Here is a little reflection of the fun things that happened during our Cosplay Close Up event! During this event, we explained how we adapt our cosplays to the challenge of being able to dance freely and comfortably in them while still maintaining accuracy.
Hello everyone! Liz and Bevyn aka co-captains (Heichous) of The Corps would like to give you a peak of some fun moments during our special events, rehearsals, and fun random things that happen with the team! Come with us on our journey as we show you what it's like in the day of the lives of The Corps!
Hello, it's Tifa, the Corps Dance Crew's Heichou, or dance captain! I'm taking over this blog, hoping to share with you insights on not only what it's like to be a part of the Corps Dance Crew, but what it's like to be a cosplayer, a dancer, an artist, a student, a teacher, a leader, a geek and nerd and loveable weirdo. I'm sure most of you can relate, as you wouldn't have been so keen to seek us out.
Just making sure this post gets posted.
I'm be putting up a new entry soon. Make sure to visit the site often and stay updated with us on all our other social medias!
And feel free to like and comment posts as well.
Talk to you soon!
xoxo
Tifa
Did you miss our Halloween Live Chat!?!? Well go check it out on our YouTube channel!
Disclaimer: You may want to turn your volume down at first, we tend to get excited, SORRY!** We recorded our Halloween livechat with all of YOU from 2015 and here it is so that you can relive the fun.
Another day behind the Northern Wall, the members of corps are going through feelings worse than worrying about the Titans. We wait for our Hanji to go on her own expedition beyond the Northern Wall praying that she comes back in one piece. But we all know that she is strong & brave & that her weirdness & will can get her through anything & everything.
As Sasha watches her soulmate Hanji go into battle, Sasha is doing all she can to reason the ultimate titan, which is fate. One thing that the Corps know is that all the love and potatoes and trusts she has for Hanji is what will make everything okay in the end.
Hanji-san, as you go into your expedition, our spirits are with you. Sasha, Pixis, Mikasa, & Erwin are waiting at the the top of the wall ready to get you & bring you back home.
The Corps have made strong bonds because we aspire to have that relationship that Sasha & Hanji have that is one in a million. Our bonds are what will get us through our future expeditions & continue doing THE MOST #forkayla.
-Nanaba
It has been 2 years now since we first explored the annual celebration that this community of dancers calls Maxt Out. We come back each year, constantly impressed by all of the marvelous talent each one of the individuals at this festival showcase. As we wander into the dawning of the event at dawn, we are greeted by friends that we have made in previous expeditions! It was rather nice seeing how everyone has changed, from hairstyles to physical physiques to life adventures! Once we went up to the leaders of this organization, they showed their excitement for having us there that they gave each of us lanyards with our names written on them, which was a really nice gesture. Once we spoke with the liaison of the event and were informed of our schedule for the day, we migrated over to a nearby clearing located next to a facility that the Iwotabi High School Swim Club would enjoy. We loosened up our muscles and went through some preliminary training as we prepared ourselves for our expedition for the day. Once conditioning was done, we wandered about the educational compound and wandered into a vacant classroom where we set up camp. We continued to make our preparations there, putting on our attire, applying necessary cosmetics to our faces, all the while sharing delicious nutrition to help prepare us for our moment in the spotlight. We were asked to congregate in the area that the people here called “the hole.” It was here that our photograph was taken before we were thrusted into the building and patiently waited in the wings for our time. It was really self-assuring that the song that played just before going on stage was “Find You”, and waves of euphoria from our Northern Wall Expedition filled us all with energy and positivity to give it our all! Cera wanted to be the first one on stage so we let her have her fun and do a headstand the entire performance, which she did really well! Just as quick as we could blink, it seemed as if the music had ended and all of us were exhausted. Recovering from our fatigue, we reconvened outside the venue and changed into more casual attire to enjoy the rest of our day.
To my surprise, many of our fellow corpsmen also participated in other squad performances at this event, and so we waiting amongst the crowd to show our support for them in everything! As our energy rations started depleting, we took this time to venture around the neighborhood to find food establishment to replenish our energy. By now, the sun was setting, and the closing ceremonies were underway. Waiting patiently for the results, the masterminds of each performance gathered on stage as we wait for the results to be given. The four people called “judges” gave our 4 outstanding certificates, of which we claimed the one for “Best Costume”; Ymir was ecstatic to see her vision be appreciated. But then, they were announcing the placing for the Major Chor division, and to our disbelief and astonishment, they called out The Survey Corps for the title of First Place! As the squadron rushed on stage, we all were in a mixed ball of emotions that just could not be contained and we were so proud of what we had accomplished. After some photographs to signal the end of our adventure and some words of encouragement from the leaders, we migrated over to HQ, where we celebrated into the late hours sharing our favorite moments of the day and relived past experiences. This was a very successful expedition and we cannot wait to see what is in store later!
