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The Corps Dance Crew is a professional performance company that brings anime, comics, and video games to life on stage!
Founded in 2013 by Kayla Mallari and Sonali Samarasena, The Corps has presented its unique brand of fandom as stage productions at conventions, streamed film projects, and collaborative efforts with similar fan-based, small businesses. The Corps made their anime convention debut at Anime Expo in 2014 with their “Attack on Titan” performance that has gained over 1 million views on Youtube. That very same performance has produced their most recognized, viral TikTok of Hange Zoe performing the “Talk Dirty” dance that has sparked countless covers and interpretations. Since then The Corps has gone on to perform at San Diego Comic-Con, WonderCon, and Anime Los Angeles, expanding their repertoire to create performances that include My Hero Academia, Demon Slayer, SpyxFamily, and more!
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A BRAND NEW Survey Corps Set? Yes please!![]()
The Corps owes its past, present, and future to Attack on Titan. The groundbreaking anime has not only served as the crew’s originating namesake, but it’s given us characters to build off of and foundations to exemplify. In light of the epic conclusion to the anime and The Corps coming up on our 10th anniversary, we are hailing back to our roots! The Survey Corps is returning to the stage, and this time we’ve skipped through time to don the new uniforms of black and silver!
Will it be just like the AoT set of 2014? Unfortunately, no. While many have asked for a remount of that set, The Corps values the singular novelty that was such a legendary performance. Instead of recreating something that has already been, the current crew would like to pay homage to Corpsmxn of the past while offering something new for a flourishing future!
Led by the 14th Commander Hange Zoe, this iteration of the Corps will be a testament to how far we’ve come in 10 years, with new choreography, new styles, and new moments in the anime to celebrate!![]()
BREATH OF THE WILD - Urbosa and the Gerudo Warriors!
This performance is intended to be a love letter to everything we stand for: fierce feminine pride, strong POC leadership, unapologetic gender inclusion and representation, and a tribute to one of the crew’s most beloved video games. In celebration of the sequel, Legend of Zelda:“Tears of the Kingdom”, being released spring 2023, The Corps is bringing some of the game’s strongest characters to life in a groundbreaking set: Urbosa and the Gerudo Warriors!
Why is THIS particular set so important to us?
-According to Legend of Zelda lore, the Gerudo are a predominately female race of people, with very few males being born into the tribe over the course of years. In the BoTW game, it is also canon for male-identifying characters to don female attire in order to enter the Gerudo city, which prohibits to male entrance. In staying true to the cultural significance of these aspects, our Gerudo cosplays will be catered to whichever gender identification each Corpsmxn chooses. Each of our Gerudo cosplays will be customized to the Corpsmxn, falling under either vai (female) or voe (male) garments.
-Our cosplays are made by our very own Corpsmxn! Every single Corpsmxn will contribute to cosplay creation, allowing each individual to customize their cosplay to reflect who they are. In a team of different cultures, ethnicities, body types, and appearances, we want to make sure we celebrate what makes each individual an integral part of The Corps as a whole!
-Due to the customization of each cosplay, unique patterns and modifications will be made in order to make the intricate and lavish Gerudo designs danceable. As one of the perks for contributors, these patterns and modifications will be made available, so other cosplayers can recreate our designs! (Ever try to go to the bathroom in an intricate cosplay? Want to move around without large pieces falling off? How do you show off the physical skills of a character while ensuring you don’t rip your bottoms in the process? These are things we consider when creating our cosplays, and we want to share what we’ve learned with you!)
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Time to take it out of conventions and into our own theater!
The Corps has made it’s name through convention performances all across Southern California, but our reach and ambitions are taking us beyond the convention circuit and into the theater on our own terms. That’s why we need your help as we prepare the foundations for our very own theatrical showcase! Produced in collaboration with Up Next Productions, we want to make our convention performances accessible outside of the convention circuit, allowing Comrades and friends to enjoy the production in a theater dedicated completely to The Corps and Corps’ collaborating artists.
The prospect of putting on our own showcase is, for lack of a better term, DAUNTING! The Corps will be moving beyond simple production on the stage to everything that is required off stage:
-venue and seating
-lighting and sound
-crew (not the dance crew, but those snazzy individuals darting around backstage in black attire making sure everything is smooth sailing)
-prop and costume transportation and load-in/load-out
-insurance (safety first!)
-audience refreshments
Collaborating with Up Next Productions will help us streamline the bigger undertakings of building our own show, and once the performance is solidified, we’ll be ready to take it to theater after theater! (After theater, after theater, after theater…)
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Every last contribution will be put solely towards the creation and production of the sets and show, as well as contributing to promoting cosplay and theater for our fellow Comrades:
-Cosplays: all of our cosplays are created in house, meaning our Corpsmxn are designing and building their very own cosplay creations, completely voluntarily. Funds will be used towards fabric, materials, trimming, wigs, and shoes!
-Props and Set: safely created props and set pieces made specifically for our performances are essential in bringing our vision fully to life. Our crew researches the best materials and designs to create stage-worthy props that hold up to our rigorous sets while still remaining safe for our performers. Set pieces are created only if they are purposeful to the set and enhance the production, so that no resource is wasted!
-Production: the performance lives on beyond the stage in digital recordings so that we can share each one with Comrades who aren’t able to attend in person. Funds are used towards any sound mixing, filming, or editing that is done by non-Corpsmxn affiliates.
-Crew and support: Our Corpsmxn put in A LOT of extra work and dedication beyond rehearsals and performance, but we can’t do it alone! Stagehands, a stage manager, photographer, and videographer are always needed to help support the performance. Funds would be used in order to properly compensate the individuals who have worked hard to build the skills to manage live theater as well as professionally document the performances. The Corps loves collaborating and working with friends new and old who offer their talents, (and hearts), to our creations, and we want to make sure we continue to contribute to a community that properly compensates these talented individuals.
-Dance Education: The Corps has always tried to bring our love of dance to Comrades everywhere, from online classes, to in-person intensives, and convention workshops. In a bid to make dance education and training available to everyone, The Corps has always tried to price our classes at the lowest possible point, and when able, has made it FREE for anyone and everyone to participate! Contributions to this Indiegogo are greatly appreciated, and help in allowing The Corps to continue to spread our knowledge and training, free of cost!
With your help, The Corps can continue to make and create!
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