Dance Collaboration Project
The National Gallery, London, 2022
Costume Designer : Estrella Guo | Costume Maker: Estrella Guo & Hazel Book | Performer: Aaliyah McLaughlin | Choreographer: Lee Smikle
This collaborative dance project was inspired by Turner’s Dido Building Carthage, displayed in Room 36, and was performed at the National Gallery in London.
As the costume designer, I developed the visual identity for the performer representing Queen Dido. Our concept explored the dynamic relationship between the sea and ancient civilization, reflecting the dual forces of creation and destruction embedded in the painting.
My design for Dido emphasized structure, elegance, and architectural qualities to echo the imagery of rising cities and early empires. In contrast, another performer in this room represented the sea, embodied fluidity and shifting forms. The costumes were intentionally designed to create a visual and conceptual tension: civilization as defined, upright, and constructed; the sea as unpredictable, powerful, and constantly reshaping the world around it.
Through close collaboration with the choreographer and dancers, I refined material choices and silhouettes to support movement while reinforcing this thematic contrast. The final performance created a dialogue between body, costume, and environment, reinterpreting Turner’s vision through contemporary performance.