Three Postulates and a fourth with the most creative opportunity and risk!
Nikolai,
As far as photography is concerned, some people "got it" some people don't "got it". I'm increasingly convinced you are in the former small group.
Photography is about exclusion. The shots must be taken fast in these amateur shows!
Even with expertise, one is going to have little choice but to include a lot or distracting objects that need to be removed. One can't wait for the perfect moment like Ansel Adams and then return the next day if one wasn't satisfied.
So I don't have patience for criticism of the sort of editing, (including removing colorm as) you are doing here.
In fact, I now believe, that there are dependant steps that are taken in the creative process: seeing, choosing, excluding and and re-seeing in an iterative process.
Postulate #1
Observations Art, must always involve observations, so that there are reference points for creativity.
Postulate #2
A new vision Next one has to narrow down one attention and focus. This leading to a new vision of where one is going with an image. It has representations of much or just parts of the original observation, that's all.
Postulate #3
Informed Vision The existing experience, values, feeings and wishes of the artist always informs the final creatve changes and choices made in this process. The extent and character of this will distinguish ultimately the artistic, social and commercial weight of the photograph.
In photography this may be the sum of the creative process or else the process my be re-run during further processing.
Postulate # 4,
Seeing Again The whole process requires "seeing again", as if for the very first time (anywhere along the line). Today, the vivid computer screen has made this easily possible. This may result in refining intent or even an entirely different and fresh "starting vision and so unexpectedly, an image very different from what was intended when the shutter was pressed!
The latter, is like taking a wonderful date to a party and then falling madly in love with someone else there, getting married and living "happily ever after". When it happens it's a special and beautiful accident. That, after all, is the human experience.
So Nikolai, when you discovered the great patterning of their synchrony in one of your many pictures, and cropped to what is now important to you, you are, IMHO, using your creative ability as should be.
Any demand to keep color is plain wrong, unless, by chance that critic has the same brain, culture and experiences as you have!
I really enjoy the process Nikolai by which you have a) selected the right moment to shoot the synchronize dancers and then b) started all over and asked "What in this image impresses me the most and how can I express it to my satisfaction?"
If this was a commercial for a clothing company one would ask "Why do you give me such an awful set and crazy colors?"
If someone took a gun out of her blouse and shot the mayor, then all the color and clutter on the stage would contribute to the scene. Otherwise not!
Only criticism is this: is the image finalized? I'd print this image and come back and tell us what changes you had to make to get right.
Asher