If you missed our very first one, you can watch it here =D
WARNING: We tend to get very excited at times, and when we get excited we are extremely loud. We apologize for the spikes in volume throughout this live stream. We're dweebs. .................................................................................................................... Part 1 of our first ever live chat, hosted by Sonali and Kayla!
Part 2 of our first ever livechat on younow.com!! Catch our Halloween livechat on Friday October 30th, from 8:30-10:30pm Pacific Standard Time!! We'll be broadcasting on our YouNow.com page! Don't forget to subscribe! Follow us for fun: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thesurveycorpsdancecrew Instagram: TheSurveyCorpsDanceCrew Tumblr: http://thesurveycorpsdancecrew.tumblr.com/ Twitter: SurveyCorpsDC
Another catharsis has taken place. A monumental occurrence that has shaken the foundation of the Corps. The Fall of a director, to be followed by the upheaval of our homestead and the frantic search for new ground to roost.
Then it was clean-up and a journey to Studio Exchange and a place where, once again, expectations were exceeded. The turn out was wonderful, the classes a joy, and the people a delight. The amazing dance group from Anime Expo, Jesus Otaku, came out to take class, along with some more wonderful fans, and it seemed more of a dance hangout than a workshop, to be honest. We even received a beautiful handcrafted gift from one of our fans, Lilian! The Corps laughed and moved and made new friends and formed new memories.
This, of course, shouldn't suggest that it wasn't a long day for the Corps. Sasha had to crash after waacking up a storm, and Pastor Nick's matcha green tea creations were the only things keeping the Corps on their feet! Nanaba, Petra, Nifa, and Reiner were holding down the fort, but by the time Erwin's class started we were all feeling loopy and silly. Sailor Scouts were bouncing everywhere, ponies were prancing, and Kaneki was going crazy in the corner. Truth be told, I found Rin, Ymir, and Levi stowed away in the back room catching a quick shut-eye at one point, and I joined in for a couple of minutes to regain some energy.
Then it was a very fun freestyle session at the end of the classes, more clean-up, and then the long trudge back to HQ to exchange our notes of the day, stuff our faces, and relax.
But it is always in the face of great adversity that the Corps rises to the occasion, and as a phoenix from the ashes the team has flourished and grown, in bond and in presence.
In a grand gesture of homecoming, the crew held a garage sale that led into the first workshops of our new base, Studio Exchange. Nestled to the south and unassuming at first, it has fast become a place where every member of the Corps can call home. Vast rooms, luxurious resources, facilities at our disposal, and a new manager who is kinder and more welcoming than we could have ever imagined, SE is a perfect location for our growing group.
Our garage sale started early, before even the sun rose. Corpsmen gathered at Petra's home, and together were constructed a stylized presentation of our goods. The treats Nifa and I made together were on display, Reiner danced with Pokemon and ponies in the street, Free boys were running wild, Metapod was set loose with Ymir, Sasha danced about, Levi twirled a sign, and I sang show tunes with Akame. We were even honored enough to meet one of our gracious fans! Adorable and so sweet, and her mother was so lovely and supportive. Not a bad way to start a Saturday morning!
All in all, a successful transition into a new aspect of this new era. The perfect homecoming for our growing group. So here's to new beginnings, and to the unexpected endings that allow us to start anew!
Always, for the good of humanity.
Sourumeito.
-H.Zoe
It began as an exciting day for the Corps.
A new era is beginning for the crew, with new opportunities, new projects, and new expeditions; and to launch this new era the Corps was opening our doors to the public to revel in camaraderie and new connections.
It was the night of our open rehearsal, and the studio was flooded with new faces and new energies. Sasha and I were ecstatic to share the space with people just as excited and willing to learn as we were willing to teach. The Corps, as always, was a force of energy, welcoming the newcomers into our home space to share in our training and bonding.
