The topic of costume for performance as a cultural marker is in its infancy within the context of cultural studies. As the means by which an audience relates to character (and so, the story), costume is central to our understanding of cultural identity. Here we consider costume for performance in Australia as an indicator of the developing national identity, using the 1964, 1983, and 2012 Australian Ballet productions of The Display as a case study. The original 1964 costumes were credited to expat artist Sidney Nolan, the 1983 version was designed by Sydney fashion designer Adele Weiss and the 2012 remount utilized photographs, written documentation and memories to recreate the original costumes. By examining the three sets of costumes, we aim to demonstrate how a study of the costumed body allows a deeper understanding of an evolving national culture and identity.

Pausing for thoughtThis issue of Studies in Costume and Performance is the second to be brought to press under the international spectre of COVID-19 in a period in which participation in and production of performance and film ground to a halt on an international scale. As editors of this issue, we are both fortunate enough to live in a part of the world that has avoided most of the devastating effect of the pandemic. As this issue goes to press, Australian audiences joyfully return to 100 per cent capacity in theatres and auditoriums after, like the rest of the world, these places of cultural production and reception remained dark and dormant for most of 2020. Whilst the

This article attempts to unpick colonialist and racist stereotypes in costume, in an effort to think through decolonization in relation to costume design and research. Examining Sidney Nolan’s costumes for the Royal Ballet’s 1962 production of The Rite of Spring, which misappropriated Australian First Nations cultures for visual (and choreographic) inspiration, the primary aims are to articulate the complexities of the production’s oppressive colonial roots, and to situate it within the wider context of recent challenges from scholarship and discourse around traditional ballet that have reframed it as a potentially racist art form. The discussion positions the costumed dancers from this production in relation to problematic binaries articulated more recently in scholarship around modern dance. A consideration of the damaging perpetuation of stereotypes the costumes propagate offers a way of understanding the ongoing impact of ballet’s colonialist history, and the role costume (and those who create it) plays in this.

Aim & Patients: We conducted a randomized clinical trial to determine if an e-learning intervention can enhance recovery in adult patients with persistent post-concussion headaches (PPCH). Materials & Methods: The intervention consisted of three e-learning modules administered at baseline, 6 and 12 weeks. Data were collected on symptoms, community integration, quality of life and healthcare utilization at baseline and 12-week follow-up. ANCOVA was conducted to compare changes. Results: No statistically significant difference was observed on symptoms although we observed a trend toward reduced healthcare utilization and improved quality of life in the intervention group. Conclusion: E-learning modules for patients experiencing PPCH warrant further investigation with data on participant compliance and measures focusing on simpler short-term outcomes. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT03391583 ( ClinicalTrials.gov )