Carmen Miranda’s white dress: ethnicity, syncretism and subaltern sexualities in springtime in the rockies Carmen Miranda’s white dress: ethnicity, syncretism and subaltern sexualities in springtime in the rockies

Abstract

This essay calls for a reassessment of Carmen Miranda's work in Hollywood. Her singing and dancing can reveal unexpected ethnic and cultural alignments. The focus here is on the costumes she designed for Springtime in the Rockies, a Fox musical in which Brazilian as well as Native American cultural references are made explicit in Miranda's performance. This essay calls for a reassessment of Carmen Miranda's work in Hollywood. Her singing and dancing can reveal unexpected ethnic and cultural alignments. The focus here is on the costumes she designed for Springtime in the Rockies, a Fox musical in which Brazilian as well as Native American cultural references are made explicit in Miranda's performance.

Keywords

• Politics of representation
• Nationality
• Ethnicity
• Cinema