Cleo Parker Robinson Dance’s winter season is looking up in more ways than one.
In addition to previewing a $25 million addition to its headquarters in mid-January, the nonprofit company is celebrating its 55th anniversary and, as of this week, debuting its first-ever costume exhibit at Denver International Airport.
The Denver company has traveled globally and hosted thousands at its classes and shows at its converted church in the Five Points neighborhood. But the company, which focuses on Black American dance and African diaspora, has never mounted a costume retrospective — and certainly not one at a transit hub used by tens of millions of people each year.
“A lot of people see the dancers and choreography, but they don’t see the magic around it, which is everything from music to lighting to props and, of course, costumes,” Robinson told The Denver Post, noting that her mother used to design costumes for the company. “Most of the time those are the un-sung heroes and ‘sheroes’ behind the scenes.”
The exhibit, which is open through March 26, 2026, is located on , with items presented in tidy, see-through glass cases. They contain original, historic costumes from major productions in CRPD’s history: “Angelitos Negros,” which premiered in 1989; “Granny Dances to a Holiday Drum” (1991); “Mary Don’t You Weep” (1971), Raindance (1994), and “With You I’m Born Again” (1980).
DIA, which is renowned for its public art collection, praised Robinson’s company as “providing cross-cultural performances and enrichment programs — empowering all communities by cultivating healthy mind, body and spirit development for intergenerational students, artists and audiences,” according to a statement.
Unlike dance performances in general, the bespoke costumes offer a static, up-close look at the artistry of a company that has been performing for decades in Africa, Asia, Europe and across the Western Hemisphere. The displays include QR codes that offer more background on their creation and use, and hints of creative repurposing over the years — a not-uncommon tactic for cash-strapped performing arts companies.
“When we were part of (Denver Center for the Performing Arts) for seven years, and i had their design team, which was phenomenal,” Robinson said. “A lot of times I repurposed those costumes, so you’ll see items from the 1970s and ’80s, and others that we still use.”
It’s not Robinson’s first alliance in the skies. She’s been tapped by United and Frontier over the years to curate and promote music and dance performances at various destinations, including in Mexico as new routes were announced, and Southwest Airlines is a current sponsor of her company at large.
But it’s got a full-circle feel, she said, as her studio-theater’s 25,000 square-foot new addition was designed by Denver-based Fentress Architects — the same company that designed the airport itself.
CRPD will stage its annual holiday show, “Granny Dances to a Holiday Drum,” for its 34th season Dec. 7-21 at CRPD Studios, 119 Park Ave. West in Denver. Visit for tickets and more information.
