Of course, this is only one of Degas' many paintings of dancers, but this is one of my favorites. The prima ballerina is caught in a moment of her dance where she is perhaps the most happy and comfortable; her arms are arched gracefully in a port de bras, and she seems to have just completed her movement, perhaps an arabesque, attitude, or jete. In the wings stage right, we can see a danseur, as well as the tutus and pointe shoes of the eager dancers, waiting for their time on the stage. The floodlights cast an otherwordly light on the main dancer; a warm, bright glow shines through her tutu and gleams on her pale skin. The entire stage is bare, but Degas has painted it to complement the warmth of the dancer's light: a musty yellow-blue color that, while complementing the dancer, does not in any way detract from her focus.
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