Library Calendar

The Costumes & Customs Lecture Series, sponsored by the Office of Arts Integration and organized in collaboration with the University Library, the Department of Theatre, the Department of Classics, the Spurlock Museum, and the Krannert Art Museum, explores the history and cultural significance of clothing across time and place. Organized by Elias Petrou (University Library) and Olga Maslova (Department of Theatre). All lectures will be held via Zoom and are free and open to the public.

This lecture examines Romani culture, flamenco, and the history of flamenco dress in Europe before and during the nineteenth century, highlighting the art form’s deep Romani roots prior to its theatrical codification. It focuses on the material culture of flamenco dress—its fabrics, construction, and makers—while exploring how authenticity, identity, and spectacle were negotiated between everyday Romani practices and staged performance, incorporating documentary excerpts and elements of dance or rhythm to present flamenco as a rich cultural and material practice.

Rosa Cisneros is an artist, researcher, filmmaker, and consultant based at Coventry University. Her work engages with decolonization, intersectionality, and identity through dance and practice-based research. A professional flamenco dancer and choreographer, she has performed internationally. She is also director of RosaSenCis Film Production Co., and her award-winning films have screened globally.