Rooster: Costume Designs
Rooster: Costume Designs
Design Choices
- Created by Marian Bruce, the costume design supports the narrative and the theme of the choreography.
- Costumes are heavily influenced by 1960s fashion, reflecting the era which the music and the choreography draw from.
- The design details aim to depict specific moods, reinforce characters and highlight the distinct differences between men and women.
Male Costumes
- Men wear loose-fitting shirts in colours like red, blue, white and yellow, paired with black trousers.
- The red shirt symbolises the lead ‘Rooster’, distinctive and separate from rest of the men.
- Men sport neck accessories - ties, cravats or scarves - adding to the 60s flair.
Female Costumes
- Women wear short dresses or tunics in a range of colours with geometric designs or floral patterns, along with white boots, exemplifying the quintessential 60s look.
- Each female character has a different dress, which helps to establish individuality and highlight their distinct roles and attitudes.
Practical Considerations
- The costumes are not restrictive, allowing the dancers to perform the wide array of movements, including lifts, runs, and jumps comfortably.
- Alongside aesthetics, the costumes are designed to be durable and resilient to withstand the demands of the choreography.
Symbolic References
- The colour palette, and the accessories, particularly the scarves wear by men, can be seen as a nod to the rock-and-roll culture.
- As well as a way to illustrate the societal norms and roles of that era, the clearly defined, differentiated costumes of men and women might also be a comment on the gender politics of the time.
Understanding the subtler cues in the costume design of Rooster will assist in decoding the choreography’s meaning and enrich the comprehension of this dance composition.