HANSEL AND GRETEL

"Hansel and Gretel" is a project directed and choreographed by Lee Smikle for Shoreditch Youth Dance. His vision for this dance piece was to create a unsettling atmosphere without compromising the family friendly experience. For my research, I looked at Russian folklore and imagery found in old fairytale books which I myself as a child found rather disturbing. This being a piece for contemporary dance, meant that the dancers created a very wide variety of movements, ranging from floor work to jumps and spins. To me, this meant creating garments that were easy to move in and which would be complimentary to the dancers movements. I wanted my designs for the family members to be very simple yet unique. I took inspiration from Asian clothing patterns such as the Japanese Jinbei and created the designs based on my understanding of these characters personalities. Due to the production being held in a Cathedral I wanted my Witch to appear very ghostly like a fog that misleads the children lost in the woods. I created my design with some inspiration from Russian headdresses. The Lost souls/woodland creatures the children encountered on their journey were inspired by Masks and creatures found in Slavic Folklore and Festivals. I wanted them to have a friendly yet creepy appearance. I went on to construct the costumes for Hansel, Gretel, Mother and Father. The design was interpreted further to have a light layer of organza over the top of the garments to allow extra movement and lightness to the dance.