They think of costumes night & day: here three costumers discuss their work—how they set the mood with color, fabric, and shape. Plus they have advice on how you can make your next costume choice a good one

Dance Magazine, Oct, 2007 by Khara Hanlon

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HOLLY HYNES has designed costumes for companies like New York City Ballet and Houston Ballet.

"I don't always know the venues for the ballets, so I want costumes I'll be proud of in either a school gym or at La Scala. I listen to the music a hundred times so it gets into my body. I think of what I want the audience to feel. Do I want them to feel scared, uncomfortable, or to question where they are? If it needs to be romantic I think of chiffon, georgette, or organza.

I like sheer fabrics that can be layered. The tutus I design often have layers of different hues because it creates a magical color. Think about when the dancers come onstage. Maybe the corps only shows up in first and third acts. If there's a color you want the audience to remember, you might put it on the largest group.

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If you're buying a costume you can make it feel unique. Don't feel compelled to buy in color. Try white and play with the color. People think they don't know how to dye, but if you can boil water and have a sink you can do it.

Try combining things. Instead of shorts with a matching top try a leotard with the top. Then throw on a headband. When we're kids we have no fear. Nobody says, 'You can't wear a pink top with green pants.' Try and get to the child within. Nobody is going to die if it's ugly!"

ANN HOULD-WARD is currently working with Alvin Alley American Dance Theater on Frederick Earl Mosley's Saddle Up!

"Find the heart of the piece, then ask how you can enhance the movement and the music with your color and with the silhouette choices. Look for the simplest outline that works. You might see a long flowing pant in your mind or a skirt. Be practical. Simplicity is your friend. Watch the movement. Is it somber or lighthearted? That influences the colors.

I put a color collage together and do research boards of images before I'm ready to draw. After the drawings are on paper I incorporate color work. Anyone can get some paint chips, cut them apart, and put them in a row. Then you can see how the colors make you feel. Once you've got the color in mind and you know the silhouette, start looking. But do the discussion before you look.

If you find a silhouette you like but in your mind it was pink and in the catalogue it's white, just add a layer of pale pink tulle underneath or a pink bolero. Use finding a costume as a creative moment instead of an, 'Oh my gosh we have to find some costumes!' moment."

CASSANDRA CARPENTER is a costume designer for ODC/Dance.

"You can purchase great costumes if you think about the piece the way a costumer would. Look at the dance's choreography. Is there floor work? Then you won't want flowing chiffon that will get snagged. Is there a pas de deux or are four dancers doing the same movement? You might want to accent them individually with slightly different colors, or have them in the same outfit as one unit.

Blue, green, and aqua give a cool feeling. People think of the sea or ocean. By changing the color to sky blue, you change the feeling. Pink, orange, and yellow tend to be fiery. But a color can be too bright and become a blur onstage. Gray, cream, or beige costumes allow dancers to be lit in a way that makes them stand out but also gives them neutrality. If you're unsure of what your venues will be, you'll want something that has more color. If you're in a park and everything around you is green, neutral colors might blend.

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Get as sturdy a costume as possible. Maybe you can purchase two, one to rinse out at night and the other to wear the next day. It spreads out the wear and tear. I purchased costumes for a company that couldn't afford to make tutus. We trimmed the bodice and made a decorative top layer for the skirt. That saved money. Just don't try to do too much. There's nothing worse than doing too much badly. If you have to tie a scarf around your waist, that's what you have to do."