Design Process
Agbedidi is an African-contemporary dance fusion show that has been produced for over 30 years at the University of Florida School of Theatre and Dance. In Fall of 2024, I had the opportunity to design costumes for one of the pieces, choreographed and directed Rujeko Dumbutshena.
The main theme for this dance was passageways and mazes, focused on traditional West African dance. My design was inspired from natural elements and textures, such as rocks, wood grain, raffia and grass. The color palette was reminiscent of a sunset; color such as red, brown, yellow and pink take priority. I designed "tattoo" tops and bottoms for the dancers, giving the appearance of body paint without having to paint their skin.
Photos of the Design Process
Tattoo Tops and Leggings
Raffia Tops and Overskirt
Raffia Tops and Overskirt
I drew patterns based on African symbols on Procreate. I used Printful to print the garments. We matched each persons' skintone to make it appear like skin.
Raffia Tops and Overskirt
Raffia Tops and Overskirt
Raffia Tops and Overskirt
I was interested in using raffia to bring additional texture. The tops and skirt looked too plain being a solid color, so I ombre-spraypainted the top pink to match the color palette.