Whether he planned it that way or not, it’s fitting that photographer John Goodman combined images of fighters in training and Boston Ballet dancers in the wings for his upcoming New York City showcase.

Both series of black-and-white photographs capture informal, candid moments with the athletes outside the spotlight of the stage—or ring—for a look behind the glamour of the two seemingly opposite pursuits. The pairing, of course, invites viewers to seek out similarities, of which there are plenty, from fancy footwork to tenuous careers that can be cut short in an instant by injury.

Photos by John Goodman