Where is the body in the costume design process?

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Abstract

Sally E. Dean has led the Somatic Movement, Costume & Performance Project in collaboration with costume designers/visual artists Sandra Arròniz Lacunza and Carolina Rieckhof since 2011. This project offers an alternative costume design methodology that starts from the body or ‘soma’ (i.e. a sentient, perceiving person), whereby perception is inherently active and relational. This approach is thus multi-sensorial, somatic and holistic, and is based upon Sally’s background as a somatic practitioner, performer, performance-maker and teacher. This visual essay gives examples from the project’s design approach, working with a live, moving and multi-sensorial body to create Somatic CostumesTM through co-creation, collaboration and participation. Costume designers are actively engaged in trying on materials and costumes through all stages of the process in order to answer the following overarching question: what are the materials/costumes doing to the body (i.e. body image and body schema)? Through these experiential methodologies, the project aims to return and relocate the body into the costume design process.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)97-111
Number of pages15
JournalStudies in Costume & Performance
Volume1
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Apr 2016

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