So one day, Kelly Pratt had this idea……

She asked her partner, Ian Kreidich,  “What if we did pictures of dancers with dogs?”

Kelly Pratt & Ian Kreidich are dance photographers working mainly with the Saint Louis Ballet, along with dancers around the country.  In response to Kelly’s question, Ian’s expression suggested Kelly might be a bit crazy.  In the end, however, her dandy idea prevailed: Dancers and Dogs, a wonderful project that helps people see the lighter, more human side of ballet dancers – and the majority of the dogs are fabulous breeds!

The first pairing was dancer, Ericka, and an English Bulldog, “Baxter,” who belonged to a friend.  They were just the first of the 100 dancers and 100 dogs whose images the photographers hope to capture. The project started in St. Louis, but the team hopes to expand the project to other cities as well.

The pictures are exquisite:  Clean, elegant, and very sweet. They are available in a calendar, and the Mastiff, Dachshund, Pug, King Charles Cavalier, Poodle, and English Bulldog are available as individual prints.  What wonderful pieces of art to put in the room of a young ballet dancer, or in the home of the owner of any of these breeds!  You don’t want to miss the behind-the-scenes video below of the photo shoots!

Dancers and Dogs also has a Facebook page and can be found on Instagram.