wesleyrp Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 (edited) I'd say show design is a big part of it, but a bigger part, I think, is the quality of the corps members. From what I've heard, BK placed more emphasis on quality performers the past couple of years and that...along with their new direction in show design...is what has helped them move up. They are just doing it all better the past couple of years than they have in the past. As far as what they can do to advance to, say, the top five...it's got to be more of the same. Getting to 8th last year helped them attract better performers. If they reach 6th this year, they'll attract even more, better, performers next year. That'll let the staff be even more selective in deciding who they offer contracts to. The key is retention! Is BK being more selective? They don't have to be... Because the design and direction has been very solid for 3-4 years they've attracted their own members to stay while also inspiring college age/vet membership. It's been our biggest and most frustrating joke in the past.... BK has won numerous world titles- For The Blue Devils. What we see in the best placement years is there was significant retention and consistency in design. For BK that occurred from 97-2000. After two season 99 and 00 it appeared that we'd see BK breaking into the top 3. The judges loved the then bold dance style with unique bent leg BK marching, but they felt like the concepts needed to reach to the audience more or be fan friendlier. As a result BK bombed with an attempt at being over friendly with Blue Toon 2001. From 6th to 14th in one season. But at that point BK was learning- they had never flirted with the top 5 or been top 6 up to that point. Lesson learned. Now with this rise we see a true goal and effort to have a distinctive style that reaches audiences in a new method. Very effective and is something that is resonating with fans, judges, staff, members but Especially- Perspective members. Many things have to go right to break into the top, but it has to start with keeping your own, designing shows that inspire and have amazing staff that help make true art come to life. This is where BK is and the future seems very very bright!Wes P Edited July 30, 2015 by wesleyrp 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 (edited) Show Design ( staff ) provide far more points to be had on the current judging sheets than what the talented and hard working Marcher Members can get on the sheets. Otherwise, we'd be compelled by logic and reasoning alone to conclude that the Carolina Crown MM's were not as talented and did not work as hard in 2014 ( 5th ) as the Crown MM's did in 2013 ( DCI Titleists )..... or that the Cavaliers MM's in 2012 ( 8th ) were not as talented and did not work as hard as the Cavaliers MM's in 2011 ( DCI medalists ). But I do no subscribe to the notion that these marchers in these Corps, these years, were less talented, nor less hard working their their Corps MM's the year before. Thus, the most compelling reason for the unusual one year plummet can be found in Show Design. Corps that medal ( 1,2,3 ),, and perhaps 4th... all have superior Show Designs most years now compared with those in the ( 5,6,7,8th) placements ( that also have talented and hard working MM's ). Edited July 30, 2015 by BRASSO 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 .<snip> Or you start a B corps. You went around Mulberry's barn and answered your own question. There is no Harvard-B. I can't presume to know how to answer the OP's question as I have never run a corps and couldn't place myself in a position to know. Design, of course. I get that. But "the experience", too, means a lot. Identity is critical, and something that I think BK is forming nicely - I've said it before that their horn line rivals Crown's in quality potential. That's teaching. It's also staff; BK has some pretty famous age-outs from very top finalists corps. There's also "draw". I'm amazed at how my kid knows who marched here, moved there, ended over there and now teaches over there. Kids who are plugged-in following players like baseball fans follow their stars. I heard one director who attracts significant 1st year vets say it was their "vibe" that attracts talent. There is significant difference in the way corps tour, and I think many fans would be surprised to see how far apart the extremes are. Potential MM's know those differences and words spreads quickly, especially when it's not a complimentary word. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 (edited) i think breaking into the top five requires being the Best at Something. crown Top Brassed their way into becoming contenders, Coats used a very prominent 'integration of modern technique (see: synth, electronics). BD owned Show Design and swagger and visual proficiency. Cadets have their Drumline and Pure Volume. that '6-9th' tier...solidly in Finals, not contending....means a corps is doing everything or most things well. but jumping up requires a Calling Card, either being the Notable Best or Arguably the Best at a particular element. aka: an identity? Edited July 30, 2015 by garfield Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 The key is retention! Is BK being more selective? <snip> Wes P Didn't read any farther, Wes, before I want to remind you that, for example, 'Coats snare line of nine players has eight that are 1st year vets at 'Coats. Retention? These are mostly center (or close) snare players from many top-12 corps. Is that to suggest those eight other corps are not good at retention? Maybe "the vibe" is better <over there> than the winning but otherwise just OK "experience"? (Now I'll read the rest of your, I'm sure, excellent post.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 The best, most effective, and proven, method to have a chance to move into medal category is to pry away the architects of the Show Designs of the current, perennial medalists. Star of Indiana is a perfect example of this. They were doing ok for a few years, but then they were able to induce with money incentives some of the best staffers in the business at that time to leave other Corps and come write and teach for them. When that happened, MM's flocked there, and the Corps went straight to the top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2muchcoffeeman Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 The best, most effective, and proven, method to have a chance to move into medal category is to pry away the architects of the Show Designs of the current, perennial medalists. Star of Indiana is a perfect example of this. They were doing ok for a few years, but then they were able to induce with money incentives some of the best staffers in the business at that time to leave other Corps and come write and teach for them. When that happened, MM's flocked there, and the Corps went straight to the top. If that's the model, I despair for the activity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 If that's the model, I despair for the activity. If it were the model we'd have a bunch of stage shows and no drum corps on the field. The question is purely hypothetical: what might Star have become had they stayed in DCI? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 If that's the model, I despair for the activity. Star of Indiana however had more money available to themselves to do this than any other Corps at the time,... or since. Its the best, most effective, most proven way to get to the top... but its rare that we see such a Corps with such deep pockets available to themselves such as what Star had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 The question is purely hypothetical: what might Star have become had they stayed in DCI? Hard to know, but without Mr. Cook, Star might have gone the route of the Glassmen by now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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