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Bluecoats 2017 thread - Go Blooooooo!


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1 hour ago, MikeRapp said:

It is such an example to the entire activity.

Agreed. Particularly starting with last years show (though foreshadowed by the closing section of 2009 - Imagine), Bluecoats have been moving in the direction of personifying the performers as individuals with human expressions and emotions as a form of performer/audience connection and engagement in an activity where the historic bias is toward maximum uniformity with a military-like performer countenance and discipline. Not that this is a brand new development in DCI, in fact, in my day (early 80's) corps like Bridgemen, Scouts, and others would often let their performers emote as individuals to great fan appreciation (perhaps more so than judge appreciation). It seems that in the Cadets/Star/ Cavies era that the pendulum swung further toward the machine like visual uniformity aesthetic but now it's headed the other way (the success of hatless/jacketless Down Side Up giving a big boost to that movement). It does pose issues with judges as they are better equipped to evaluate the effects of uniformity than theatrical individuality. In the 80's, Bridgemen and Scouts always seemed to connect much better with audiences than with the sheets. This years show is even further ahead of the pendulum swing and parts of it are nearly uncleanable in a traditional sense because of it. The key is that audiences love what they are doing so DCI will have to decide how to put appropriate numbers to this type of presentation if they want their corps' to connect with audiences in this way. 

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1 hour ago, 3PoC said:

Agreed. Particularly starting with last years show (though foreshadowed by the closing section of 2009 - Imagine), Bluecoats have been moving in the direction of personifying the performers as individuals with human expressions and emotions as a form of performer/audience connection and engagement in an activity where the historic bias is toward maximum uniformity with a military-like performer countenance and discipline. Not that this is a brand new development in DCI, in fact, in my day (early 80's) corps like Bridgemen, Scouts, and others would often let their performers emote as individuals to great fan appreciation (perhaps more so than judge appreciation). It seems that in the Cadets/Star/ Cavies era that the pendulum swung further toward the machine like visual uniformity aesthetic but now it's headed the other way (the success of hatless/jacketless Down Side Up giving a big boost to that movement). It does pose issues with judges as they are better equipped to evaluate the effects of uniformity than theatrical individuality. In the 80's, Bridgemen and Scouts always seemed to connect much better with audiences than with the sheets. This years show is even further ahead of the pendulum swing and parts of it are nearly uncleanable in a traditional sense because of it. The key is that audiences love what they are doing so DCI will have to decide how to put appropriate numbers to this type of presentation if they want their corps' to connect with audiences in this way. 

Very observant and very well put!

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39 minutes ago, Bruckner8 said:

When they march, they need to march better together, in uniform fashion. When they play, they need to play better together. Everything else is fair game for individual expression, but there's no grey area for stuff that clearly needs to be uniform. Everything they're doing has been focused on individual expression and rightfully so. It's a long season. They are tightening everything down every second  

What I don't get is this: the inertia favors SCV and BD so much that crown and Bloo won't change anyone's mind, no matter what they do. At one point, Bloo was 0.5 ahead of SCV in brass, and rightlfully so, even now. But the judges know that SCV doesn't have a prayer to win unless they are at least 3rd. So it goes. 

I would argue that uniform dance work, such as the opening choreography, also must be "clean", without individuals popping out. I would also say that even in the individualistic moments, they need to be individualistic in ways that serve the gestalt, and don't simply stroke the ego of the individual. Otherwise it is unstructured chaos, which should not be rewarded (although it is for certain other corps...).

Edited by pudding
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Im shocked Bloo is under Crown.  I love Crown, but I just feel like Bloo is on another level.  Its crazy they arent in the medals right now, when just a month ago I thought they might beat BD.  I really hope Bloo can do a finals night upset to slip into the medals.  Keep pushing guys!

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11 hours ago, pudding said:

I would argue that uniform dance work, such as the opening choreography, also must be "clean", without individuals popping out. I would also say that even in the individualistic moments, they need to be individualistic in ways that serve the gestalt, and don't simply stroke the ego of the individual. Otherwise it is unstructured chaos, which should not be rewarded (although it is for certain other corps...).

Define what you mean (in detail, please) by the following: "individualistic in ways that serve the gestalt" and "don't simply stroke the ego of the individual". And, do so in a fashion that truly explains your assertions that are made by those statements. 

Otherwise, GTFO. 

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13 hours ago, 3PoC said:

 The key is that audiences love what they are doing so DCI will have to decide how to put appropriate numbers to this type of presentation if they want their corps' to connect with audiences in this way. 

 DCI has never factored audiences into its judging sheets. If it did, Madison Scouts ( whom you mentioned as your illustration Corps in your remarks ) would have won at least 6 DCI titles by now. Bluecoats have to adjust to the current sheets. If you are thinking that DCI is going to adjust the sheets to either audiences or to what the Bluecoats are  currently doing, you arn't being very realistic, imo. The Blue Devils will continue to maximize the sheets as written, while other Corps engage in wishful thinking that somehow the sheets will reward audiences over performance excellence, and show design excellence as defined by the sheets that all Corps ( Bluecoats included ) voted for.

Edited by BRASSO
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8 hours ago, BRASSO said:

 DCI has never factored audiences into its judging sheets. If it did, Madison Scouts ( whom you mentioned as your illustration Corps in your remarks ) would have won at least 6 DCI titles by now. Bluecoats have to adjust to the current sheets. If you are thinking that DCI is going to adjust the sheets to either audiences or to what the Bluecoats are  currently doing, you arn't being very realistic, imo. The Blue Devils will continue to maximize the sheets as written, while other Corps engage in wishful thinking that somehow the sheets will reward audiences over performance excellence, and show design excellence as defined by the sheets that all Corps ( Bluecoats included ) voted for.

It's still too early to determine what impact, if any, Bloo's show design is playing into the subjective psyche of the judging community.   It's interesting that you state that "Bluecoats have to adjust to the current sheets."   I believe, last year, Bluecoats did EXACTLY that.  Bloo did what the judges were begging for.   Now that Bloo has given it to them again, I wonder if the judges are turning their backs, somewhat, this time around.

Let's see how things shake out next week.  Could this year prove to be yet another paradigm shift in DCI?   Stay tuned...

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