Let me introduce you to Jayden, who I met on Wednesday in the “crowd funded” skate board, basket ball space in the Broadmarsh area of Nottingham. Jayden was stood underneath the tram lines taking part in a video film with a friend , Aaliyah, who is a digital creative
Jayden is a dancer, hip hop and street, and practices his skills at Take 1 Dance in Hyson Green, Nottingham. Jayden told me he has been dancing for 15 years and is 21 ! He is from Chesterfield, Derbyshire. I asked him if he was a professional, Jayden told me he was but doesn’t earn enough to go full time, he works at restaurant when not dancing.
He represents Take 1 Dance in competitions and is just on the comeback after sustaining and ACL injury at a Nike competition / battle in Paris. He sustained the injury coming out of a big jump.
Jayden seemed really keen to collaborate when I asked him to be part of my strangers project. I took photos of him in a couple of locations. He was wearing a baseball hat which was casting a shadow on his face. He was reluctant to remove the hat as it was his “brand”, he’d designed it and the T-Shirt he was wearing.
I asked his friend Aaliyah if she would be photographed with him, but she told me “I am always behind the camera” ( a lovely panasonic btw), she did however ask if she could video me taking Jayden’s photo. I said that was fine !
Good luck with your dancing career Jayden , I hope the injury has healed successfully.
Cool story and shot.
That hand sign is also the imported American Sign Language sign for OK. I use it myself in my BSL! (It is the slang version not the official sign)
@casablanca thanks Casa' , good shout re' the hand sign , I thought it was peace , but I'm not hip and trendy like Jayden !! I will add it to my book of "street knowledge" !
I thought you were going to say he was a basketball player because he looks quite tall and very sporty. He has the same look and pose as Max, my grandson, when I ask him for a photo. An interesting story to go with this great closeup.
I looked up ACL injury - sounds nasty; I wonder how long he was out of action!
Fab strangers image - he looks as if he is used to being photographed and welcomes it.
@dulciknit Alison , I post my strangers to Insta as most are on there and Jayden and I are now friends on Insta' , Jayden asked me to send all the photos I took and he's added them to his "story" !!!
April 6th, 2024
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That hand sign is also the imported American Sign Language sign for OK. I use it myself in my BSL! (It is the slang version not the official sign)
Fab strangers image - he looks as if he is used to being photographed and welcomes it.