Dear Choreographers,

These questions are meant to open a dialogue between you the choreographer and the
costume design team. Sometimes your answers will describe specific characteristics of the
costumes you see in your imagination. Other times they might describe movement or mood.
There are multiple ways to interpret some of the questions. For example: Warm/Cool could
describe the color palette, the way the dance feels, or a mood that changes throughout the
piece. While I think it is possible to answer the questions for each dance, some questions will
be more illuminating for certain pieces than others. If you are really stuck, it is okay to leave a
question blank. There are no right answers.

Please type directly into the template. Bring a hard copy to your costume design meeting with
me.

Jessica Pribble, Costume Designer

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 Choreographer Questions – Costume Design
Choreographer: ________________________________________________________________

DanceTitle:_____________________________________________________________________

Music Selection: ________________________________________________________________

Theme/Plot/Story:_______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Dance Style/ Genre: ____________________ Number of Performers: _____________________

Featured Performer/ Soloist: Y/N #_________________________________________________

Props:_______________________________ Shoes: Y/N style____________________________

Elements of Design

Warm 10 …… 9 ……8 ………7………6 ……5 ………4 ……3 ……2 …… 1 Cool DK NA

Fast 10 …… 9 ……8 ………7………6 ……5 ………4 ……3 ……2 …… 1 Slow DK NA

Legato 10 …… 9 ……8 ………7………6 ……5 ………4 ……3 ……2 …… 1 Staccato DK NA

Pattern 10 …… 9 ……8 ………7………6 ……5 ………4 ……3 ……2 …… 1 Solid DK NA

Textured 10 …… 9 ……8 ………7………6 ……5 ………4 ……3 ……2 …… 1 Smooth DK NA

Movement 10 …… 9 ……8 ………7………6 ……5 ………4 ……3 ……2 …… 1 Stiffness DK NA

Heavy 10 …… 9 ……8 ………7………6 ……5 ………4 ……3 ……2 …… 1 Light DK

NA

Street clothes 10 …… 9 ……8 ………7………6 ……5 ………4 ……3 ……2 …… 1 Costumes DK NA

Realistic 10 …… 9 ……8 ………7………6 ……5 ………4 ……3 ……2 …… 1 Exaggerated DK NA

Voluminous 10 …… 9 ……8 ………7………6 ……5 ………4 ……3 ……2 …… 1 Tight DK NA

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 Mood

Joy Excitement Surprise Sadness Anger Disgust Contempt Fear

How do the costumes move through space?

Do you have a specific silhouette (outline or shape) in mind?

How many looks are there in the dance? Are the performers dressed identically, differently or
similarly? Are there different costumes for the featured performers?

How do the costumes help express the theme or tell the story?

Do you expect the costumes to change within the piece? On or off stage?

Is there anything else I should know?