Call for Costume Designers & Make-up artists - Feb. 18, 2015

Moon Belly Dance Studio is seeking a team of costume designers, including mask and headpiece makers, and make-up artists for a new work, Mother Nature, to be performed October 3-4, 2015 at Talking Horse Theater in Columbia, Missouri. The costumes, masks, head pieces and make-up provide depth, character, beauty and reinforce the mood and style of the production. Creative collaboration of the design process is required throughout the year between the costume designers, make-up artists, artistic director, lighting designer and the choreographers. 

Mother Nature is rooted in belly dance technique fused with contemporary movement and sensory theater. It is a personal and political exploration of the symbolic relationship between women's bodies and the planet. Performances include dancers from MOON dance company, as well as local performance artists including actors and aerial performers. The overall costume style we are seeking could be described as an eclectic fusion of tribal meets modern meets avant-garde/fashion-forward meets dancer functionality. Inspired by the fashion of Ruth St. Denis, Jean Paul Gaultier and Alexander MQueen, whom we adore.

Qualifications - Please send a portfolio or examples of work before February 18, 2015 to: [email protected]

Requirements - Show up to design meetings, send sketches and designs by required dates, do fittings or trial runs (for make-up) with dancers 6 weeks prior to show, be available for re-sizing and mending prior to and days of the show. First introduction and discussion meeting set for February 18, 2015 at 110 Orr Street in the front waiting area at 7:30pm. Please send portfolio or examples of work prior to meeting.

Benefits - Unfortunately, this is a community arts project and the budget is very small. No financial compensation will be available from Moon Belly Dance Studio for costume designers, mask or head pieces makers; however, you will have the option to sell your costume/mask/head piece to the dancer who performs in it at a price you set. A small compensation will be offered to the make-up designers. All designers and make-up artists will also receive advertising in the show program, Moon Belly blog and related social media sites. Moreover, we hope to co-coordinate a fashion show with all designers and artists involved after the show to highlight your works specifically. More details on this to come.


Roles -  
Set 1
1 Wild Queen (1)
2 Forest Dance: Tree Sprouts (3) & Flowers (4)
3 Maiden Dance: Maiden, adolescent, child
4 Eve/Serpent Dance: Eve (1), Serpent (1), Tree chorus (5-7)
5 Birth Dance: Mother (1), Woman in Water (1)
6 Motherhood Dance: Mother chorus (4)
7 Priestess Dance: High priestess (1), priestesses (4)

Set 2
1 Captured Queen (1)
2 City Walkers Dance: walkers in animal masks (10)
3 Worker Dance: Secretary (1), workers (4)
4 War Dance: Warriors (5-7)
5 Sex Objects Dance: Stripper (1), S & M dancers (1-2), Geisha (1) 
6 Demon Dance: Demon (1), ghost (1), crone (1)
7 Hurricane Dance: Aerialist (1), Veil dancers (4), Cymbal dancers (2)