Portrait Photography in Boulder

During our recent portrait session in Boulder, CO I had the joy of photographing a dancer, Claire Schlutt, whose work is deeply rooted in improvisation, shared authorship, and emotional presence.

In the midst of rehearsals for Nosilla Dance Project’s upcoming production, (un)Forgotten at the Dairy Arts Center, we talked about movement, collaboration, pre-performance rituals, and what it means to translate a living art form into still images. Getting to work with Claire was such a delight to witness how she became one with nature and moves with such grace. After our session I sent her a few questions to better understand her process as a contemporary mover.

As a Boulder portrait and event photographer, I’m always curious about the space between motion and stillness — the “few words” we can hold onto from a full sentence of movement. This conversation explores that space.

1. What are your favorite styles and approaches to dance? The style I gravitate towards most is contemporary - specifically improvisation-based. I find myself most appreciative of collaborative choreographic processes where there's a shared authorship in creating work. It feels a little more involved and takes more vulnerability between the dancer(s) & choreographer(s).

2. Who or what has had the biggest influence on how you move today?

There are many people that have shaped the way I move today. Holly Logan gave me a great foundation in contemporary & jazz technique as well as floorwork which I am very grateful for. My work with MFA graduate, Karly Meehan, at Temple University really made me fall in love with collaborative processes as well as more gestural work. Meehan's pieces pushed my artistic depth. I am constantly inspired by my peers and their passion & dedication - they know who they are!

3. How much room do you leave for improvisation or play in your practice? I leave lots of room for improvisation & play! Finding new pathways is exciting and challenging; asking myself what are my habits and how can I lean into or out of that?

4. Do you have any little rituals before rehearsals or performances that help you get in the zone? I definitely enjoy being in my own space before a show. Being out on the stage beforehand can help me to feel grounded. I usually do a similar warm-up to rehearsals with a little extra to get my body activated while dealing with adrenaline. I really try to stay away from running entire pieces right before going onstage - I can get too in my head!

5. What is it like working with different choreographers and collaborating with other dancers? Any advice for folks who want to collaborate creatively?
It's really exciting to work with new people. I think it's always important to keep in mind that everyone's brains work in different ways and to remain open-minded. To be open-minded is probably the best thing you could do for yourself - coming in with pre-established thoughts or structures inhibits you from discovering new possibilities. While it's important to listen to others it's equally if not more important to advocate for yourself (physically, mentally, emotionally). Creating art is A LOT - we have to also take care of ourselves.

6. What do you have coming up for us to know about? I am dancing for Nosilla Dance Project and our upcoming show "(un) Forgotten" Feb 27-Mar 1 at the Dairy Arts Center! A bold evening-length production choreographed by Artistic Director Alli Jones that confronts war, division, & loss as urgent reflections of our present world. Tickets: https://thedairy.org/series/nosilla-dance-project-presents-unforgotten/

7. What do you hope people feel after watching you dance? I hope that people watching me dance just feel something. I think even if one person watching wondered why, felt uncomfortable, or wanted to know more, then I've done my job. There is no one right way to feel watching dance - it hits every person differently as a culmination of their lived experience. I hope that my movement can cultivate empathy or a willingness to listen to each other and have conversations we might not normally have.

8. During our photo shoot you had so many ideas of where to stand and I loved hearing your ideas. It was such a fun collaboration. I am curious how you feel about photography and working with photographers as a dancer. Annie Liebowitz said you can’t photograph dance, you can only capture poses and really dance needs to be seen on film or in real life. In my encounters with trying to photograph dance I could see what she means as it is so challenging to capture the complexity of a dance in fragmented moments yet it is also such a fun challenge. What do you think about that? The beauty of live performance is that it only exists in that moment; you can't rewind or replicate it exactly, you can only be in the present moment. And that experience is only shared with those in the room for that particular performance - the energy varies show-to-show. So while I agree that dance is best seen live, I think photography has a special way of capturing the in-between and maybe leaves us wanting more. It is challenging because we are often moving in full sentences live and to photograph that means you might only capture a few words.

9. What is one of your favorite photos or few photos from our session together and why?
See attached for my favs! I love the way the rock frames the movement!

(note: the photos featured on this blog are the ones Claire selected as her favorites)

10. Contact info: IG @claire.schlutt

Dance lives most fully in the present moment, shared between performers and those in the room. And yet, photography offers its own kind of preservation. It captures the in-between: the breath before the leap, the weight in a hand, the quiet after impact.

Working with artists like this reminds me why I love portrait and performance photography in Boulder. It is less about freezing movement and more about honoring process — vulnerability, collaboration, curiosity, and courage.

If you’re a dancer, creative, or performing artist preparing for a show, rehearsal, or new body of work, I would love to help tell that story — from studio to stage, and all the moments in between.

You can reach out to me via email at sara@aidazea.com or find me on instagram @saramariestudio.