Photoshoot

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Richard Hankes and Ashlee Montague in NYC Summer 2018

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Richard Hankes and Ashlee Montague are the definition of a power couple. I have shot with them a few times over the years, and this photoshoot we did in Dumbo New York in 2018 is one of my favorites.

Here’s a little background/bio on Richard and Ashlee;

“Richard Hankes and Ashlee Montague are classical ballet dancers turned world record holding circus performers, and Cirque du Soleil alumna. They specialize in acrobatic ballet, adagio, hand-to-hand, aerial, and bottle walking acts. Richard and Ashlee met in 2007 while studying ballet at the Rock School for Dance Education in Philadelphia. Married July of 2017, the couple has performed across the globe together for television, film, commercials, print, and events.” (RichardAndAshlee.com 2025)

This shoot was extra fun for two reasons. First, Richard and Ashlee can do absolutely anything you ask them to. They really have no technical limit. And second, they brought a variety of outfits and props that really elevated the setting and created this whimsical/old Hollywood/clown/comedic aspect that translated into very compelling, layered dimensions.

You can follow Richard and Ashlee’s joint Instagram account here: @RichardAndAshlee

You can follow Ashlee’s solo IG account here @AshleeRoseMontague

And you can check out their official website here: RichardAndAshlee.com

And keep an eye on the Zine for more photoshoots with them going forward.

-Oliver Endahl

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The Pointe Shop 2024 Models

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Jane Woodford and June Freeman are the 2024 Pointe Shop Models.

For this session with them, we shot in the Orange County area in Southern California.

Both June and Jane are extremely talented and this shoot was absolutely epic.

You can follow them on their IG’s below, along with the Pointe Shop.

@JuneDelilahFreeman

@Jane_en_Pointe

@ThePointeShop

Till next time,

-Oliver Endahl

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Elseana Skowronski Interview + SF Photoshoot

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Elseana Skowronski is a talented dancer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. We’ve shot together many times over the years.

Below is an interview with Elseana + photos from our latest shoot.

Top 5 favorite movies ever (in no order; just 5 movies)

Dirty Dancing, You’ve Got Mail, The Wedding Planner, Chicago, 500 Days of Summer

Favorite movie of 2024!

Wicked, hands down. I’m not really one to go to the theaters much or explore very many new movies. Usually when movies are heavily hyped I inevitably  am disappointed. Wicked lived up though. Obsessed.

Does your relationship to dance feel different now than it used to? (Put another way; Has your relationship with dance changed at all?)

Definitely! I used to get much more caught up in the perfection of it all and get very stressed out by the performance aspect. I don’t dance as much as I would like anymore, but I definitely have more of an appreciation for just the movement and artistry of it all. I also unfortunately deal with a lot of chronic pain, so that has had an effect on the way I move my body. I think over all I am much more gentle and forgiving of myself when I dance now!

What music artists do you listen to?

Soooo many! My top artists this year were Olivia Dean, Hozier, SZA, Kendrick Lamar, and Noah Kahah, which I think represents my music taste pretty well.

What brings you joy?

Lately my friends/family/community has felt especially warm and important to me. Also music, flowers and my house plants, and art :)

Is it important for people to have hobbies?

I would argue yes! I think it shapes you into a full human. I think it’s easy to get caught up in work/school/responsibilities/etc. but if you don’t have enjoyable interests, what’s the point of life really?

Do you enjoy traveling? If so, what’s been a recent favorite trip of yours?

I do! I have been traveling more and more lately and I went on a lot of fun trips this year. Most recent fav was definitely Sri Lanka! It was my first time out of the country and I went to see one of my best friends! I got to spend some good quality time with her, ate a lot of really good food, swam in the ocean, and fulfilled a life long dream of seeing elephants in the wild hehe.

Where do you think the genre of repertory dance should go? Is there anything you want to see more of?

I would love to see repertory dance become more accessible to viewers and more inclusive in its representation. I feel like art deserves to be seen and felt and experienced by the masses, and that’s difficult when it is often catered toward such a small demographic.

What is your current go to “feel good” show?

