Dressing the dancers right
From the cutest little tots’ tutus to stretchy tiger print leotards and elaborately embroidered modern dance costumes, a very large wardrobe room at Excalibur Theatre Arts Company is busting at the seams on Wednesday.
Jeanne Smallwood and Solveig Mathers have been working for months to make sure 60 studio dancers who will perform up to 20 numbers each (including duets and groups) are beautifully outfitted for the Prince George Dance Festival. To add to the hustle and bustle, they are also in the midst of making a variety of costumes for Excalibur’s year-end recital.
The finished ones, tulle outfits in lollipop colours, bold tartans for Highland numbers and an array of stunning costumes for jazz, ballet, tap, variety, modern, acrobatic and song and dance are all on hangers, waiting for their stage debut.
The workmanship is time-consuming and often frustrating, especially when it comes to making sure the costumes are picture perfect.
Both women started at Excalibur in 1998 when Mather’s daughter, Bonnie, a dancer and choreographer, returned to Prince George to start her own dance company and studio.
“When Bonnie (now Leach) came back she asked us if you had time to make some can-can costumes – and it kind of grew from there,” said Mathers.
She’s the planner and organizer of the “seam team.” She buys the fabric, designs many of the costumes, cuts out fabric, and together, she and Leach decide which dancers will wear what costume.
“I don’t like doing all the finicky, finishing stuff – that is what Jeanne likes to do.”
That may be true, but they are both talented and experienced seamstresses who bring unique ideas to the work table. Often the two women will collaborate on an idea. For a modern dance number, Synergy, Mathers wanted the material to be stretchy and the look to be dramatic.
Smallwood more than fulfilled the task. The results are stunning. Body costumes and two-piece outfits have a red/orange flame design “scorching” its way down the front of stretch black fabric. Another design, another success – only a dozen more to go. They both laugh.
“It’s a group number.”
This year the PG Dance Festival will have over 800 performances, 100 duo performances and 190 group performances.
Adjudicators will be giving dancers feedback on their technique and some will be selected for scholarships and the opportunity to perform at the B.C. provincial festival in Chilliwack, May 26 to 30.
For more information visit www.pgdancefestival.com.
a very large wardrobe room at Excalibur Theatre Arts Company is busting at the seams on Wednesday.
Jeanne Smallwood and Solveig Mathers have been working for months to make sure 60 studio dancers who will perform up to 20 numbers each (including duets and groups) are beautifully outfitted for the Prince George Dance Festival. To add to the hustle and bustle, they are also in the midst of making a variety of costumes for Excalibur’s year-end recital.
The finished ones, tulle outfits in lollipop colours, bold tartans for Highland numbers and an array of stunning costumes for jazz, ballet, tap, variety, modern, acrobatic and song and dance are all on hangers, waiting for their stage debut.
The workmanship is time-consuming and often frustrating, especially when it comes to making sure the costumes are picture perfect.
Both women started at Excalibur in 1998 when Mather’s daughter, Bonnie, a dancer and choreographer, returned to Prince George to start her own dance company and studio.
“When Bonnie (now Leach) came back she asked us if you had time to make some can-can costumes – and it kind of grew from there,” said Mathers.
She’s the planner and organizer of the “seam team.” She buys the fabric, designs many of the costumes, cuts out fabric, and together, she and Leach decide which dancers will wear what costume.
“I don’t like doing all the finicky, finishing stuff – that is what Jeanne likes to do.”
That may be true, but they are both talented and experienced seamstresses who bring unique ideas to the work table. Often the two women will collaborate on an idea. For a modern dance number, Synergy, Mathers wanted the material to be stretchy and the look to be dramatic.
Smallwood more than fulfilled the task. The results are stunning. Body costumes and two-piece outfits have a red/orange flame design “scorching” its way down the front of stretch black fabric. Another design, another success – only a dozen more to go. They both laugh.
“It’s a group number.”
This year the PG Dance Festival will have over 800 performances, 100 duo performances and 190 group performances.
Adjudicators will be giving dancers feedback on their technique and some will be selected for scholarships and the opportunity to perform at the B.C. provincial festival in Chilliwack, May 26 to 30.
For more information visit www.pgdancefestival.com.
COMMENTS
Let's keep comments:
We ask that all participants own their words by logging in with their Facebook account. It's a simple process that will take seconds and helps keep our comments free of trolls, cranks, and “drive-by” commenters.
We reserve the right to remove comments from anyone using screen names, pseudonyms or false identities. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.