Bluecoats Adopts Anti-Racism Policy, Bans Hate Groups & Symbols

(bluecoats.com)

At the core of the Bluecoats Experience is the knowledge that performing arts education programming enriches the lives of young people, and that the Arts improves societies and brings joy to those who consume it. As our programming works to create the Bluecoats Experience, and enrich the lives of our participants and fans, we must acknowledge that our responsibility lies not only in creating great performing arts education experiences, but also in creating a community that endeavors to better itself, supports all people, and disavows the notion that some lives are not as valuable as others.

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.

Bluecoats rejects all forms of racism, both individual and systemic, as destructive to our mission. At Bluecoats, we desire to advance an antiracist culture for the entire Bluecoats Community. This includes taking concrete actions and steps to eliminate all expressions of racism within our organization. Together, we will work towards a Bluecoats Community that is more diverse and more accessible to all, and where all voices are equally heard.

– Vision Statement, Anti-Racism Policy (§2.1)

With recent disturbing images of white supremacy on our televisions, this policy takes assertive action to ban “association with [white supremacist and other] hate groups, including the expression of solidarity with, praise for the actions or statements of, or coordination of support for these groups.” We will use the Hate Map™️ published by the Southern Poverty Law Center to define our list of hate groups. (Policy 117 §3.4)

Furthermore, this policy bans hate symbols, including the Confederate Flag, from all Bluecoats programming and events. Because the use of hate symbology is a complex and constantly evolving cultural practice, we will use the Hate On Display™️ database compiled by the Anti Defamation League to define our list of prohibited symbols. (Policy 117 §3.4)

“A central idea of antiracism is taking active steps to eliminate expressions of racism,” said Bryen Warfield, co-chair of the Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Council and a member of the Board of Directors. “This policy is an important step in defining how we will proceed in advancing antiracism in both the Bluecoats Community, and the communities of which Bluecoats is a member.”

In addition to banning hate groups and symbols, this policy directs Bluecoats to include discussions about antiracism and discrimination in our curriculum and programming (Policy 117 §3.7), and to work to advance antiracism within the broader communities of which Bluecoats is a member, including Drum Corps International and the Canton and Northeast Ohio areas. (Policy 117 §3.6)

You can read all of the policy directives here.

DCA approve a return for the 2021 season

(dcacorps.org)

December 5, 2020: Drum Corps Associates approved a virtual season (July/August) working with the possibility of an in-person (LIVE) World Championship in Williamsport PA over Labor Day Weekend.

The DCA Board, along with 40 corps administrators, staff and judges, came together virtually for the 2020 DCA Winter Meeting.

The proceedings began with a moment of silence in honor of all those who have been lost to “COVID- 19” during this past year. The topic of conversation quickly turned to how to maintain the good health of our members and fans during this upcoming summer drum corps season.

DCA President John Carr said, “The data will dictate everything moving forward. The health and safety of everyone involved in DCA, our families and fans are of the utmost importance.”

**Corps directors unanimously approved a virtual season in coordination with Box 5 Media Productions, to hold virtual competitions through subscription streaming each Sunday night in July and August leading to the possibility of the 55th Annual World Championship Weekend of Live Championships in Williamsport PA.**

How will the virtual portion of the season work?

Each corps will meet within their home practice space (Bubble/Containment Site) utilizing strict Covid-19 screenings. Following local CDC guidelines, each corps will create their show and submit a video of their performance for that week’s BOX5 Media and DCA event. The judges will review, score and critique each performance in that contest using the videos provided. Those videos will be the basis of the subscription streaming events presented by BOX5 Media and DCA! Each virtual show will be hosted live by an announcer, guests and at times a panel.

New this year, there will be a FAN FAVORITE FEATURE. Each subscriber will get a chance to vote during the show for their favorite corps. At the conclusion of each virtual contest, judge’s scores and the Fan Favorite winner will be announced. Tune in to each event for details!

There will be eight virtual events on Sunday nights during the months of July and August followed with the possibility of the DCA World Championships to be held live in Williamsport on Labor Day Weekend September 3 – 6, 2021.

For continued updates about the 2021 DCA season visit our web site: www.dcacorps.org

The Santa Clara Vanguard & The Blue Devils have jointly decided not to travel to Indianapolis for the showcase events on August 12-14, 2021

2021 DCI event series slated for Indy in August

(dci.org)

Drum Corps International is pleased to announce plans for a series of drum corps events to be held in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium August 12, 13 & 14, 2021.

DCI and each of its individual organizations continue to gather information and closely monitor the evolving public health and safety conditions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Guided by a Tour Reopening Task Force of medical professionals and other experienced leaders both inside and outside of the marching arts, participating ensembles have been presented with information and options for their consideration regarding 2021 activities.

With considerable and unique challenges being faced by individual groups, often with widely differing state, regional and local public health requirements, each participating organization is encouraged to proceed in the best interest of their performers and their respective organizations—not only for 2021 but for the long-term as well.

“The coming season will, by necessity, be ‘different’ to say the least; but we are determined to safely create a stage like no other in order to offer performance opportunities in the summer of 2021 as a ‘bridge’ to a tour in 2022 and the celebration of DCI’s 50th anniversary season,” Drum Corps International CEO Dan Acheson said. “Not only are we anticipating that the corps will offer an incredible experience for their performers in 2021, but we are confident beyond any doubt that fans who support our activity will be delighted by their performances.”

Subcommittee meetings, additional research, and ongoing discussion will continue during the coming days and weeks in preparation for the next full meeting of corps directors, to be held at the 2021 DCI (Virtual) Annual Meeting in January.

“We anticipate that if circumstances improve with regard to controlling the pandemic, we will seize every safe opportunity available to add events in addition to those being planned for Indianapolis,” Acheson said.