Levitating Dancer Photo Series

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Mickael Jou started his photo project, titled Air Through My Ashes, by literally dancing in the streets. Jou studied dance for 10 years, starting in college, and ended up performing on the sidewalks of Paris (more for fun than for profit). After consistently getting his photo taken by eager tourists, the dancer decided to pursue his craft more seriously. So in 2012, he bought a camera and started photographing his dance routines around the city.

His most recent project involves a series of self-portraits, all of which capture him mid-dance in a variety of settings — the woods, the streets, a church. Many show Jou seemingly levitating off the ground. His goal is to reach 365 portraits in total.

"I think every dancer wants to express a certain something with his or her dance, and I didn't think the photos [others took] of me were expressing the emotions I wanted," Jou explains. "I try to look at each photo as a very specific story."

Ahead, 11 of the most striking images from his series.

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