"The trust that dancers bestow upon [Bradburn] is a privilege he never takes for granted. It's also a privilege that he shares with us without making us notice him, the photographer."

Sasha Anawalt,
dance critic

In 1956, a shy 15-year old boy sat in a Fresno auditorium, a Brownie Kodak camera in his lap. Onstage was Alicia Alonso, performing at the time with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. Alonso went on to found the National Ballet of Cuba. The boy, Donald Dale Bradburn, went on to become a dancer, choreographer, and photographer. The photograph that marks the start of Bradburn’s illustrious career and love affair with dance was taken that day as he sat in the audience. The foreground is shaped by the silhouettes of those in front of him in the audience, but the focus is onstage, where he has captured Alonso with her partner, Igor Yousekevitch. It was only the beginning...

“I was impressed by the spectacular visual images that appeared on stage through the synthesis of dance, design and music. A magical fantasy world existed.”, says Bradburn, reflecting on his love affair with dance and the art of his photography

TRIUMPHS AND TRIVIA

Published more than 350 photos in “Dance Magazine”, and has served as the magazine’s Southern California correspondent

Special exhibit, “Donald Bradburn: Ballet in Los Angeles—A Moment in Time.”, was featured at the Luckman Fine Arts Complex as part of BalletFest 2001. Lewis Segal, dance critic for the Los Angeles Times, wrote "An exhibit of Donald Bradburn's fine dance photography proved a welcome supplement to the performances."

Taught at the University of California, Irvine, and Cal Arts

Served as Artistic Director of Fresno Ballet, Co-founder and Artistic Director of the California Ballet Theatre, and in 1993 was invited to Russia to help found the first dance department within a unversity in the former Soviet Union.

The Don Bradburn Dancers appeared in show rooms in Las Vegas, Reno, and Atlantic City, as well as on CBS and PBS television.

Directed and choreographed Circus Chimera, a "Cirque du Soleil"-style production

Staged critically-acclaimed production of Eugene Loring's "Billy the Kid" with Alexander Koplin of the Royal Danish Ballet as "Billy"

Official photographer, Los Angeles Ballet

Youngest dancer cast in film “Funny Girl”

Mentored by Eugene Loring at the American School of Dance in Los Angeles