Performance

Smith wanted to see his clothing move on the street and on the stage. He approached costume design as an opportunity to emphasize the flexibility of his fashions and to support the work of Black performers uniting dance with Black sound, storytelling, and queer and cross-racial intimacy.

Smith’s designs for dancer-choreographer Dianne McIntyre’s and Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company’s compositions illustrate Smith’s own belief that “being Black also has a lot to do with my being a good designer.” A multidimensionally informed Black aesthetic infused Smith’s costumes for these influential productions with a casual familiarity that would appeal to broad audiences.