Rehearsal BreakAuthor(s): Gayla Blaisdell

Source: The Choral Journal , Vol. 59, No. 1 (August 2018), pp. 59-66
Published by: American Choral Directors Association

Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/26600192

JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide
range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and
facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at
https://about.jstor.org/terms

American Choral Directors Association is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and
extend access to The Choral Journal

This content downloaded from

206.211.154.130 on Sun, 03 Mar 2024 20:22:50 +00:00
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
 Fostering Inclusion: Unpacking Choral Dress Codes
As music educators, most of us
have attended workshops on in-
clusivity and diversity training. We
might even sit at those meetings roll-
ing our eyes while thinking, “This
doesn’t apply to me. I’m inclusive. I
don’t discriminate based on gender
or sexual orientation, and I know
how to recognize sexual discrimina-
tion when I see it in my classroom or
in my working environment.” And
hopefully, we are correct in our con-
fidence. It is expected that in 2018,
blatant practices of sexism and dis-
crimination are taboo.
Addressing continued discrimina-
tion in the professional jazz world,
Julie Dunbar writes, “The twen-
ty-first century mindset that one
should not discriminate sometimes
makes discrimination even more
covert.…”1 The choral tradition is
centuries old and was founded on
systemic sexism and gender bias
throughout its history. In our effort
to maintain our traditions and pro-
mote our beloved art form, we may
be perpetuating subtle, unintended
sexual and gender bias in our music
CHORAL JOURNAL August 2018
206.211.154.130 on Sun, 03 Mar 2024 20:22:50 +00:00
by Gayla Blaisdell
classrooms. This article will uncover
the ways that ensemble dress codes
and uniform requirements perpetu-
ate gender insensitivity and will sug-
gest new strategies to promote inclu-
sion for all within the ensemble.
Perhaps one of the most obvious
perpetuations of gender bias occurs
in the ubiquitous and largely unex-
amined practice of enforcing dress
codes for performances. Most suc-
cessful choral ensembles require uni-
forms and adherence to a dress code
for performances to create a visual
image that projects professionalism.
A unified appearance reduces visual
distraction for the audience and pro-
motes a cohesive bonding of many
individuals into one collective enti-
ty for performance. The tradition-
al dress codes and uniforms of the
past may, however, be creating subtle
bias within our ensembles. Joshua
Palkki suggested more awareness of
the subject in his article, “Inclusivi-
ty in Action: Transgender Students
in the Choral Classroom”: “In the
changing gender landscape of the
twenty-first century, choral teachers
This content downloaded from
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
may need to decide whether or not
some of the traditional choir uni-
forms (e.g., dresses and tuxedoes)
best honor the gender identity of all
students.”2
The traditional choral ensemble
uniform that consists of men in tux-
edos or suit jackets and women in
long, matching dresses mentioned
by Palkki can, in fact, create an un-
comfortable situation for students
who don’t identify as cis-gendered
male or female. In her online blog,
“Raising My Rainbow,” Lori Duron
shares the experience of a friend:
While I had no idea what a
lesbian was when I was in mid-
dle school, I clearly knew that
I was different. I also was ob-
viously a “tomboy.” In middle
school, I was a quite gifted mu-
sician for my age, and as such,
was selected to perform in an
honor orchestra. This was ex-
citing, until the dress code for
the concert was handed out.
I didn’t participate in that
concert, and there were other
Volume 59 Number 1 59
 Rehearsal Break
events I missed out on as well that it could be doing so to student
due to this. All through school, musicians right now.”4 Reevaluat-
I loved to sing, but never joined ing the traditional choral ensemble
choir because of the required dress code might alleviate stress for
gowns that the girls had to current students and could possibly
wear. What surprises me is how even increase participation in school
this still resonates with me as a ensembles.
52-year-old woman.3 Beyond the obvious discomfort
for non-binary students, gendered
Duron comments further: “This uniform requirements also carry
friend went on to have a career as other social stigmas. Most gown
a professional musician at the high- styles have some variation of low
est level, including performing with necks or even strapless gowns, which
the Los Angeles Philharmonic. It’s reveal shoulders and cleavage, and
devastating to think that her middle have tight-fitting bodices that accen-
school dress code had the potential tuate the waist and draw attention
to turn her off to music forever…and to the female figure. In this day and
“Our performance tour was a profound
experience for all who participated.
We were introduced to a wide spectrum
of the rich cultures that make up South
Africa in ways that will resonate with
participants for many years to come.”
— Dr. Brad Richmond, Hope College Chapel Choir
Musical Tour to South Africa, May 2018
GO BEYOND A Leader
GO WITTE In Concert Tours
SINCE
1975!
800 GO WITTE
www.wittept.com
60 CHORAL JOURNAL August 2018
This content downloaded from
206.211.154.130 on Sun, 03 Mar 2024 20:22:50 +00:00
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
age, when the link between body
image and low self-esteem is widely
accepted, students with body image
issues (e.g., plus-size students, stu-
dents with disabilities, or students
with weight-related eating disorders)
