James McDonell spent years in professional ballet before stepping away to pursue a career in modeling. The Australian model stars in MMSCENE Magazine’s December digital cover story, titled Specchio d’Acqua. In his interview with Editor-in-Chief Zarko Davinic, he explains what he took with him from the ballet studio. Years of taking corrections taught him to understand how his body moves and to make small adjustments on demand. In front of a camera, he uses that same awareness to respond to direction and find the pose a photograph needs.
INTERVIEWS
Tommaso Aprilino photographs McDonell for the cover story, with art direction and styling by Francesco Maria Ben Messaoud. The wardrobe features Issey Miyake, Stefano Mugnai, Sandro Paris, Manuel Ritz, PSIDE, Scarosso, Random Identities, Stetson, Maison Margiela, Corneliani, Campomaggi, Ferragamo and Diesel. Edoardo De Falco handles makeup, Alessandro Pompili styles the hair and Luca Fancellu retouches the images.
McDonell started out in jazz and tap. His teacher spent two years urging him to try ballet before he agreed to take a class at nine. He fell for it immediately, and finding out that he could dance professionally gave him something to work toward. A dancer’s week eventually meant five or six days on the job, plus strength and conditioning on his own time and rehearsals and performances at night and on weekends. The schedule was demanding, and it could change in an instant. An injury could send him onstage in someone else’s place. He recognizes that kind of unpredictability in modeling, where a booking can come together at short notice.
His first visit to Europe took him to Novi Sad, Serbia, where his best friend danced at the opera. McDonell took class with the company on a few visits. Living in Eastern Europe meant getting used to a different language and figuring out which habits carried over from Australia. An everyday “How are you?” could sound intrusive in his new surroundings, he recalls. When he talks about what he misses from home, he thinks of the beach, the wildlife and the range of bird calls he grew up hearing.
McDonell had enjoyed taking pictures and posing since childhood, and a planned move to London prompted him to start applying to agencies. After an initial round of rejections and unanswered applications, he got a haircut, took fresh digitals and tried again. Next London signed him and later introduced him to Wonderwall when the Milan agency came to London to scout. Making room for bookings meant giving up the professional rehearsal and performance schedule that had governed his week.
He still dances for enjoyment and to stay active. Romeo and Juliet remains a favorite for its score and for the way the choreography lets dancers develop a character over the course of a performance. He leaves his own next five years open, including the question of where he might live. After making a choice to pursue modeling, he finds the uncertainty of where it might take him part of the appeal.
See the full story + read our exclusive interview with James McDonell here.
