2015 Summer PHOTO CONTEST!

We had such a great time looking through our Summer 2015 Photo Contest entries!  Here are the winners and runners up from each of our four categories and (because we couldn’t resist) a number of honorable mentions.

Thanks again to all of our amazing participants.  We had many times more submissions to this contest than any previous year, so it was harder than ever to pick a winner, but all of your submissions showed what great work you did on your programs.  It’s you who give PAA the great reputation it enjoys around the world.  Thanks again!

Overall winner:

From Emily Eymundson, Dance Intern in Spain.  We like calling this “Traveler in the Wings,” and it beautifully reflects what Performing Arts Abroad is about.  The great view from the wings of a performance on stage lets you know this is the view of an insider–someone involved, not just watching from the audience.  The cherry on top is that our silhouetted observer is holding–that’s right–a suitcase!  Performance.  Artistic perspective!  Travel!  This is what PAA is all about!  Congratulations Emily!

Now here are a few favorites from each of the categories we gave our participants.  Enjoy!

“You at Work” Winner:

From Laura Christensen, Dance Volunteer, the Galapagos Islands.  We wanted to see PAA participants in action on their programs, doing what they do from day to day, and not only does Laura capture it in this photo, but the joy of this picture is infectious!

Runner up:From Crista Guthrie, Music Volunteer, Costa Rica.  There are so many great and adorable pictures of Crista teaching violin, it was hard to pick our favorite just of THOSE.

“Music/Dance/Theatre” Winner: 

From Kiana Lum, West End Musical Theatre Training Program.  Every time we look at this picture we fall in love with it.  We love the action, we love the composition, and we love the intensity!

Runners up:

From Laura Christensen, Dance Volunteer, the Galapagos Islands.  Simply put, this is one of the most beautiful photos we’ve ever received from a participant.  We’ll make a poster of it and hang it in our office.

From Hannah Harris, Blas Summer Music Intensive Program in Ireland.  Maybe it’s because we know this was an Irish music intensive, but we can almost hear the music pouring out of these folks, and boy does it make us want to jam.

From Marina Stagnaro, Dance Intern in Italy.  What can we say, we’re suckers for shots of people dancing in exotic locations.

“People” winner:

From Emily Le, Acting Intensive with Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London.  There are so many wonderful group shots, but the motion, the silliness, and the freaking Globe Theatre push this one to the top.

Runners up:

And yet another from Laura Christensen, Dance Volunteer, the Galapagos Islands.  This could be seen as a “You at Work” photo, but something about the human connection makes it more comfortable in this category.

From Shreenika Ramani, Dance Administration intern in Italy.  We’re pretty sure these are strangers, but we love the simple, human moment Shreenika captured.

From Kiana Lum, West End Musical Theatre Training Program.  Yes, we know that this is actually from part of the Book of Mormon workshop, but we like to imagine that it’s just two friends screaming at each other.

“Local Culture” Winner:

From Emily Eymundson, Dance Intern in Spain.  Let me tell you something, nobody chills on the streets of Barcelona like Ms. Eymundson.

Runners Up:

From Crista Guthrie, Music Volunteer, Costa Rica.  Oh, just playing the violin and chillin’ with a sloth.  No big deal.

 

 

Also from Emily Eymundson.  Like we said, homegirl knows how to roll in Barcelona and take pictures doing it.

Honorable Mentions:

These may not quite fit into one of our regular categories, but we just couldn’t leave them out!

Emily Le, RADA program.

Emily Le, RADA program.  We laugh every time we look at this.

Raine Storey, Dance Volunteer in Ecuador.  I think I’ve seen this poster before.  WOW!

Raine Storey, Dance Volunteer in Ecuador…clearly has an eye for beautiful photography.

Shreenika Ramani, Dance Administration Intern in Italy.

Shreenika Ramani, Dance Administration intern in Italy.

Kiana Lum, West End Musical Theatre Training Program.

Alexandra Heybourne, Theatre Intern in Costa Rica.