will probably not be comfortable in
a gown not chosen with their unique
features in mind.
Male students can also struggle
with body image issues and feel con-
stricted and confined in the tradi-
tional tuxedo or suit, but the strug-
gle between image and functionality
has historically been a problem for
female performers. Julie Dunbar
describes Ziegfeld Follies costumes
from the early twentieth century and
the double standard in the industry
in her book, Women, Music and Culture.
She states, “While men in the show
were fully dressed in pinstriped pants
and top hats, the women’s costumes
were clearly made to display sexuali-
ty, in bare-shouldered dresses draped
in feathers.”5 The subtle implication
is that body image and visual attrac-
tiveness is important for the young
women in the group but not for the
young men.
Wearing high-heeled shoes also
creates a potential problem for wom-
en wearing formal gowns in musical
performance. Young women often
wear shoes that are not conducive
to proper posture and alignment be-
cause they have chosen footwear to
meet stylistic standards instead of
technical needs. Again, this problem
has been present throughout history
in women’s performance experience.
Wearing dresses in bands and
orchestras can create similar is-
sues with footwear, as illustrated by
all-women swing bands during the
Volume 59 Number 1
1940s. Dunbar notes, “Band mem-
bers wore long gowns and imprac-
tical high heeled shoes (that drum-
mers sometimes stripped off after
they got behind the drum set) and
were expected to wear make-up and
maintain perfect hairstyle.”6 Mind-
ful dress code options for all that en-
courage positive technical practices
such as proper posture and ease of
movement can eliminate the double
standard sometimes perpetuated by
the ensemble’s uniform.
On the other hand, we need to be
aware that when trying to avoid gen-
der bias in our uniform guidelines,
we don’t merely eliminate feminini-
ty. Most of the time a “neutral” op-
tion defaults to the masculine norm.
For instance, a youth choir choos-
ing a fairly accepted gender-neutral
uniform of black slacks and a polo
short is sending a subtle message
that in order to fit in, students must
deny their femininity and favor male
expression. Perhaps the term gen-
der-flexible, rather than neutral, is a
more inclusive term to use when re-
designing the dress code for a twen-
ty-first-century ensemble.
Dress-Code Solutions
1) Choose a gender-flexible uni-
form such as choir robes.
Choir robes de-emphasize gender
difference and body image issues.
Students can be unified in their pre-
sentation as a choir while wearing
the gendered clothing they are com-
fortable with underneath. In addi-
tion, choir robes fit the varied shapes
and sizes of students and can elim-
inate body shaming. The plus-sized
CHORAL JOURNAL August 2018
206.211.154.130 on Sun, 03 Mar 2024 20:22:50 +00:00
student who feels uncomfortable in
a tailored feminine dress may feel
less self-conscious in a looser-fitting
choir robe that doesn’t accentuate
body shape.
If you choose to adopt robes for
performances, explain your reasons
to the students. Engage the students
in conversation about the issues of
the inclusion and safe space within
the choral ensemble and encourage
your students to embrace the neu-
trality of the choir robe as liberating.
Even though the choir robe is de-
scended from the patriarchal systems
of organized religion and academia
and may carry some of that stigma
with it, in current tradition, robes
are already established as an accept-
ed and expected choral ensemble
uniform. If students are concerned
about an association with religious
music, explain that robes are ubiq-
uitously worn in most academic cer-
emonies, even at completely secular
institutions.
2) Establish a gender-flexible
uniform with specific parame-
ters.
It is possible to establish a dress
code that is flexible enough to ac-
commodate individual differences
between students and still establish a
uniform appearance. When explain-
ing the dress code to the students and
the parents, first explain your goal:
creating a unified visual image to
promote professionalism that doesn’t
distract from the great work your
students are doing while respecting
individual expressions of sexuality
and gender. Some students may still
have trouble meeting the dress code
and arrive with a sleeveless shirt or
This content downloaded from
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
a mini-skirt or short sleeves because
they say it is all they own. Consid-
er establishing a uniform slush fund
with your parent support board or
boosters to help students with finan-
cial burdens. If a student comes to
a concert with clothing that doesn’t
meet the dress code, after the concert
you can offer to help them purchase
better clothing choices with those
funds. Here are some practical sug-
gestions for such a dress code. Note
that they are written in gender-neu-
tral language and do not distinguish
between male and female students.
All-Black Dress Code
Tops: black shirts or blouses. Sleeve
length should be between the elbow
and wrist.
Bottoms: pants or below-knee or
longer skirts with black tights or hose
underneath. Black should go all the
way to the shoe.
Shoes: Black, close-toed shoes with
black socks or tights. Avoid stripes or
markings that draw attention (e.g.,
black athletic shoes with a brand
name in bold color).
Choosing an all-black uniform
rather than a white-and-black uni-
form is preferable for uniformity.
White shirts and blouses can range
from sheer and very stark white to
creamy off-white, whereas differenc-
es in black material is much less no-
ticeable from the stage.
3) Establish a Formal Concert
Attire.
This is the riskiest option and
may create problems within your
Volume 59 Number 1 61

