évoquer

This beautiful piece was choreographed by Abby Rase (Instagram: @abby.rase) for the 2025 Fall Showcase, hosted by Dance Ambassadors at LSU. I was inspired by the movement of her choreography to create a three-piece costume consisting of a leotard, knee-length mesh pants, and gloves for a total of 5 dancers. I was assisted in sewing the mesh pants by Rylee Dedeo (@rylee_noellee).

I saw about a minute of choreography and was instantly inspired. I created a moodboard and drew up a couple of sketches for her to choose from. We talked fabrics, colors, embellishments, etc. and decided on a geometric leotard and mesh pant with elastic details across the midriff.

Mood Board:

Sketches:

Tech Flats:

My first draft of the full coverage boy-short portion of the leotard.

My first draft of the full coverage boy-short portion of the leotard.

Adding hot glue to the underside of the gloves to help the girls grip the floor better; the glue was still catching the light so I colored it in with black sharipe to reduce visibility.

Adding hot glue to the underside of the gloves to help the girls grip the floor better; the glue was still catching the light so I colored it in with black sharipe to reduce visibility.

Abby knew she wanted to somehow draw attention to the hands; after workshopping a couple alternatives, we decided on long black gloves and silver acrylic nails and I attached them using E6000.

Abby knew she wanted to somehow draw attention to the hands; after workshopping a couple alternatives, we decided on long black gloves and silver acrylic nails and I attached them using E6000.

Pinning and cutting the boy-short portion of the girls' leotards.

Pinning and cutting the boy-short portion of the girls' leotards.

Starting with a size 10 swimsuit pattern piece, I graded the boy-shorts down to a size 6 and up to a size 12.

Starting with a size 10 swimsuit pattern piece, I graded the boy-shorts down to a size 6 and up to a size 12.

After draping the bust piece, I began draping the mesh overlay that attaches to the underwear.

After draping the bust piece, I began draping the mesh overlay that attaches to the underwear.

Draping the raglan sleeves from the same black fabric.

Draping the raglan sleeves from the same black fabric.

Surging all edges on the boy-shorts and bust pieces.

Surging all edges on the boy-shorts and bust pieces.

Inserting invisible zipper at the leotards' center back.

Inserting invisible zipper at the leotards' center back.

Each leotard was placed on the mannequin in order to drape, pin, and hand stitch the elastic to each other and to the leotard itself to keep taut and reduce movement.

Each leotard was placed on the mannequin in order to drape, pin, and hand stitch the elastic to each other and to the leotard itself to keep taut and reduce movement.

By creating reference lines, each leotard's elastic would be evenly aligned and spaced.

By creating reference lines, each leotard's elastic would be evenly aligned and spaced.