Untitled (women in a line practicing can-can dance on stage) c. 1950

Curator: We're looking at an untitled photograph by Jack Gould from the Harvard Art Museums, capturing women rehearsing the can-can. Editor: It’s giving me vintage summer camp vibes—a group of girls kicking up their heels, but the black and white and slight blur make it feel dreamlike. Curator: The image is a photographic negative, which affects our reading of it. It's like seeing a ghostly echo of a performance, removed from its original context. Editor: Right, it's almost as if we’re watching a memory being replayed. The women are so in sync, and yet there’s something unsettling about the uniformity. Curator: Exactly, and the location, too—the dance appears to take place in what looks like a random street, challenging the glamour typically associated with the can-can. Editor: Maybe Gould was interested in capturing the in-between moments, the hard work behind the spectacle. I like how that comes across. Curator: Yes, and I suppose the charm of the photograph lies in its casual portrayal of a dance form often presented with excessive frills and fuss. Editor: It’s a quirky little piece, isn't it? Makes you wonder what the whole story is behind this fleeting moment.