UW World Series - MOMIX's Botanica

Dance-illusionists MOMIX perform a variety of pieces from "Botanica," a series celebrating the wonders of nature Friday, Nov. 1, 2013, in the Meany Hall for the Performing Arts on the University of Washington campus in Seattle. The show, put on by the UW World Series, runs through Saturday. (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

Moisture Festival 2013 | Opening Night

Hula hoop master Maria Margiyeva spins and twirls her way through her performance on the opening night of the tenth annual Moisture Festival Thursday, March 21, 2013, in Hale's Palladium at Hale's Ales in Seattle. The nearly month-long comedy and varietè festival will continue until April 14. (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

Clown Godfrey Daniels, center, gets a hand while suiting up for the opening night of the tenth annual Moisture Festival Thursday, March 21, 2013, in Hale's Palladium at Hale's Ales in Seattle. The nearly month-long comedy and varietè festival will continue until April 14. (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

Karen Quest successfully completes her 50-foot lasso performance with zero causalities in front of a packed crowd on the opening night of the tenth annual Moisture Festival Thursday, March 21, 2013, in Hale's Palladium at Hale's Ales in Seattle. The nearly month-long comedy and varietè festival will continue until April 14. (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

Diemo Ginda, of the German performance group "Hacki and Moeppi," goofs around backstage on the opening night of the tenth annual Moisture Festival Thursday, March 21, 2013, in Hale's Palladium at Hale's Ales in Seattle. The nearly month-long comedy and varietè festival will continue until April 14. (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

The slow-moving clown Godfrey Daniels, center, attempts to grab his signature red ball during his performance on the opening night of the tenth annual Moisture Festival Thursday, March 21, 2013, in Hale's Palladium at Hale's Ales in Seattle. The nearly month-long comedy and varietè festival will continue until April 14. (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

Performer "Hacki" applies gel to his messy hairdo backstage before the opening night of the tenth annual Moisture Festival Thursday, March 21, 2013, in Hale's Palladium at Hale's Ales in Seattle. The nearly month-long comedy and varietè festival will continue until April 14. (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

Samuel Johnson and and Sylvia Rose, of Duo Rose, perform their trapeze antics on the opening night of the tenth annual Moisture Festival Thursday, March 21, 2013, in Hale's Palladium at Hale's Ales in Seattle. The nearly month-long comedy and varietè festival will continue until April 14. (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

Mediterranean Fantasy Festival | West Seattle

Deanna "Tamzine" Metz, a pharmacy tech, swirls through her veiling performance on the second day of the 25th Annual Mediterranean Fantasy Festival Sunday, July 22, 2012, at the Hiawatha Playfield and Community Center in West Seattle, Washington. "This is where I get to see all of my friends and just chill," Metz said. Metz has been a dancer for 10 years. The two-day event is the largest belly dancing festival in the Pacific Northwest.

Suzanna Davis, second from top left, cheers on another dancer from her spot in the crowd during the 25th Annual Mediterranean Fantasy Festival Sunday, July 22, 2012, at the Hiawatha Playfield and Community Center in West Seattle, Washington.

Debbie Cram, left, and Barb Smith, right, warm up for their performance during the 25th Annual Mediterranean Fantasy Festival Sunday, July 22, 2012, at the Hiawatha Playfield and Community Center in West Seattle, Washington.

Dancer Hasani Abbott shows off a dress to a customer from her merchandise tent during the 25th Annual Mediterranean Fantasy Festival Sunday, July 22, 2012, at the Hiawatha Playfield and Community Center in West Seattle, Washington. The two-day event is the largest belly dancing festival in the Pacific Northwest.

Dancer Meaghan McKracken watches closely as she carefully applies makeup to a friend during the 25th Annual Mediterranean Fantasy Festival Sunday, July 22, 2012, at the Hiawatha Playfield and Community Center in West Seattle, Washington.

Beth Ann Hinkle, a fifth year performer with Hands of Kali, practices balancing a scimitar sword on her head during the 25th Annual Mediterranean Fantasy Festival Sunday, July 22, 2012, at the Hiawatha Playfield and Community Center in West Seattle, Washington.

Miss Teen Extraordinaire

I tend to have hard time shooting staged events straight on, simply just to photograph the acts. Of course, this is an important element of every stage-oriented assignment, so shoot your safety image first and move on. Backstage is always a place rich with quiet emotion and moments that only a "fly-on-the-wall" has the pleasure of experiencing. Enjoy, and make sure you read the caption - there is more than meets the eye on this one.

Backstage, girls anxiously awaited their moment in the spotlight during the Miss Teen Extraordinaire pageant for special needs youth Monday, February 27, 2012, at Spanish Fork High School in Spanish Fork, Utah. Hundreds of family members and friends cheered from the darkness just beyond the reach of the stage lights as the girls danced, sang, read stories and acted out routines.