Marching Band to Debut New Uniforms at Labor Day Parade

The Big Red Marching Machine, Illinois State University's marching band, will embellish its big sound this year with new uniforms designed by Broadway-TV-Las Vegas designer Michael Cesario.

According to marching band director Dan Belongia, the new uniforms are a revision and upgrade from the previous uniforms, which the band has worn for 11 years.  Members of the color guard and Redline Express Dancers also will sport new uniforms when the entire band makes its season debut at the Bloomington Labor Day Parade Monday morning, Sept. 7. 

The Big Red Marching Machine and its new look will be seen at all home football games, which begin on Sept. 19 as well as at Memorial Stadium for the ISU-U of I football game Sept. 12 and at a Chicago Bears-Pittsburgh Steelers game at Soldier Field in Chicago Sept. 20.  Cesario is a professor emeritus at New York's Purchase College, where he was the director of design/technology and graduate studies for theatre arts and film.

His work has been published in several design texts and he is the exclusive uniform designer for Fred J. Miller Inc.  Cesario's designs are worn by some of the world's most prominent band and drum corps, and he is a member of the distinguished Drum Corps International Hall of Fame.