Abstraction of Degas' Ballerinas

So I have decided to use this blog to post my art-in-progress, with the intent that if I know people are checking my progress, then I will be more motivated to work on the pieces and not leave them when I become distracted from them. I think this will help me strive to complete every piece I start, and do it to the best of my ability.

This painting is 24 x 36 inches, and is for my painting class. The assignment was to take an image (I chose one of Degas' ballerina paintings) and re-arrange / abstract the image. And as we are painting them, we are focusing on chiaroscuro (light on forms). Some of my shapes are still recognizable, while some have become more abstract and unrecognizable.