Liahona Posted March 4, 2017 Share Posted March 4, 2017 I recently read an article in the New York Times...and thought what a absolutely wonderful way to further promote the arts of our activity! I have not seen the documentary/movie...but on face value I think that it can only be a positive and good thing for the activity as a whole...I'm also surprised this was the first I've heard about it... Interestingly enough...it's also been dubbed to be colloquially known as “the sport of the arts.” What are some of your thoughts? Here's the background: "In the summer of 2015, legendary musician David Byrne staged an event at Brooklyn's Barclays Center to celebrate the art of Color Guard: synchronized dance routines involving flags, rifles, and sabers. Recruiting performers that include the likes of Saint Vincent, Nelly Furtado, Ad-Rock, and Ira Glass to collaborate on original pieces with 10 color guard teams from across the US and Canada, Contemporary Color is a beautifully filmed snapshot of a one-of-a-kind live event." https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/28/movies/contemporary-color-review-david-byrne.html?_r=0 NYT Review: ‘Contemporary Color,’ David Byrne’s Ode to Color Guards Quote Several years ago, a high school color guard contacted David Byrne — the composer, performer and all-around multimedia artist — seeking permission to use one of his songs in a routine the group was developing. Not entirely familiar with what a color guard was, he investigated, and came away enchanted. Color guards meld elements of marching band and pep squad into a dance-oriented amalgam, and perform during sporting events halftimes and in intramural competitions. Mr. Byrne decided this was a kind of American folk art, and conceived a concert event in which multiple musical artists, himself included, would accompany color guard routines. The concerts — on two consecutive evenings at Barclays Center in Brooklyn — took place in June 2015. “Contemporary Color,” directed by the brothers Bill and Turner Ross, and co-produced by Mr. Byrne, records not just the concerts but also the emotional backstage buzz of young performers working on a scale and in a context they have never encountered before. Many of these teenagers are also on the brink of separating from their colleagues after graduation. (In some cases these are best friends; it’s implicit in the makeup of a lot of these groups that color guards are a way for nonjocks to be part of their schools’ sports scene.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted March 4, 2017 Share Posted March 4, 2017 (edited) This is a fascinating new development to watch unfold in the coming future, Liahona. I love the new collaborative nature of this, as it extends the DCI/WGI realm into areas that is long overdue and which has potentially lots of room for growth for exposure of the activity. Thanks for posting about this intriguing new venture about to take place. Here's best wishes to them, and hopes that it becomes a commercial and artistic success. Edited March 4, 2017 by BRASSO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.E. Brigand Posted March 4, 2017 Share Posted March 4, 2017 Byrne's involvement in indoor guard was mentioned here a couple years ago, but this is the first I've heard of this documentary. Thanks for alerting us to it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted March 4, 2017 Share Posted March 4, 2017 knowing several people attached to one of the groups that performed, this was an amazing event for all 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted March 4, 2017 Share Posted March 4, 2017 5 hours ago, Jeff Ream said: knowing several people attached to one of the groups that performed, this was an amazing event for all Yes ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted March 4, 2017 Share Posted March 4, 2017 (edited) I just read this review in Rolling Stone. I never read Rolling Stone. This is fantastic! http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/features/contemporary-color-how-david-byrne-found-unlikely-new-rock-stars-w469765?utm_content=bufferaa872&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer Edited March 4, 2017 by garfield 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.E. Brigand Posted March 4, 2017 Share Posted March 4, 2017 According to the article, the filmmakers are from Sidney, which is just 40 minutes north of Dayton, and had never heard of WGI. To be fair, I only heard of it during my third year at UD, when a group performed during halftime of one of the basketball games. The point being: never assume you're reaching everyone you could. Don't assume people know about your event and are simply choosing not to attend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.E. Brigand Posted March 4, 2017 Share Posted March 4, 2017 Nice line: "We wanted to make it like The Muppet Show meets Wrestlemania meets late 1970s basketball." 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liahona Posted March 4, 2017 Author Share Posted March 4, 2017 7 hours ago, garfield said: I just read this review in Rolling Stone. I never read Rolling Stone. This is fantastic! http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/features/contemporary-color-how-david-byrne-found-unlikely-new-rock-stars-w469765?utm_content=bufferaa872&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer I really REALLY like this quote from rolling stone.... Quote "It was incredibly empowering because those kids are aware of that narrative of the world, but within their world they are the stars of that," Turner Ross says. "It doesn't matter what society thinks of them, what caste they are a part of, what hierarchy they are in school or out in the world. When they're on the floor, they are masters of their own domain and it's a space in which they can be performative and athletic like that, but also emotive. They're allowed to go through this sort of emotional catharsis together." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrumManTx Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 Not sure why it took so long for me to find out about this, seems like the marching arts organizations would have posted about/advertised it more. Will have to give it a look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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