Ballet: Henry Leutwyler, Diana Markosian, Kylie Shea - Vernissage

Henry Leutwyler | Misty Copeland’s Final Bow

In 1967, when I was six years old, my father dragged me to the Teatro La Fenice in Venice. That night, I witnessed Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev perform John Cranko’s "Paradise Lost”. In that moment, I encountered absolute beauty for the first time—and I was hooked.

Throughout my teenage years, that fascination deepened, along with the slow education of learning how to truly see, feel, and understand dance in all its forms. As a photographer, I have been privileged for more than forty years to live backstage, around the world. I have loved every second of it.

Early in my photographic career, I was fortunate to photograph Jorge Donn and Maurice Béjart, and to meet Sylvie Guillem when she was just twenty-three years old. I also had the rare privilege of witnessing and documenting her final performance in Tokyo on December 31st. 2015. We remain friends to this day.

I was equally fortunate to collaborate with New York City Ballet, producing hundreds of images across several seasons. I witnessed moments of profound vulnerability—bodies and minds pushed to their limits. I saw love, tears, joy, passion, and indescribable hard work, which led to advertising campaigns and a book called “Ballet” - A portrait of the New York City Ballet.

One of my longest and most personal collaborations has been with Misty Copeland, whom I met over two decades ago. The images presented here are the culmination of trust and friendship, leading up to her last curtain call on October 22nd, 2025.

To witness Misty take her final bow—and not only experience that moment, but also document it—was profoundly emotional. It marked the closing of a circle that began for me, many decades ago, in a theater in Venice.

Diana Markosian | Fantômes

I am drawn to this form of artistry that feels so pure and unguarded. There is something profoundly human in the way movement becomes language, how emotion, discipline, and vulnerability converge in the body. My background in ballet shaped the way I photograph motion and stillness. Returning to Cuba to create these images felt like a coming full circle. It was a chance to reconnect with my past as a dancer, while honoring a tradition of movement that is both deeply personal and culturally resonant in Cuba.

Kylie Shea Self-Portrait Series Reflections

Dance is my first language. Photography is my second.

This Leica Camera self-portrait series began with the M Monochrom, a tree, and my soul’s desire to create work that would last beyond the ephemeral moments of live performance while helping me to connect with a tumultuous inner world during a global pandemic. Since its 2020inception, the series has evolved into a visual diary rooted in the reclaiming of my vessel, vision, and voice. From the magical ballroom of Tacoma City Ballet, the secluded island life of the Bahamas, and the quiet London flat I once called home during the filming of my silver screen debut in Magic Mike’s Last Dance, these self-portraits continue to document where I’ve been not only physically, but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. My ballet teacher once said to me, “Art is truth, my darling, and without truth there is no art.” It is my hope to always bring truth to the work on both sides of the camera, and what grace I can through the grit of life.

Exhibit Dates

February 19 – March 29, 2026

Opening Reception

Thursday February 19th, 6 - 8 pm

Panel Conversation with the Artists

Saturday, February 21st, 11:00 AM

Exhibition Hours

Leica Gallery New York is open Monday through Saturday, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM, and Sunday from 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM.

Leica Store and Gallery Meatpacking District NYC

406 W 13th Street | New York, NY 10014

We look forward to seeing you there!

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