Always Gilmore Girls and How I Met Your Mother!

What is a movie you saw this year that you liked but probably won’t rewatch?

This is actually a really difficult question because I am a major re-watcher, even if the film was mediocre lol. I think maybe this move called Love At First Sight. I technically have already watched this twice… But the first time was during a movie night I had with a friend and we literally talked through the entire thing, so I went back to watch again, and though it was a cute and enjoyable watch, we weren’t missing much by talking through it lol.

You can follow Elseana on IG here @Elseana.Dance

Till next time,

-Oliver Endahl

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Jaclyn Younger in the studio

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Jaclyn Younger and I have shot many times over the years. She is a frequent collaborator and is always a joy to work with. These photos were created earlier this year at a new photo studio I hadn’t used before.

I gave Jaclyn various interview questions for this post. Here are her answers

What’s been your favorite piece to perform?

Over the years I've performed several traditionally classical roles that I really love (demi-soloist in Paquita, Snow Queen, Dew Drop, and Spanish Lead in The Nutcracker, and variations such as Gamzati's wedding variation from La Bayadere and the La Esmeralda variation), but the pieces that tend to stick to me the most lean more neoclassical and contemporary. Last season I performed in an original piece, Quatro, by Juilliard alumni and current University of New Mexico professor Vladimir conde Reche and it will always be a piece that I remember as a catalyst for growth, challenge, and overall, the love of performance as a whole. I can't wait to see what new roles and pieces continue to inspire me in the near future. 

 What are other forms of art you enjoy outside of ballet? 

Outside of ballet, I'm very drawn to both writing and photography. I graduated with a BA in Multimedia Journalism which I have been able to turn into a side job of professionally curating blogs and social media sites. Additionally, I work as an Assistant Creative Director for a nationally known wedding photography team (shout out to Alicia Lucia Photography), that allows me to continue to expand my skills as a writer, curator, and viewer of real-life love stories. 

Beyond my professional pursuits, I'm a sucker for art galleries both big and small. I'll find any excuse to visit an exhibit or full blown museum in my local community and when I travel. 

 What do you think needs to change about the ballet industry?

There are so many elements of ballet that need to change, but the most prominent to me are the treatment of dancers and the perception of bodies in the dance world. Too many times dancers are asked to essentially work for free or for very little money in high stress situations with sometimes zero medical or emotional support from dance companies. In any other field of work employees are able to demand more, however in the dance world, especially when it comes to ballet, asking for livable wages and appropriate work conditions is taboo and dancers are generally expected to 'tolerate it'. I fully support the notion of more dancers, no matter the size of their companies, unionizing in order to create a better present for themselves and  future for aspiring dancers. 

Additionally, I think that there needs to be a huge adjustment in the way that the ballet world handles the idea of a 'perfect ballet body'. For too long there has been a stigma around weight in ballet companies around the globe and this diminishes the fact that dancers are human beings and therefore should be able to embrace change in their bodies over the years. 

If ballet as a whole can't take on the demands of the 21st century such as treating dancers like people instead of just bodies, there is a real question of if the art form itself can truly be salvaged moving forward. As someone who loves ballet to my core, I hope that ballet, and the dance world at large, can adapt and create a more welcoming, realistic community for all.  

You can follow Jaclyn on IG and keep an eye here for more of our shoots in the future.

-Oliver

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Stacey Hazen at HappyGoLucky in New York

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Stacey Hazen and I got to shoot at the HappyGoLucky immersive art installation in New York City.

Immersive art experiences like this one pop up from time to time, and I always love creating at them. They’re designed to be utilized for photoshoots. The concept is that your friend stands in the art piece and you snap a photo of them. (Thus, the “immersive” part of the experience.) So you become part of the art itself.

The quality varies from installation to installation, but this one was particularly fun because A. Stacey Hazen is extremely talented and fun to shoot with and B. The colors of this HappyGoLucky really popped off.

(Love that “High Line” text on the phone booth)

You can follow Stacey Hazen on IG here and keep an eye on the Ballet Zaida Zine for more shoots with her.

till next time,

-Oliver