Ballet Zaida x FP Me

For the re-launch of our FP Movement line, we were excited to collaborate with Ballet Zaida, the fine arts project helmed by photographer Oliver Endahl!

The purpose of Ballet Zaida is to expose the world to ballet, and to evolve the art of ballet itself.  Before I became a ballet photographer I danced ballet myself for over a decade in the San Francisco Bay Area.  I enjoy every form of art, but ballet is my favorite – I think it can lend itself & collaborate with every other form of art there is.  I think that Free People & ballet go hand in hand. The style of Free People is very whimsical & ethereal, both of which are infused with ballet, so I was very excited to get to photograph dancers wearing the new FP Movement line.

Our photo shoot took place in Los Angeles at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, a favorite location of mine. The architecture of the concert hall is otherworldly. The curves, textures & lines of every wall, corner & hallway are beautiful.  We used 2 Ballet Zaida Affinities for the photoshoot, Alanna Christina & Morgan Quinn, as well as dancers Nicole Voris and Sasha DeSola. The outfits had the whimsical feeling of Free People, but were also infused with the essence of the dancers.

Be sure to follow these beauties on FP Me: Alanna Christina, Morgan Jean Quinn, Nicole Voris, and Sasha DeSola.

Shop the FP Movement trend.

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Strappy Back Leotard

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French Courtship Slip

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Ruffle Crop Cami

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Half Moon Tank, Ruched Seamless Shorts

Follow Alanna Christina on FP Me.

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Mudra Romper

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Ruched Seamless Shorts, Off The Shoulder Long SleeveYour Inner Ballerina Legwarmer

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Your Inner Ballerina Legwarmer

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Long Leg Lace Romper

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Hatha Crop Leggings

Follow Morgan Jean Quinn on FP Me.

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Mesh Shorts, Santimer Bra

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Ballet Fit and Flare

Follow Nicole Voris on FP Me.

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Topanga Cutoff Sweats, Cassandra Crop Cover

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Ruched Seamless Shorts, Ruffle Crop Cami

free people ballet zaida

Topanga Cutoff Sweats, Cassandra Crop Cover

Follow Sasha DeSola on FP Me.

Shop the FP Movement trend.

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9 years ago

Thank you for showing these beautiful, strong, artistic women. Every photo is an inspiration.

http://lamentinglizzie.blogspot.com/

Anonymous
9 years ago

I love this! So beautiful! I hope everyone will stfu now & move on with their lives. :)

9 years ago

These dancers of Ballet Zaida are absolutely beautiful! Lovely re-launch of the products! I wrote an article about it discussing how you guys & gals over at Free People may have had a stroke of advertising genius with this whole uproar! Here it is: http://thedancegrad.com/free-people-ballet-campaign-a-stroke-of-genius/
Best,
Christina
TheDanceGrad.com

9 years ago

Oh wow this is breathtaking, absolutely stunning!

juliettelaura.blogspot.com

9 years ago

So Incredibly Gorgeous! Thank you for sharing.

The Weaver Of Words…..give me 15 words and I’ll tell you a tale
http://www.averyfairytale.wordpress.com

Julie
9 years ago

I love how all the ballerinas from the previous post are now all silent. This post is beautiful. Stunning photos!

Emma
9 years ago

So happy to see this! All the girls in the Ballet Zaida are gorgeous! Thanks for getting your act together FP!

Alexis
9 years ago

Way to make a comeback. These are flawless and so awe inspiring.

Kelly
9 years ago

A very good change. Ballet Zaida and Oliver Endahl have always been a class act. This is a wonderful union for both of you.

Ben
9 years ago

Now that’s more like it! Beautiful!

Andrea
9 years ago

Sooooo much better! These are ballerinas!

juliet
9 years ago

Gorgeous! There is no doubt that these are true ballet dancers taken by a gifted artist.

AMS
9 years ago

Why wasn’t this done from the beginning?

9 years ago

Thank you, FP for realizing your shocking error, and relaunching using real dancers. The clothes not only look appealing now, but so do the beautiful, classically trained dancer’s bodies! I just wish you had launched this line correctly. Your other ‘dancer’ is horrible. To be honest, I was afraid she would break her ankles, dancing en pointe when she obviously never had before! Next time, think before you launch.

9 years ago

Be still my heart.

Anonymous
9 years ago

Its beautiful! I love balet so so much <3 !!

Anonymous
9 years ago

MUCH BETTER!!!! So beautiful. The clothes look fantastic, the dancers are gorgeous, and I am now willing to buy from this line.

9 years ago

Thank you! These trained dancers looks fabulous in this collection!!!!

9 years ago

A lovely, successful relaunch.
, Congratulations to FP.

Lesley Mogel
9 years ago

Thank you for taking us seriously and using real dancers.

9 years ago

Thank you for finally highlighting some real dancers who are well deserving, inspiring, and beautiful. Yay for learning from your mistakes! The whole campaign inspired a post on my blog: http://read-between-the-lanes.com/2014/05/16/free-the-dancers-people/

xx

-A

Cordelia
9 years ago

I prefer the original ad. This girl doesn’t make me wanna buy stuff. Real ballet dancers are snobs and need to get over themselves or get back to their training.

Ann
9 years ago

Thank you FP for this relaunch. As a dancer, I was saddened but the fact that there are millions of young women who have been training for years to become ballerinas or professional dancers and you had chosen a model who was not a real dancer. That being said, there is no doubt that the previously young woman had taken a few classes recreational class here and there but she was in no way trained correctly or strictly. It was insulting but at no fault of the model, but insulting in the way that portraying that any person can throw on a pair of pointe shoes and become a ballerina. This new launch with Ballet Zaida is stunning; the perfect way to portray clothing that is geared towards dancers. They are on women who look gorgeous in the clothing and really show how the clothes were meant to look. Before I had said I would not buy the clothing but now that you have realized your error and have given credit where credit is due, I am excited to make my first purchase. Again, thank you FP for this correction, it means the world to the dance community.

Sarah
9 years ago

OHHH FP much much better! I fb you to offer my assistance and I’m glad you were able to re-launch with some good guidance and believability. There is still ways to make the ballerinas look more down to earth and casual while still inspiring the best example with room to explore. I’m proud to like you now and will continue to watch and see how you grow.

Kylie
9 years ago

Thank you, thank you, thank you for doing this! About time a company fixes a mistake if they made one. Seriously, I appreciate this a lot.