ensemble if you have students from
disparate income households. How-
ever, if you want to create a specific
look for a concert to go along with
your repertoire or a particular style,
formal concert attire can be effective
and fun. Even within a looser set of
guidelines, be as specific as you can
to avoid confusion. It is a good idea
to ask the student to bring the outfit
into school several weeks in advance
of your concert for approval. That
way if you have any concerns, you
can address them confidentially and
sensitively. Note that in this option,
the student can choose to wear ei-
ther a suit or a dress regardless of
sexual identification.
Dressy Formal Concert Attire:
• Dresses must be floor length. Long
skirts are appropriate with fancy
tops. Moderate sequins and sparkles
are optional.
• Sleeveless dresses are allowed;
however, make sure the dress is com-
fortable for moving. If it is too tight
or too loose, it could affect your per-
formance.
• Suits are defined as dress slacks, a
white dress shirt, and a long-sleeved
suit coat. A bow tie will be provid-
ed by the ensemble to complete the
look.
4) Create a gender-flexible shirt
for your ensemble’s uniform.
This option is good for an ensem-
ble that isn’t as concerned with look-
ing formal and for younger ensem-
bles; however, as mentioned above, it
can be seen as reinforcing the male
clothing norm while erasing the fem-
62 CHORAL JOURNAL August 2018
206.211.154.130 on Sun, 03 Mar 2024 20:22:50 +00:00
Rehearsal Break
inine. Options could include a uni-
sex T-shirt, a polo-style shirt, or pos-
sibly a loose, button-down shirt with
a logo or name tastefully displayed.
The singers in the ensemble could be
involved in choosing the shirts for the
uniform, or you might consider mix-
ing different styles of the ensemble
shirt by letting each student decide
which shirt style suits them the best.
Shirt Dress Code:
• Top: Ensemble Shirt
• Bottom: Black pants or black skirt
with black hose/tights
• Shoes: Black close-toed shoes with
black socks
Many performing groups go be-
yond clothing guidelines in their
dress codes and stipulate hair, make-
up, and jewelry choices. The wid-
er dress code debate in the schools
has raised attention to the discrim-
ination that arises from holding fe-
male students to a higher standard
than their male counterparts. Soraya
Chemaly writes about the inequality
in dress codes in the Huffington Post
article, “Every Reason Your School’s
Gendered Dress Code is Probably
a Sexist Mess.” In her article, she
presents the following statistic: “In
a recent incident, 200 high school
students got detention for violating
a strict new policy… Ninety percent
of them were girls.”7
Ensemble directors need to be
aware that dress codes that focus
too specifically on the female stu-
dents may cause them to feel over-
ly self-conscious and/or to send the
message that they are responsible for
sexually distracting the audience,
particularly the male audience. Che-
This content downloaded from
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
maly continues, “Dress codes often
combine a belief in male lack of
control with shame and fear of fe-
male bodies, keeping victim-blaming
of girls and women alive and well.”8
The effort to protect women from
the male gaze by imposing strict dress
codes only on women actually draws
attention to the sexualization of the
female body. By accepting that short
skirts and exposed shoulders are a
distraction to the boys and men in
the audience, we are reinforcing the
sexual objectification of women per-
formers. Performers must acknowl-
edge the body in live performance;
we can’t perform without it. Ap-
proaching dress codes from a phys-
iological perspective, more like an
athlete does, can shift the focus away
from the sexualization and cultural
aspects of the dress and uniform re-
quirements. It is perfectly acceptable
for young female athletes to expose
significant amounts of their body
(legs and shoulders) because the ac-
tivity is not sexualized. Unless there
is a specific repertoire that calls for a
characterization, young women (and
men) on stage in a musical ensem-
ble should not be objectified just be-
cause they are on stage.
Dress codes that utilize descrip-
tors such as “modest,” “proper,” and
“appropriate” place the emphasis on
the morality of the student. Brenda
Alvarez, an educator who supports
dress code policies, put it this way:
“As long as the language of the pol-
icies focuses on professionalism and
high expectations for learning, and
stays away from asking for modes-
ty, all is good. When kids are told
to be ‘modest,’ we are sexualizing
their wardrobes, and why are we do-
Volume 59 Number 1
ing that to children?”9 Lori Duron’s
blog quotes a promotion graduation
dress code that illustrates this double
standard: “Modest strapless and spa-
ghetti straps are allowed for promo-
tion. Appropriateness and reason-
able modesty is the key here.”10 The
statement clearly indicates the prob-
lem with sexualization. “Modesty is
a stereotypically feminine virtue that
includes being quiet, humble and
self-effacing…Socializing girls to be
modest in unequal measure under-
mines their ability both to think of
themselves, and be thought of by
others, as competent leaders,” says
Chemaly.11 Unfortunately, the target
of this dress code was not on func-
tionality or physiological demands
but on outdated cultural norms and
societal expectations.
The accompanying statement for
the boys in the same dress code car-
ries a different message but is also
reinforcing outdated cultural norms
and societal expectations: ‘Cleanli-
ness and proper grooming is the key
focus for the boys.”12 Lori Duran
summarizes the problem clearly:
Telling boys that their “key
focus” is cleanliness and prop-
er grooming implies that they
are usually dirty, smelly slobs
(but hopefully they can pull it
together and shower for this
special event if they try their
best). By specifically stating
that boys must be clean and
well groomed, the school im-
plies that they either assume
girls are naturally clean and
groomed or that it’s fine if girls
are dirty and sloppy (as long as
they aren’t dressing in a way
that distracts the boys).13
This dress code is sexist to all stu-
dents, first by separating the group
into two defined binary groups of
girls and boys and then also by play-
ing to the stereotypes of each gen-
der. It even hints at a “boys will be
boys” attitude of carelessness that
taken to the extreme feeds into the
current rape culture.
There are ways to address per-
sonal hygiene and personal styling
choices without falling into stereo-
types and double standards. First,
make all personal hygiene guidelines
inclusive and gender-neutral. Don’t
separate men from women. Avoid
using morality words such as “prop-
er,” “modest,” and “appropriate,”
that indicate social propriety. Using
specific physical descriptions of the
personal hygiene expectations can
avoid subjective adjectives in your
personal hygiene statements just as

