Over the last few years I have traveled to Cuba four times. In 2004 I attended a conference on costume design in Cuba sponsored by The International Organization of Scenographers, Architects and Technicians (OISTAT). During this trip we traveled to Havana, Varadero, Matanzas, Santiago de Cuba, and Trinidad. In 2005 I returned to Santiago de Cuba to research and photograph the annual carnival held in Santiago de Cuba. Southern Illinois University sent a delegation to Havana in 2006, which I attended. And in 2007 I returned again to Santiago de Cuba to continue my research on the costumes. Returning to my university I designed the costumes for a dance piece titled Fusión de Carnaval en Santiago de Cuba . The dance piece was choreographed by J. Calvin Jarrell and was performed at the Dumham Theater, Southern Illinois University in November 2007. The costume renderings and production photos are below.
Male Costume Design:
Female Costume Design:
Hombres Carrozas:
(Men Floats)
Exhibit at USITT
Houston, Texas - March 2008
Production Photo:
Production Photo:
Any corrections or responses, please sent to osweeze@siue.edu
2009 © C. Otis Sweezey