BWW Interviews: DARE TO DREAM Costume Designer Ivan Ingermann

Read BroadwayWorld's interview with Ivan Ingermann, Costume Designer for Disney On Ice presents "Dare to Dream." This month, the show comes to Sacramento (Feb 13-18), San Jose (Feb 20-24), and Oakland (Feb 27 - March 3). More information and tickets can be found at http://disney.go.com/disneyonice/.

Q: How would you describe the costumes in Disney On Ice presents Dare to Dream?

A: In a word, I'd describe the costumes in Disney On Ice

presents Dare to Dream as exuberant. They were made for movement. The energy that the skaters have throughout the entire show is extraordinary. They whirl and twirl, they flip and float. It's magical to see it all come together.

Q: How is Disney On Ice presents Dare to Dream different from the other shows you've designed for?

A: Designing for an ice show is different from other shows I've designed for because of the physical maneuvers the skaters are executing in these costumes. The power that comes from the physical strength they need for the lifts and jumps creates this incredible energy. I like to tap into that and have the costumes use that energy so that the audience gets a complete package.

Q: What should audiences expect to see with the costuming in Disney On Ice presents Dare to Dream?

A: We start off in New Orleans during the Jazz Age, where you have flappers, banjo players and all kinds of street folk, so it really sets the tone for the rest of the show. It's a big, wild, outrageous street party. Then, we get into Rapunzel's world, which is more of a fairytale magic land. There, you get rich textures and romantic silhouettes because it's a fantasy.

Q: What was your inspiration for the opening number of this show?

A: The design concept and inspiration for the opening number really came out of the Jazz Age and a lot of what was happening during the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance gave birth to a number of painters who used incredible palettes that were incredibly popular at the time. There were really rich purples, vibrant oranges and golden yellows; really fun colors that we don't get to see that much, today. The scenic designer, Stan Meyer, and I really latched onto this color palette and decided that these would be really fun to use for this scene.

Q: Is there a particular character or group of characters that you enjoyed designing for?

A: Doing all the 1920s outfits for the ladies in the opening number was lots of fun. But I'd have to say that The Snuggly Duckling scene with the pub thugs in Tangled was one of the most hilarious to design for. When you think about it, it's not very often that you are putting faux fur and faux leather on ice. You never think, "It's an ice show. Let me get out the Viking wear." These guys are out there, and they're just having a blast, and so that was really one of the most fun to design.

Q: What were the challenges in designing for Disney On Ice presents Dare to Dream?

A: One of the challenges of designing for a show like this is all the different physical maneuvers the skaters are doing throughout the show. It's pure athleticism. A skater will be doing a solo, then she's doing a pair skate, and the next thing you know, she's up in the air doing an aerial act, so the costume really needs to be able to function properly for all these acrobatic moves. The skater really should be in just a leotard for what she's doing, but we give her a dress, and that dress has crinolines, stones and beadings. And all this takes a lot of planning and time in the fitting to determine exactly where that can be placed on the body so that it's not just a whim or a little pencil sketch. It's actually considered throughout the process. There's quite a lot of time taken to figure out what works for the performers.

Q: Describe the design process for this show and how you get from sketch to finished product.

A: The design process for this show is a lengthy one. First of all, you have to know the movies. Then the creative team gets together, and I have to find out what they want the skaters to do. We have lots of meetings, read through the script, and then comes the fun part when I get to sit down and start sketching. Generally, I like to work very quickly, very fast and loose. I'll throw some color there, get some lines there, and get those sketches to a point where people can react. If they have something to look at on paper, then they can say, "Oh, yes I like that" or "No, I don't like that," so it opens up the dialogue.

Then we go into... meeting after meeting after meeting. Once we have a good idea of how the show is going to look, we take those sketches to the shops. That's really where the costumes come to life. It's all handmade and hand-painted; there are so many incredible details that have gone into these clothes to make them one-of-a-kind. They're made specifically for each performer, so there's a lot of custom work. The fitting room is the other place where a lot of the designing happens, because the performer who is wearing the costume has to feel good. If they don't feel good, they're not going to make the character look good, and the costume won't come off looking wonderful.

Q: Tell us about your collaboration with the other departments to make this the best show possible and how important that collaboration is.

A: Collaboration with the other departments is just key. Really, you can't do it without it. If you can imagine, the skaters would be out there falling all over themselves and looking really ugly doing it, too. First of all, Patty Vincent, the director, has been wonderful; we've been having so much fun. Alongside her, Cindy Stuart is an incredible choreographer. The costumes can't just sit there; they're built for movement, and she brings incredible movement to the show. Also, the scenic designer Stan Meyer has such passion for what he does. Every time the Rapunzel tower comes out, it gives you goosebumps. It's fantastic.

Q: This show is centered around dreams. What is your dream for the families who come to see this show?

A: As a family man myself, I know that time is precious these days. And these families have taken time to share an evening with us. So my dream for the families coming to see the show would be that they have a great time seeing the show. I know I've done my job if I hear them outside in the lobby saying, "Wasn't that really great? I had a blast."

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