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And props are bad, unless they are good or good, unless they are bad.

We're already long past that point. Candice Lee of the Blue Devils suffered a severe spinal injury in 2014 (after falling from one of the ladder props, wasn't it?) and temporarily had no movement from the neck down. She spent almost a week in the ICU and had several months rehabilitation, but I believe she was able to walk onto the field with the corps at Finals that year.

You are misunderstanding what I said...Corps should make these decisions for themselves, ( which we agree ) what is wanted, needed or their own budgets. With that said, as I said , supporters can change that...and support means get out of the lot and into shows. No butts in seats doesn't exactly show interest. Saying things on line or support without action doesn't exactly carry a lot of weight. I also believe Jeff may have mentioned. OC corps were and are well aware and many supported decisions. Oh and not much to predict as you said, unless you wanted to make statements and not want a rebuttal, which is ok by me. Often I won't debate several things or don't require debate. So we may be more on the same page than you think.🙂

I wonder if someone will nominate Tricia Nadolny.

higher louder faster destroyed many knees, backs and legs, yet people cry it's gone.

For several shows in 2015, Boston had issues with some of those 36 banners that wouldn't furl down.

And totally useless to try to blame someone or something. Especially if the blame is along the lines of “the toothpaste used to be ok but now it’s rock hard and not like it used to be”. Ahhh yeaahhh (Office Space reference) things changed over the years and it ain’t like it used to be.

You can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube and it’s futile to talk about it.

Are there more or less hot dog corps now?

I made a similar observation regarding the increased possibility of injury 2 years ago..With props being moved by non union theatre workers, particularly outdoors, it's almost inevitable that the more elaborate the prop, the higher probability that someone will be injured..But we care about the kids..RIGHT?

Same can be said of fast paced drill, How many were hurt with that..many, yet people love it, want it , want more. Props and change will go back and forth for sure, change will evolve, even the revisited, theme, music and design my come back in an updated form Youre right about the formation of DCI, To make decisions for themselves at a time when the world was changing and leaving behind the constraints of the past, One can look at that as the good or bad of it, as many did. BITD and obviously still today, for some.

DCI was formed abut two things: money and creative control, and as we know in any form of life, don't always work together in logical ways. quick, tell me a rule DCI rolled back in just shy of 50 years? One...vocals on the field back in the 70's. Granted they weren't amplified but still. Monster props are the new phase. remember props got big for a while in the 80's, the fazed out. But now as the designers consider themselves theater majors, they get more elaborate. Honestly....i don't see a change until someone gets seriously hurt.

Life in a nutshell!

I have said it literally dozens of times so here we go again. "IF " we want OC or the younger smaller corps to get the attention they deserve..I will repeat deserve, then people need to support OC and smaller corps. Stay out of the lots when smaller corps are on, support OC only shows, etc etc. I have done these tours for decades now and it's sad sometimes watching these corps perform to not a soul. Do a few shows attract some people , sure for the most part no. Ask an OC performer. WGI went through this with HS and Independent A class UNTIL WGI realized between entry fees, dues, etc etc and the amount of participants in A class that is where their bread is buttered. People who complain how OC and smaller corps don't get the respect they deserve, and they should, well stop talking about it and get butts in those seats, IT WORKS, until then ,nothing changes. As far as Props , no props etc etc, how about let corps decide what they want, can afford, need to do. Props should not be a reason for success nor lack of them. Same goes for most all aspects . If you choose to do something , do it well, if you choose not to do something, do it well, if you choose to explore something new, do it well, if you choose to revive something just do it well period. There's been plenty done well and plenty that has not, THAT, is the only thing that should be considered for success. Success is also another thing corps should decide and only them and that doesn't always mean scores.

Someone doesn’t like the direction his old corps took. Lot better than the direction my old corps took. 🥲 Not part of the DCI world but my other old corps starts their first practice in over a year in just a few minutes. 😃

This comes to mind reading this thread.

Tuning Sequence

Final rehearsal.

I was talking with a friend and his son recently. The son will be a senior in high school this fall. He’s in the band and though the band competes a few times a year most years, it is known mostly for its half time performances and is a favorite at parades. The band instructor is trying to regroup the band after over a year of hiatus and he shared with the students his plans for their fall show. It will require props and a vocalist and the props will be constructed by students and volunteers over the summer. As we spoke, the young man was more excited about the theme, the props, the electronics, etc. than the musical selections. He’s a committed musician and wants to go into education and teach music. In light of this discussion I could not help but think that for young people marching today, whether it is a DCI finalist, a favorite BOA participant, or the average high school band, props, electronics, and the like are a natural part of the show and in our Internet saturated gadget oriented world, is this a surprise?