Dr. Sara Curran Ice, Theater and Dance

Name:

Dr. Sara Curran Ice

Title:

Assistant Professor of Design

Department:

Theater and Dance

Describe your research in about 200 words.

Research and Creative Activities are a large part of everything I do, from creating costume designs for specific productions to working through problems to find solutions, through developing curriculum and best practices for a classroom. I am a firm believer in the Growth Mindset and that to be a productive member of a team I need to be able to listen for understanding and be willing to learn new techniques or skills. As part of my costume design and costume technology practice, my main creative activity, research has long been at the core of that practice. I have always loved going to libraries and being in the stacks discovering new worlds and new ideas. For individual productions, there is researching time period silhouette, etiquette, and manners, as well as the culture and historical events. On the technology side, I am looking at different styles of digital renderings, 3D printing for costume crafts, and other ways technology can aid in the process of creating costumes. I use a variety of sources and in searching a variety of sources one can also find hidden gems that will allow for more creativity and better outcomes.

What’s the most interesting thing you have learned from a student?

There are many things that I have learned from students over the years, from pop culture to new ways to think about processes. Each student brings a unique perspective and ideas, which add to the process both in the classroom and on productions. I encourage students to learn to use their voices and have a sense of curiosity.