Foot to Foot

Kylie Shea with the Leica Q3 43
Kylie shea with a leica camera

The Foot to Foot project is one of the most important works I have ever created. Riding the emotional and creative waves with the Q3 43 on this very vulnerable journey allowed me to focus purely on the essence of the magic I was witnessing, telling my story in the way only a Leica camera can.

Kylie Shea

“My creative process is one that cannot be forced, so it’s always interesting to keep with that spirit while on assignment. I feel like I had so much of this vision in my mind’s eye. I created a mood board with a selection of past self-portraits and photography that told the story through a body of work I had naturally created since I first began working with Leica cameras in 2020. 

Intention is everything, and to me, creating with a pure and honest heart in whatever you are doing is the baseline for every creative process I ever put myself in. If at any point I lose that, I stop. My late ballet teacher used to say, “Art is truth, and without truth, there is not art”. For me, whether I’m dancing, photographing, or filmmaking, truth must be honored at all times.”

Leica Q3 43

"From the bright lights of the world stage to private moments alone in the studio, I always have a camera with me."

- Kylie Shea

"The concept for this film is something that existed long before I did. It was less about developing it, and more about trusting my ability to represent and honor the tradition that has shaped who I am as a woman and artist. In my mind’s eye, I immediately pictured bringing Foot to Foot to life at one of the most magical places on earth, Tacoma City Ballet. The history is palpable in the floorboards of the ballroom and the arches of the studio windows. As I mention in the piece, the foot to foot tradition is what brought me there in the first place as this is the sacred ballet family I inherited after my teacher’s passing in 2009. The parallels in the importance of legacy within the ballet family and the Leica family felt undeniable and really served as the visual backbone for sharing how I unite my love for dance and photography to carry on my teacher’s spirit."

Ballet dancer with a Leica camera in front of her face

"This is not my story, but our story, as the foot to foot tradition represents the lineage that connects ballet dancers all over the world — all that were, all that we are, and all that will be. It’s easy to get lost in the intensity that classical ballet requires of its students. Whether you are dancing professionally in a company, a young student, or an adult new to the art, training can often feel like it takes everything from your mental and emotional well, not to mention physical. I’ve found that during those times, zooming out to the bigger picture and remembering that the art we dedicate our lives to is about carrying on the ballet legacy which helps give me the strength and drive to always push forward."

Kylie Shea with a leica camera

"I hope that the foot-to-foot story will be a gentle reminder to people from all walks of life, not just ballet dancers, that respect, honor, and reverence for the legacy of all those who have come before us is universal in all artistic vocations and imperative to our collective and individual growth as artists and human beings."

Kylie Shea

Ballet dancer on stage in an empty theater

"The Q3 43 transitioned seamlessly with me from grand moments in the studio and on stage to capturing the intimate details of my battered pointe shoes, all from its unique 43mm APO Summicron perspective. The versatility this camera offers allowed my brain to stop wondering if I brought the correct gear, and let me simply flow in the present moment."

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