Author: Paula D. Davis

Dawn
Choreography by Ivan Mayolo ’16

For this piece, Ivan wanted to create a passionate and lush piece filled with emotion. We chose to work with lace and red silk.

Nature of Light
Choreography by Professor Er-Dong Hu
Costume Design by Paula D. Davis
Assistant Costume Design by Ming Yao ’17

For this work, Er-Dong wanted to work with some beautiful antique looking lightbulbs we had used the previous year for a theatre show. The idea was that for part of the dance each dancer would be in his or her own light. I thought that velvet would work really well under these lights for both a slightly antique feeling as well as the reflection and shadow that velvet can have. My student assistant came up with a beautiful palette that was a challenge to find in fabrics but in the end it came together beautifully. We made the dresses in the velvet and then bought pleated skirts that we then took apart and added into an asymmetrical slit in the dresses.

Ornithology
Choreography by Professor Kelly Knox
Costume Design by Paula D. Davis
Assistant Costume Design by Marita Mura

For this multi-section dance Kelly wanted to explore the world of birds. We looked at and were inspired by many different types of birds for both plumage and movements. We had swimming penguins, flying glow-in-the-dark owls, standing cranes, nesting birds, hummingbirds en pointe, pink gloved flamingos, and even a murmuration of starlings. The culminating event was an exotic “bird fashion show”.

Nine
Choreography by Guest Artist Salim Gauwloos

I revisited my dance skirt/pant pattern, this time in gold silk that could turn into liquid gold onstage into deep purples depending on the lighting. We paired this with a gold leotard trimmed in beading around the neckline to add to the shine.

No cambio solo aprendi
Choreography by Kelsey Fletcher ’14
Co-designed with Pam Miller

Sometimes you are able to find the perfect dress on-line.