SEMIOTIC INTERPRETATION OF THEATER COSTUME AS A VISUAL LANGUAGE IN JOROMI DANCE PERFORMANCE

Abstract

Abstract : This study examines theater costume as a semiotic and communicative icon in the dance production of Joromi, choreographed by Felix Akinsipe at the Department of Performing and Film Arts, University of Ilorin, Nigeria. It interrogates the function of costume beyond aesthetic ornamentation, positioning it as a visual language that communicates meaning, emotion, and sociocultural identity within dance performance. In dance, where verbal dialogue is minimal or absent, costume assumes a central role in shaping audience perception and facilitating narrative comprehension. Employing a qualitative research methodology grounded in semiotic theory, the study investigates how costume elements including colour, texture, fabric, silhouette, and stylistic design operate as symbolic signifiers that articulate character roles, thematic intentions, and cultural values. The analysis further explores the interactive relationship between costume and performative components such as movement, rhythm, gesture, and spatial organization, demonstrating how these elements collectively construct meaning within the performance environment. By situating theatre costume within the frameworks of visual communication and theatrical semiotics, the study argues that costume in Joromi functions as a dynamic signifying system that collaborates with the performing body to generate layered interpretive possibilities. The research contributes to contemporary scholarship in semiotics and performance studies by advancing understanding of costume as an essential medium of non-verbal storytelling and visual dramaturgy in dance theater.

Keywords: Theater costume, Visual Language, Dance Performance, Cultural identity, Semiotics