The human psyche is an amazing entity, watching as people transform in the face of exciting new opportunities. To watch individuals pass through our doors, reserved and shy, testing the terrain to see if the waters are welcoming; and then observing them as they slowly begin to open up when they realize that the documentations are true and the Corps, with boundless effort and no filter to their actions, are just as strange and awkward and crazy in real life as they are portrayed through film. It is fulfilling to watch the bonding experience, to watch strangers open up to strangers so those titles are instantly dissolved.
The event ended with celebration and joy as our new friends went out to venture into the night with heads held high and new moves in their repertoire.
The rest of the evening saw the Corps holding a photo shoot to document our cosplays with the ever-talented and perfectly dressed Dom and Kan, while the Special Ops Squad prepared for their Comikaze expedition in October.
That was when tragedy struck.
As the Special Ops Squad powered through the night rehearsing and training and piecing together the set, the energy of the group waned as the ambition continued to soar.
The Corpsmen pushed through, encouraging one another yet always emphasizing safety in preserving our efforts for the real expedition. And yet I always seem to get away from myself, lost in my need to know more and do more and more often than not, I require Moblit or Nifa or Levi to pull me back into my own awareness again. But they were not there, and I hadn’t realized how dependent I am on their watchful eyes.
As we approached the end of the night and proceeded with our final run, I reverted to my usual self and got far too excited for my own good. I had learned a new maneuver, and instead of playing it safe as my ‘caretakers’ often force me to, I persuaded my tired limbs to jump off the metal structure.
As I came down from my jump, and foot connected with floor, I felt my right knee shift completely out of its joint and then resemble just as quickly. I remember thinking that, in that moment, I had pushed too far.
The initial wave of pain was instantaneous, and if Sasha had not come running to my aid I most likely would have purged the contents of my stomach onto the floor. When the sharp wave dulled to a throbbing and horrid ache, the squad went into immediate action. Mikasa and Petra helped move me into a more comfortable position, while Chibi Moon and Ilse made sure I had ice on hand. Jean, Connie, and Bertholdt sat with Makoto and Naruto, acting as moral support as I performed an analysis of the injury before passing out on the couches in the lobby.
I remember how quickly the night had transformed from a roaring whirlwind of laughs and exuberance only to end with a forced positivity in the face of the painfully inevitable. I fear very little in my time, but I feared the reaction of Erwin and the rest of the Corps once they found out how truly irresponsible I had been.
But, as has been the running theme of my life and my research, I am so often completely surprised by the outcomes of my endeavors.
The support and love I have received from the Corps has been mind-boggling, from the care I receive at HQ under Erwin, Mikasa, and Pixis’ watch, to the constant stream of visitations from Sasha and Jean, to my Pokemon Trainer friends, Free boys, and Sailor Scouts. The injury is substantial, and extreme measures must be taken before I can return to the field, but despite it all there is a clear and gleaming silver lining to this ordeal…and one that I will grasp with both hands.
What is in store for myself and the rest of the Corps now? Too much to recount in one entry, that is for certain. But I will record it all down, document every feat we overcome, so as to prove we—as a team, as a crew, as the Corps—can persevere through anything.
For the love of the art, for the joy of each other, and for the good of humanity. Sourumeito.
–H.Zoe
As we set out on our Expedition to Anime California at the Marriott Hotel, we find that there are many people here from all over the world. Could they also have come from the different dimensions beyond the Northern Wall that we did not venture into? We don’t know for sure, but what we do know is that we want them to know that we come in peace. And so we braved the scorching heat to show off what we are made of to entice the denizens of this convention to accept us into their dominion. We apparently were well received; they showed their thanks by recording us on their digital devices that capture both motion and stationary displays that they then share with others of their kind.
Before we venture off into the unknown, we had to replenish our strength. The unrelenting heat once again made this a difficult journey, but we were able to make it to a nearby store that had a giant red bird selling burgers to the masses. Once our energy was restored, we journeyed back into the catacombs of the hotel, where we got to see the raised platform to which we would be exposing ourselves to their entire population. They let us do a practice run on this stage before we had to hide in a nearby corridor and wait in anticipation for our moment of truth. As they called our name and the sound of our introduction resonated throughout the room, we could hear full well that the crowd of people and creatures were more than happy to share their excitement with us. We displayed all that we could and the people were quite energized by the performance. Afterwards, we retreated to the rooftop of the building, where we took the opportunity to be ourselves and reflect on our expedition. We then relocated to HQ where we were able to relive our adventure by using the same recording devices that the denizens of this convention used to document our expedition. With laughs and cheers, I dare say that this was a successful expedition. For the Good of Humanity!!!