2018 Symposium on Research in Choral Singing

ACDA is pleased to announce the 2018 Symposium on Research in Choral

Singing. The Symposium will be held Friday and Saturday, September 14 and
15, 2018, on the campus of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. The
Symposium will combine diverse presentational formats with opportunities for
in-depth conversation, inquiry, and consideration of future research directions.
Join us for two days focused on advancing knowledge and practice with respect
to choral singing, choir sound, choral pedagogy, the sociology of choral singing,
and more.

CHORAL JOURNAL August 2018 Volume 59 Number 1 63

This content downloaded from
206.211.154.130 on Sun, 03 Mar 2024 20:22:50 +00:00
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms

listing specific clothing descriptions
alleviates the subjectivity in uniform
guidelines. Here is an example of a
gender-flexible hygiene statement in
which the look of the ensemble can
be adjusted to your own preferences
as the director (particularly regarding
piercings and tattoos).
Personal Hygiene Statement:
• Keep hair out of your eyes. Hair
clips, ponytails, buns, headbands are
acceptable. Please avoid brightly col-
ored hair accessories.
• No dangling earrings or large, no-
ticeable ear gauges. Noticeable body
piercings should be removed for
the concert (particularly large nose,
cheek, or lip piercings).
• Jewelry is acceptable but should not
be large enough to pull focus away
from the group. Nothing bigger than
a quarter should be visible to the au-
dience.
• Any visible tattoos should be cov-
ered with makeup or tape.
• Wear deodorant, but don’t wear
perfume or cologne. Many people
are allergic to these scents.
• Make sure your concert clothes
have been washed and are free of
wrinkles for each concert.
You can choose to loosen the re-
quirements for certain concerts. For
instance, for a cabaret or showcase
concert you may need to amend the
ensemble’s personal hygiene state-
ment to encourage sparkling jewelry
and hair accessories.
64 CHORAL JOURNAL August 2018
206.211.154.130 on Sun, 03 Mar 2024 20:22:50 +00:00
Rehearsal Break
The world is changing, and young
people of today are more socially
1
aware of gender and sexuality than
ever before. The choral art is cen-
turies old and mired in gender bias
2
and outdated traditions that have
been handed down from generation
to generation. However, choral di-
rectors and choral programs across
3
the country are already taking steps
toward more inclusivity every day.
Joshua Palkki’s article on inclu-
sivity mentioned earlier lists many
ways that choral educators can fos-
ter inclusivity: pronouns and name
change, structure of ensembles,
4
standing arrangements, uniforms,
5
rehearsal language, honor choirs,
and rooming assignments.14 Many
6
schools have already made strides
7
toward inclusivity, including my own
school, Central Washington Uni-
versity, which recently renamed the
homogenous choral ensembles with
more inclusive language in response
to student feedback and the ongoing
research and education in the topic:
Vox Divina for the previously named
8
Women’s Choir, and The Wildcat
9
Chorus for the previously named
Men’s Chorus. By taking a closer
look at the implications of ensem-
ble uniform choices and dress code
requirements, it is possible to foster
inclusion and promote positive body
