By Quinn Wharton member of the corps de ballet of San Francisco Ballet. September 26, 2009
I loved this guy's stance. It almost looks like he has a ballet body: long and lean.
The roads have been an experience here, and that’s just putting it mildly. Since dancers take their bodies seriously, trying to navigate the streets feels like walking gauntlets all the time. Just crossing the road between our hotel in Shanghai and the theatre was an expedition. Eyes up and alert, weight on the balls of the toes, bag prepped to swing at the scooter flying at your face: it’s a hectic situation here.
An oddity in Shanghai: you don't see very many dogs as pets here.
The rule seems to be everyone for themselves; traffic signs, lights, and signals are merely suggestions, not enforceable laws. I have had cabs make u-turns in the midst of full traffic at a busy intersection. Black town cars will frequently come within centimeters of the cab you’re riding in. And if a car sees a small break in the pedestrian traffic in front of them, they don’t hesitate to push their way through.
These bikes were pretty common. The back could be stacked with anything from pigs to fake Fendi bags.
Also, the collection of vehicles here is mind-blowing. Not so much the automobiles per se, as those are pretty much standard Asian-made, Honda/Toyota-like vehicles, some fancy sports cars, and minivans for the big families, but it’s the moped and bike culture that’s really entertaining. There are probably twice as many of those than cars. It certainly makes sense, considering the traffic problems here. There’s traffic pretty much all-day, every day. There aren’t so many rush hours as just lull hours between the crunches. I spent a lunch session photographing all the vehicles riding by the street we were on. Unfortunately, I didn’t get some of the truly spectacular ones that we have seen around, but it gives you an idea.
Check this guy out, just nonchalantly smoking a cigarette while speeding down the street.
Jeremy Rucker joined me to watch the traffic. There are no idle moments among dancers, so he stretched while I shot these photos.
Getting Around Town
member of the corps de ballet of San Francisco Ballet.
September 26, 2009
I loved this guy's stance. It almost looks like he has a ballet body: long and lean.
The roads have been an experience here, and that’s just putting it mildly. Since dancers take their bodies seriously, trying to navigate the streets feels like walking gauntlets all the time. Just crossing the road between our hotel in Shanghai and the theatre was an expedition. Eyes up and alert, weight on the balls of the toes, bag prepped to swing at the scooter flying at your face: it’s a hectic situation here.
An oddity in Shanghai: you don't see very many dogs as pets here.
The rule seems to be everyone for themselves; traffic signs, lights, and signals are merely suggestions, not enforceable laws. I have had cabs make u-turns in the midst of full traffic at a busy intersection. Black town cars will frequently come within centimeters of the cab you’re riding in. And if a car sees a small break in the pedestrian traffic in front of them, they don’t hesitate to push their way through.
These bikes were pretty common. The back could be stacked with anything from pigs to fake Fendi bags.
Also, the collection of vehicles here is mind-blowing. Not so much the automobiles per se, as those are pretty much standard Asian-made, Honda/Toyota-like vehicles, some fancy sports cars, and minivans for the big families, but it’s the moped and bike culture that’s really entertaining. There are probably twice as many of those than cars. It certainly makes sense, considering the traffic problems here. There’s traffic pretty much all-day, every day. There aren’t so many rush hours as just lull hours between the crunches. I spent a lunch session photographing all the vehicles riding by the street we were on. Unfortunately, I didn’t get some of the truly spectacular ones that we have seen around, but it gives you an idea.
Check this guy out, just nonchalantly smoking a cigarette while speeding down the street.
Jeremy Rucker joined me to watch the traffic. There are no idle moments among dancers, so he stretched while I shot these photos.