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Gold metallic cloth and black woollen coat, worn by Gertud Bodenwieser when taking on-stage acknowledgements

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CC BY-SA 4.0
CC BY-SA 4.0
CC BY-SA 4.0
CC BY-SA 4.0
Type
Coats
Place
South Australia, Australia; Victoria, Australia; Western Australia, Australia; New South Wales, Australia; Tasmania, Australia
Materials
Textile - non specific, Wool thread, Woollen cloth
Collection
Cuckson Bodenwieser collection no. 1
Accession number
2000.0006.0011

Description

A coat made from gold metallic cloth (gold lame) and black wool with a lowered round neckline. The gold metallic side panels and sleeves of the coat are cut in one piece. There is a black wool panel at the back that is 240 millimetres wide, and black wool edging along the front opening. The joins between the gold and black wool are decorated with large stitches in a bundle of twisted wool yarn. The centre front just meets. The coat is fully lined in black, and shoulder pads are inserted. At the wrist, 100 millimetres of black wool is joined internally, forming a turn back cuff.

About the collection

Madame Gertrud Bodenwieser Collection - Memorabilia from the Bodenwieser Ballet Schools and Dance Groups - Demon Machine Costumes and Stage Coat. Gertrud Bodenwieser, a celebrated European dancer and choreographer associated with modernist/expressionist dance, was widely applauded for her dance pieces. Forced to flee from Nazi occupied Austria in 1938, Bodenwieser took refuge in Australia in 1939 where she formed the Bodenwieser Ballet group with some of her dancers who also escaped. She played a vital role in bringing modern dance to Australia, especially to remote country areas where the company frequently toured. Through dances which dealt with modern, twentieth century concerns for example about industrialisation and her influence on her students who went on to become key figures in Australian dance, Bodenwieser has had a profound effect on Australian dance and culture.

Read live from the Museum's Collection API (12/11/2026, 4:58:35 am). Record last updated by the Museum 2026-08-10. Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.