10
and identity image for all students
11
in choral ensembles while still main-
12
taining standards that promote cho-
13
ral excellence.
14
Gayla Blaisdell is the associ-
ate professor of voice and op-
era and vocal area coordinator at
Central Washington University.
gayla.blaisdell@cwu.edu
This content downloaded from
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
NOTES
Julie C. Dunbar, Women, Music, Culture:
An Introduction, 2nd Ed. (New York:
Routledge, 2016), 332-333.
Joshua Palkki, “Inclusivity in Action:
Transgender Students in the
Choral Classroom” Choral Journal
57 (11), 20-34.
Lori Duron, “Dress Code Debacle,”
Raising My Rainbow: Adventures in
Raising a Fabulous, Gender Creative Son,
6/10/2016, accessed 9/9/2016,
h t t p s : / / r a i s i n g m y r a i n b o w.
com/2016/06/10/dress-code-
debacle/.
Ibid.
Dunbar, “Women, Music, Culture,”
178-179.
Ibid., 323.
Soraya Chemaly, “Every Reason
Your School’s Gendered Dress
Code is Probably a Sexist Mess,”
Huffington Post, 9/16/2015 Updated
9/25/2015, accessed 9/9/2016,
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
soraya-chemaly/every-reason-your-
schools_b_8147266.html.
Ibid.
Brenda Alvarez, “Girls Fight Back
Against Gender Bias in School
Dress Codes,” neaToday, 1/6/2016,
accessed 9/9/2016, http://
neatoday.org/2016/01/06/school-
dress-codes-gender-bias/.
Duron, “Dress Code Debacle.”
Chemaly.
Duron, “Dress Code Debacle.”
Ibid.
Palkki, “Inclusivity in Action.”
Volume 59 Number 1
 DAYLIGHT DECLINES
Tenebrae • Nigel Short
On this new release 2018 Grammy Award nominees Tenebrae perform a
new collection of choral works by Polish composer Pawel Łukaszewski.
Lukaszewski has secured a place in the forefront of European sacred
music with performances throughout the world and his works appearing
on over one hundred recordings.

© Sim Canetty-Clarke
SIGCD521 • 635212052129

REFUGIUM BOULANGER
HYMNE AU SOLEIL
Trinity Boys Choir • David Swinson
Orpheus Vokalensemble • Antonii Baryshevskyi
Michael Alber

Due to her individual musical language, its diversity of color,

Refugium is a wonderful collection of contemporary British
its metaphorical content and its poetry, Lili Boulanger can
choral music performed by Trinity Boys Choir under the direction
be counted as one of Impressionism’s great artists. This
of David Swinson. The programme combines the established with
release with the Orpheus Vokalensemble is being issued
the new, with works by Graham Lack, Jonathan Dove, Richard
on the occasion of the centenary of her death. The Orpheus
Wilberforce, Lewis Brito-Babapulle, Howard Moody, Tom
Vokalensemble, consisting of singers from all over the world,
Harrold, Judith Weir and John Tavener. The disc was recorded
was founded in 2005. Since then, the ensemble has grown into
in Munich’s Herz-Jesu-Kirche, with its beautiful acoustic and
a significant chamber choir enjoying international respect, and
spectacular Woehl organ.
working with renowned choral conductors.

5060192780819 • 5060192780819 CV83489 • 4009350834897

AVA I L A B L E AT: DISTRIBUTED BY:

CHORAL JOURNAL August 2018 Volume 59 Number 1 65

This content downloaded from
206.211.154.130 on Sun, 03 Mar 2024 20:22:50 +00:00
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
 This content downloaded from
206.211.154.130 on Sun, 03 Mar 2024 20:22:50 +00:00
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms