|
|
|
Costumes
|
|
About the Costume Designs for Silk Road Dance Company
From the concert ''GUL BAHAAR''
Soloist costume for
''Dokhtar-e-Khorasan''
design by Laurel Victoria Gray
Al right reserved
PHOTOGRAPH of costume in a performance
...More
|
|
|
|
About the Costume Designs for Silk Road Dance Company
for ''Desert Rose'' choreography
Laurel Victoria Gray
All Rights Reserved
Costume Sketch
DESIGN CHALLENGE:
Since we had already purchased the silk veils for this choreography, I had to find fabric that harmonized with the veils without competing with them. The style of the costume had to have a Middle Eastern quality but the design had to allow the dancers to moves their arms freely so they could properly manipulate the veils. Since the piece is set to a song about the desert, I chose inspiration from North African women's costumes. The tunic is draped yet left open on one side to allow for freedom of leg movements.
The costume includes a hip sash decorated with a large rose adn a matching head band to bring color up to the face.
...More
|
|
|
|
|
About the Costume Designs for Silk Road Dance Company
From the concert ''GUL BAHAAR''
Soloist costume for
''Dokhtar-e-Khorasan''
design by Laurel Victoria Gray
Al right reserved
VIEW A of costume details
DESIGN CHALLENGE:
We needed a special soloist costume that looked like something from the ancient SIlk Road. I found a vintage gown with an exceptional textile pattern and deconstructed it. The resulting coat has opened seams under the arms; this is often found in authentic garments. The veil and attached sleeve-scarves are made from a large piece of glittery pink fabric rescued from a thift store.
...More
|
|
|
|
About the Costume Designs for Silk Road Dance Company
CONCERT: ''Gul Bahaar''
Choreography: ''Suno Re''
Created by Laurel Victoria Gray
for Silk Road Dance Company
All Rights Reserved
DESIGN CHALLENGE:
We needed sumptuous Indian costumes without spending hundreds of dollars on each piece. I also had to consider that most of the members of the company cannot wear the vivid saturated colors that are so stunning on Indian women. I chose a pastel palette with a few brighter hues scattered here and there. Several pieces were scavenged from thrift stores; I added veils and decorated them to complete the costumes. Some very plain tops and skirts were embellished with rich trims, sequins, and sew-on gems. Another technique involved ''painting over'' humble cotton thread embroidery with gold paint to achieve the look of gold thread embroidery.
These approahes were time consuming and involved a great deal of hand sewing and ''crafty'' solutions, but the resulting set of costumes read beautifully on a big stage as well as clsoe up.
...More
|
|
|
|
|
An Announcement Concerning the Costume Collection
This section of the website is non-commercial and the photos have been posted for cultural and educational purposes only.
The costumes are not available for purchase or rental; they are privately owned.
...More
|
|
|
|
COSTUME COLLECTION: Azerbaijani Dance Costume
This Azerbaijani dance costume was designed accoding to traditional styles for Laurel Victoria Gray by Zinaida Kuraish of State Academic Bolshoi Theater of Opera and Ballet named for Alisher Navoi in Tashkent,Uzbekistan. The blouse is lace and the jacket is patterned with shades of bronze, black, and gold. The bronze satin skirt is very full.
(The white silk veil is embellished with hundreds of single sequins sewn in patterns by Ms. Gray on winter evenings when she worked at the Tamara Khanum Museum in Tashkent.)
This section of the website is non-commercial and the photos have been posted for cultural and educational purposes only.
The costumes are not available for purchase or rental; they are privately owned.
...More
|
|
|
|
|
COSTUME COLLECTION: Bukharan Uzbek Dance Costume
Kelibek models a Bukharan Uzbek dance costume from the ''Splendors of the Silk Road'' lecture for Humanities West, this garment is made from a cotton and silk blend known as adras. The velvet headdress, an antique peshanaband, has gold thread embroidery. It was acquired in Samarkand in 1997.
This section of the website is non-commercial and the photos have been posted for cultural and educational purposes only.
The costumes are not available for purchase or rental; they are privately owned.
...More
|
|
|
|
COSTUME COLLECTION: Bukharan Uzbek Dance Costume
Created from a rich coppery-gold brocade, this Buharan Uzbek dance costume was made in 1989 especially for Laurel Victoria Gray by one of her mentors, Honored Artist of Uzbekistan, Viktoria ''Viloyat'' Akilova. The fabric was purchased in Tadjikistan near the ancient site of Penjikent, during one of Laurels research trips. The red velvet peshkurta is embroidered with gold thread. Ms. Gray made the peshanaband headdress to match the costume.
This costume was part of Laurel Victoria Grays collection presented in San Franscisco at her May 5,2001 lecture on ''Splendors of the Silk Road'' for Humanities West conference on Marco Polo.
This section of the website is non-commercial and the photos have been posted for cultural and educational purposes only.
The costumes are not available for purchase or rental; they are privately owned.
...More
|
|
|
|
|
COSTUME COLLECTION: Crimean Tatar Dance Costume
Gold brocade appliques embellish the rich teal velour of this Crimean Tatar dance costume. This costume was a gift to Laurel Victoria Gray from Crimean Tatar dancer Meena, a soloist with the celebrated Khaitarma Ensemble which relocated from Uzbekistan to their Crimean homeland in 1992.
The hat is decorated with gold coins. The design of the belt imitates the fabulous gold filgree work of Crimean Tatar jewelry.
This section of the website is non-commercial and the photos have been posted for cultural and educational purposes only.
The costumes are not available for purchase or rental; they are privately owned.
...More
|
|
|
|
COSTUME COLLECTION: Karakalpak Dance Costume
The Karakalpak people live near the Aral Sea region of Uzbekistan. They are related to the Nogai as well as the Pechenegs, known in medieval Russian chronicles. Enchanted by the beautiful garments of the Karakalpak women, Laurel Victoria Gray commissioned this Karakalpak dance costume while living in Uzbekistan. The black velvet coat is covered with hand embroidery based on traditional Karakalpak designs with antique pieces decorating the sleeves. The earrings and necklaces are authentic Karakalpak pieces.
This section of the website is non-commercial and the photos have been posted for cultural and educational purposes only.
The costumes are not available for purchase or rental; they are privately owned.
...More
|
|
|
|
|
COSTUME COLLECTION: Khorezm Uzbek Dance Costume
Brilliant turquoise brocade and bright yellow are combined in this Khorezm Uzbek dance costume. Made especially for Laurel Victoria Gray in Uzbekistan. She first wore the costume for her December 19, 1993, Tashkent concert Raqslar Guldastasi (A Bouquet of Dances)that featured 40 performers. The concert was televised on Uzbek State Television.
The breastpiece is antique jewelry from Khorezm and is gold plated silver with carnelian.
This section of the website is non-commercial and the photos have been posted for cultural and educational purposes only.
The costumes are not available for purchase or rental; they are privately owned.
...More
|
|
|
|
DESIGN BY LAUREL VICTORIA GRAY: Azerbaijani Dance Costume
Created for ''Azerbaijani Dance Suite'' of the Silk Road Dance Company, these costumes combine richly trimmed velvet jackets with satin skirts and flowing veils.
This section of the website is non-commercial and the photos have been posted for cultural and educational purposes only.
The costumes are not available for purchase or rental; they are privately owned.
...More
|
|
|
|
|
DESIGN BY LAUREL VICTORIA GRAY: Classical Uzbek/Persian Dance Costume
Laurel Victoria Gray commissioned the construction of this Uzbek/Persian classical dance costume inspired by the beautiful images from Persian and Uzbek miniatures. She selected the fabrics and trims and did the handsewing on the dress which was made for her in 1993 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Because of the elegant lines of the garment, it can be used for both Uzbek and Persian Classical dance.
The dress is made of white silk which sets off the gold mesh coat decorated with arabesque designs of brocade.
The tillyakosh crown has dangling pearls along the forehead. A matching earrings and necklace set have a crescent moon design.
This section of the website is non-commercial and the photos have been posted for cultural and educational purposes only.
The costumes are not available for purchase or rental; they are privately owned.
...More
|
|
|
|
Kurdish Dance Costumes
Kurdish costumes can vary depending on the region and era. The pattern for these dresses were painstakingly copied from an authentic costume worn by the women of Iraqi Kurdistan. Brilliantly colored fabric and long flowing sleeves characterize the unique traditional design of this dress. The turban consists of many yards of fabric and is embellished with gold coins. (More contemporary fashions often do not include a turban with young girl wearing their hair lose.) This Kurdish dance was choreographed by Keylan Qazzaz and performed by the Silk Road Dance Company.
This section of the website is non-commercial and the photos have been posted for cultural and educational purposes only.
The costumes are not available for purchase or rental; they are privately owned.
...More
|
|
|
|
|
Persian Classical Dance Costume
Photographed at the Persian Festival held at the Sylvan Amphitheater at Washington Monument,this costume for Persian Classical dance was inspired by minaiture paintings.
This section of the website is non-commercial and the photos have been posted for cultural and educational purposes only.
The costumes are not available for purchase or rental; they are privately owned.
...More
|
|
|
|
Russian Roma Costume
Silk Road Dance Company performs with members of Drago Ensemble of St. Petersburg, Russia.
...More
|
|
|
|
|
Tadjik Dance Costume
The bright orange of this dress is embroidered with colorful flowers. It was a personal costume of Peoples Artist of Uzbekistan, Dilyafruz Djabbarova, who presented it to Laurel Victoria Gray. The sparkling crown was also a gift to Ms. Gray from the choreographer Shakir Ahmedov of Tashkents Mukimi Theater.
This section of the website is non-commercial and the photos have been posted for cultural and educational purposes only.
The costumes are not available for purchase or rental; they are privately owned.
...More
|
|
|
|
Turkmen Dance Costume
Another item modeled in the ''Splendors of the Silk Road'' fashion show and lecture, this Turkmen costume consists of a dress with a highly embroidered garment with false sleeves. It is supposed to be worn over the head, like a paranjah but for the photo, it is shown on the shoulders so the headdress, suitable for a girl, can be seen.
For Turkmen dance, the false sleeved covering isnotworn.
Jewelry pieces have been sewn onto the dress, creating something of a portable bank account. In times of need, the silver jewelry could be removed and sold.
Laurel Victoria Gray acquired the headdress jewelry in the 1980s and the garments in the early 1990s.
This section of the website is non-commercial and the photos have been posted for cultural and educational purposes only.
The costumes are not available for purchase or rental; they are privately owned.
...More
|
|
|
|
|
Uzbek Dance Costume
Created for Laurel Victoria Gray by the State Academic Bolshoi Theater of Opera and Ballet in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
This section of the website is non-commercial and the photos have been posted for cultural and educational purposes only.
The costumes are not available for purchase or rental; they are privately owned.
...More
|
|
|
|
|
