Instead of putting more focus on the ladies that are actually performing, Degas puts more emphasis on the dancers and the people behind the scenes. A man intently watches the dancers, making motions with his hands. He is most likely a teacher of some sort who is giving them corrections. Behind him, there are several girls waiting in the wings, not looking incredibly graceful. One has her leg propped up on some kind of bench, tying her shoe. Another yawns with her hands behind her head. There is even a girl sitting on the stage, possibly massaging her neck or fixing her hair. A few other dancers stand in the corner. One of them looks as if she's leaning on a prop. On the other side of the room, sit two men. These men are dressed in nice, black suits, relaxed on chairs. They are probably some of the many rich men who were subscribers to the opera house. If they paid for three seats a week, they were permitted to go into the foyer de la danse, which was like a green room where the dancers spent their time when they were not on stage. Here, they offered the dancers money, invitations to dinners, and
Instead of putting more focus on the ladies that are actually performing, Degas puts more emphasis on the dancers and the people behind the scenes. A man intently watches the dancers, making motions with his hands. He is most likely a teacher of some sort who is giving them corrections. Behind him, there are several girls waiting in the wings, not looking incredibly graceful. One has her leg propped up on some kind of bench, tying her shoe. Another yawns with her hands behind her head. There is even a girl sitting on the stage, possibly massaging her neck or fixing her hair. A few other dancers stand in the corner. One of them looks as if she's leaning on a prop. On the other side of the room, sit two men. These men are dressed in nice, black suits, relaxed on chairs. They are probably some of the many rich men who were subscribers to the opera house. If they paid for three seats a week, they were permitted to go into the foyer de la danse, which was like a green room where the dancers spent their time when they were not on stage. Here, they offered the dancers money, invitations to dinners, and