Somatic movement and costume: A practical, investigative project

This article is an introduction to the possibilities of the field of costume and somatic movement. It is a reflective account of my first stage of research in this area, which culminated in a workshop presentation at the Dance and Somatic Practices Conference at Coventry University. The project centred on costumes created and designed in collaboration with Sandra Arroniz Lacunza and Carolina Rieckhof (visual artists and costume designers with an M.A. in Costume Design for Performance from the London College of Fashion). The aim was to consider how costumes can link internal sensory and imaginary experiences to our perceptions. This article traces the background of the project, its research methodologies and structure, the costumes designed and experimented within the workshops and performances, and considers the project’s potential applications to performance, creative process and dance training.