The Latest
Bloo21: We’re Back!
2021, here we come! After a long year of disappointment and uncertainty, we’re finally optimistic about bringing The Bluecoats back to the field this summer. With health and safety at the forefront of our planning, Bluecoats have a structure in place to allow us to safely create, rehearse and perform on a limited basis this summer!
Monday Memory: When You Carried the Pit on your Shoulders
Back in the early days of Bluecoats the drum corps front ensemble looked very different than it does today. Actually, there was NO front ensemble. During the early 1970s everything on the field had to be carried and nothing was “grounded” anywhere. Tympani? Carried it. Marimba? Carried it. Chimes? Yep, carried it! By the end of the decade corps were allowed to “ground” a few items, but they still had to be carried on and off the field. By the mid 1980s the rules changed and a boundary off the field was allowed for “pit” equipment but on-field performers weren’t allowed, at first, to enter and leave this area between the 30s and off the front sideline.
2020 Diversity & Socioeconomic Impact Report
As we plan a future for the Bluecoats organization, we must work to ensure that the Bluecoats Experience, and all of our performing art programming, reach both more people and a more diverse array of communities. Today we’re publishing our inaugural Diversity & Socioeconomic Impact Report, which provides an important snapshot of our “starting point” as we set out to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in our programs as well as our staff. As promised in July, our goal is to compile a report like this annually.
Bluecoats Announce 50th Anniversary Alumni Corps Caption Heads and Steering Committee Addition
Steering Committee Chair Ted Swaldo is excited to announce the Caption Heads, who will provide key instruction and supervision for Bluecoats 50th Anniversary Alumni Corps, taking the field in 2022. Swaldo shares, “Having previously announced our Design Team, we are thrilled now to add to this outstanding group the Caption Heads, who will organize and lead each section.” The caption heads will begin working in earnest with the design team, named in September of 2019, who are ready to share significant parts of the 2022 show with members soon.
Policy Task Force Completes Review Of Corporate Policy
Recently the Policy Task Force of the Bluecoats Executive Committee completed a periodic review of corporate policy, particularly several youth protection and health, wellness & safety policies. On January 19th, the Board of Directors adopted these revised policies with this resolution.
We have made a list of several of these policies publicly available at bluecoats.com/policies. It includes the newly adopted Anti-Racism Policy, drafted in collaboration with the Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Council.
Bluecoats Adopts Anti-Racism Policy, Bans Hate Groups & Symbols
In the last eleven months, we have been reminded of the grip of systemic and individual racism on our society and in our communities. In May, we committed to not simply disavowing racism, but to advancing an antiracist culture in the Bluecoats Community, and to taking active steps to making our organization a better place. Since then, our Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Council has been working on these measures. Recently, this council worked together with the Policy Task Force of our Executive Committee to develop an Anti-Racism Policy that cements our commitment to this idea at the highest level of governance in our organization.
Monday Memory: When the News Traveled by Snail Mail
Today Bluecoats can notify their members, fans and the entire activity in moments by simply dropping a Social Media post. Between text, social media, e-mail and the website, you are never far from fresh information. But that’s not always been so. Keeping the members, parents and activity notified of Bloo news was a bigger chore “back in the day” and relied upon Director Messages and then later the Blue Review.
2020 Recovery Goal Surpassed!
Wow! We’ve raised $352,304 towards our recovery all thanks to you, the Bluecoats Community! Back in May, following the cancellation of the 2020 drum corps season, we announced a goal of $350,000 to support our recovery. This funding has helped us to fulfill our refund obligations and keep the Bluecoats organization alive and operating.