Reported by: Berkley Adrio
Featured image: Jordan Matter for Paul Taylor Dance Company’s “Moving!” 

****UPDATE Fall 2012: Jordan Matter’s Dancers Among Us is now available in bookstores! It hit #58 on Amazon, has been profiled on every major news network, and you should probably go buy a copy right now.****

“I feel so lucky – I look around me and there are so few people who are truly completely thrilled with what they do. The lesson I’ve learned is to not be satisfied until you find the thing that makes you get up in the morning.”

Recently, I was lucky enough to catch up with photographer Jordan Matter. The last year found him all over the country working on his flagship project, Dancers Among Us. Capturing prima ballerinas in trees, virtuosos on escalators, pas de deuxs in the rain, pliés on the subway: “In everything I do, there’s a sense of spontaneity and a reliance on serendipity.”

While in Princeton, NJ shooting the US Women’s National Rowing Team last spring, Jordan took to twitter. Suddenly, he had four dancers ready to work with him.

Not long after, over 50 dancers turned up for him in Chicago - “and that was just from a couple of twitter posts!”

Dancers Among Us scored a publishing deal, and the book is due to hit stores in Spring 2013 – but Jordan isn’t stopping there. ”I’m not done with this when I’m done with the book. There are a lot more images I hope to use and places I’d like to see.”

What are your hopes for your first book?
“I hope the book will make dance more appealing to those who aren’t so interested in it now – that they’ll see it as real life.”

Who’s your dream photo shoot?
“Baryshnikov and Natalie Portman.”

Best advice you ever received?
“You’re going to spend 40+ hours a week at work – if you don’t love it, you’re wasting your life.”

So what’s next for you?
“I have an idea…but I can’t say.”

Any plans to come to Boston? We have a great ballet…
“Yeah – I think a day trip to Boston would be a good idea, don’t you?”

Absolutely, Jordan! Come on up.