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What The Heck? No Hats or Shakos?


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Can we have a tally on who has corps-proper go without shako/aussie/helmet headgear the entire show? Not including show-theme-costume headgear.

 

Bluecoats

SCV

Cadets

Spirit

Blue Knights

Madison Scouts

Academy

Who else?

Edited by mingusmonk
to add Academy
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58 minutes ago, TexasPRfan said:

I've said my piece on this before, but I feel strongly enough about it that I'll say it again.  I think it's a HUGE mistake to let go so much of what has made each corps identity in the headgear and uniforms.  I too am certainly hoping it's a fad. 

The headgear makes the visual from midway to the top of the stands pop so much more and adds so much presence and height to the corps.  it's part of what always made corps like Vanguard, Cavaliers, Cadets, BD, Scouts and Phantom larger than life to me.  And to those parroting the current staff propagandists, NO, there is absolutely no connection to the audience gained going hatless unless you are sitting in the bottom few rows of the stadium.   Instead, you've further sacrificed visual clarity on the field from the top 2/3s of each stadium and given away a great deal of the mystique that made many fall in love with corps.  I think Blue Knights are a great example.  They've done so well with those great shakos and Plumes and it was a nice visual effect and clarity point for them in recent years.  Their visual program this year is so lackluster by comparison.

The WGI judge that recently commented about hating the hats in DCI.  That's all that's wrong with what's continuing to be a stage-like or WGI influence on Drum Corps show design, IMO.

I remember sitting with some newbies at a DCI Dallas Lake Highlands show years ago as Phantom marched out onto the field and their comment was something along the lines of "My God, they look like giants - absolutely regal"  That's a mystique that is a vital part of many corps identity that I hope makes a quick return.

Harvey

The headgear, or lack thereof, has trickled down from growth in popularity of WGI Percussion and Winds. Unfortunately many judges in DCI also judge WGI or local winter shows around the country.  As the groups have moved to more theatrical productions, the days of uniforms and headgear have progressed to uniforms that are now looked at as COSTUMES to increase the effect of the show. As someone else said, as groups like Bluecoats present more athletic productions, headwear becomes a risk and liability to the performance.

I heard comments about the Cadets robes they wear in the first 1/2 of their show as hindering the visual aspect of their show. It can make the lower body and drill look very sloppy as members are moving around. The costume does not always allow for the proper recognition and credit from the judges. Your costume choice can make a difference and going hat/shako less does matter. 

Some people may say VK was a"head' of the curve on headwear!

Edited by fsthnds
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12 minutes ago, mingusmonk said:

Can we have a tally on who has corps-proper go without shako/aussie/helmet headgear the entire show? Not including show-theme-costume headgear.

 

Bluecoats

SCV

Cadets

Spirit

Blue Knights

Madison Scouts

 

Who else?

Academy is using top hats this year, not sure if they will be recurring or not. I know the current uniforms are a show-specific design.

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And this isn't really that new, it's just more corps this year. BD, Phantom, Bloo, Cavies, and I'm sure others have all done parts of shows with no headgear. Statesmen, Renegades, and Govenaires were always hatless in DCA, Impulse wears baseball caps, Crown and Academy have altered their headgear each season for several years, Surf went hatless in 2015, and wore Elvis wigs in 04.

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My first reaction to hat-less was that there is an element of general effect, or something now missing.

Uniformity of movement, technique, and appearance (in my opinion) adds to the whole package in a way that I can't describe.

But, I still love so many shows this year.....with and without hats !  

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46 minutes ago, mingusmonk said:

Can we have a tally on who has corps-proper go without shako/aussie/helmet headgear the entire show? Not including show-theme-costume headgear.

 

Bluecoats

SCV

Cadets

Spirit

Blue Knights

Madison Scouts

 

Who else?

BD to an extent. They remove the shakos during the ballad.

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14 hours ago, Ediker said:

I believe there is something on the GE sheets that mentions connecting with the audience. Keeping heads/faces unobstructed allows the audience to see the performers' facial expressions and sometimes their personalities. Remember all of the winking soloists last year?  It comes off better without a shako. 

Most soloists take off whatever they are wearing on their head anyway, so the winking isn't affected by the corps wearing hats.

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7 minutes ago, Cadevilina Crown said:

BD to an extent. They remove the shakos during the ballad.

True.But this is nothing new. Corps have been removing actual uniform headgear along the course of a show for many decades. I don't include this.

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51 minutes ago, fsthnds said:

I heard comments about the Cadets robes they wear in the first 1/2 of their show as hindering the visual aspect of their show. It can make the lower body and drill look very sloppy as members are moving around. The costume does not always allow for the proper recognition and credit from the judges. Your costume choice can make a difference and going hat/shako less does matter. 

 

As much as I like the costume changes by the Cadets I have wondered about the robes they wear in the first half of their show.  They have to distort the lower movement. How do the judges account for this?

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Just now, mingusmonk said:

True.But this is nothing new. Corps have been removing actual uniform headgear along the course of a show for many decades. I don't include this.

Fair enough.

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