The Costumes: Inside the Design Inspirations for Wonderbound’s “Winter”
This is the second installment in an exclusive five-part series on contemporary ballet company Wonderbound's Winter, which explores the season's haunting magic by incorporating all five of the audience's senses.
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Don’t forget to check out the previous installments in our five-part series on Winter. Part one offers a glimpse into the ballet’s soundtrack.
“We didn’t want to do cliché holiday stuff. [We wanted to explore] the more primal aspects of winter.” So began Wonderbound wardrobe supervisor and resident costume designer Rachael Kras’ quest to develop attire for the characters in artistic director Garrett Ammon’s (slightly dark) fairy tale, Winter.
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As a designer for the stage, Kras, 34, typically thinks big, as small details are often lost on an audience seated far away. But for Winter, the front row is located just feet from the stage, so Kras was able to dust off old ideas, focusing on bringing different textures and details to the costumes. As a designer for dancers, Kras’ top priority is always comfort and ease of movement. (Oh, and making sure everything can be easily washed between shows.) “Dancers are not your average humans,” she says. “Their range of motion is incredible. I’ve seen [male dancers] just shred pants in mid-air.”
Luckily, Kras is adept at modifying pieces for this particular occupation (she’s been sewing since she was 10 years old). Men’s shirts are made with stretchy fabric, and their pants sometimes have gussets to allow them to leap without the aforementioned splitting. Ladies’ dresses are typically fitted at the waist so they stay snug as the dancer moves. “It’s a blend of the creativity and engineering aspects,” she says. “Ballet dancers are intensely aware of what they look like. I love to build things that enhance their movement and that they feel beautiful in.”
See Kras’ elegant designs for Winter in process by clicking through the slideshow above.
Winter hits the stage December 10, 11, 17, and 18, with two shows each evening (6:15 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.) at Wonderbound Studio at Junction Box, 1075 Park Ave W. Tickets are $60 and can be purchased here.
Kras’ sketches for the female characters hang in her workroom. Each dancer represents a different winter bird: magpie, dove, woodpecker, cardinal, and owl. To get a sense of what these will look like, the cardinal will be adorned in a fluffy red skirt and a fitted vest with red ruching
One of Kras’ inspiration boards. She says her goal is to bring out the “fantastical” aspects of these familiar creatures
Pencil sketches of the male characters, who will be outfitted in tailored black or gray vests modified to represent five winter animals: stag, fox, wolf, bear, and hare
The “villain” in this fairy tale is a magpie. There is a myth that the bird is inhabited by the soul of a fairy, which is why the animal is so mischievous. Here you can see a photo of a magpie, as well as Kras’ sketch for her interpretation of the animal for the stage
Fabrics sit next to Kras’ sewing machine. Because the audience will be able to see fine details, she is focusing on patterns that mimic the hides of the animal character, as well as more subtle textural and design elements
The foundations for 12 dancers’ costumes hang, awaiting adornment. Kras makes all of the costumes herself and has to work on a limited time frame—all the costumes for Winter were sewn, built, and crafted in less than 29 days (normally she has closer to eight weeks)—so she’s discovered so shortcuts and tricks to cut time. For this production, she bought ready-to-wear vests for the male dancers; she’ll tailor and ornament them herself
Kras models the magpie cape. Wooden poles are hidden along the edge, so the dancer, Meredith Strathmeyer, can lift and flutter the wings. (It also has ties that go around her waist to keep the cape in place as she dances.) In this case, the costume impacts the movement, so Kras worked to finish this piece before most of the others so Strathmeyer could rehearse with it
The in-progress feathered vest will serve as part of the shoulder mantle on top of the magpie cape. Beyond designing and sewing the costumes, Kras is also backstage during performances to help dancers switch between costumes—and repair any wardrobe emergencies. Little bit of trivia: After each performance, she sprays the costumes with vodka—any unscented grain alcohol will work—to kill bacteria and odors and keep the fabric fresh
Kras’ sketches for the female characters hang in her workroom. Each dancer represents a different winter bird: magpie, dove, woodpecker, cardinal, and owl. To get a sense of what these will look like, the cardinal will be adorned in a fluffy red skirt and a fitted vest with red ruching
One of Kras’ inspiration boards. She says her goal is to bring out the “fantastical” aspects of these familiar creatures
Pencil sketches of the male characters, who will be outfitted in tailored black or gray vests modified to represent five winter animals: stag, fox, wolf, bear, and hare
The “villain” in this fairy tale is a magpie. There is a myth that the bird is inhabited by the soul of a fairy, which is why the animal is so mischievous. Here you can see a photo of a magpie, as well as Kras’ sketch for her interpretation of the animal for the stage
Fabrics sit next to Kras’ sewing machine. Because the audience will be able to see fine details, she is focusing on patterns that mimic the hides of the animal character, as well as more subtle textural and design elements
The foundations for 12 dancers’ costumes hang, awaiting adornment. Kras makes all of the costumes herself and has to work on a limited time frame—all the costumes for Winter were sewn, built, and crafted in less than 29 days (normally she has closer to eight weeks)—so she’s discovered so shortcuts and tricks to cut time. For this production, she bought ready-to-wear vests for the male dancers; she’ll tailor and ornament them herself
Kras models the magpie cape. Wooden poles are hidden along the edge, so the dancer, Meredith Strathmeyer, can lift and flutter the wings. (It also has ties that go around her waist to keep the cape in place as she dances.) In this case, the costume impacts the movement, so Kras worked to finish this piece before most of the others so Strathmeyer could rehearse with it
The in-progress feathered vest will serve as part of the shoulder mantle on top of the magpie cape. Beyond designing and sewing the costumes, Kras is also backstage during performances to help dancers switch between costumes—and repair any wardrobe emergencies. Little bit of trivia: After each performance, she sprays the costumes with vodka—any unscented grain alcohol will work—to kill bacteria and odors and keep the fabric fresh
