Sucker

Brass players needed. From the BK website: http://www.bknights.org/news/default.asp?id=337

I have some involvement with BK’s visual program and I‘d be happy to answer questions. Some visual elements that I consider uniquely BK include the use of the knee pop before step-offs, use of hand painted silks for all of their flags, the bent leg style with which they march (different than the cavaliers if you compare them), and the heavy use of choreography by all members of the corps. Yes, other corps use choreography but we utilize it as a mainstay. Our horn and guard in particular spend a considerable amount of time learning modern dance as part of their training program. I also think that the drill writing of Rob Billings has a unique feel to it. The inspiration for the marching technique was actually rehabilitative medicine, specifically the way in which people re-learn to walk at a Denver area center. It is of course stylized to be very dance oriented but any BK member will tell you that marching is a form of dance to begin with. We certainly try to make it look very fluid like. I know that BK’s visual program is not without it’s critics but I also know that the members and staff themselves are very passionate about the BK identity. We choose to look a certain way because we enjoy the look ourselves. We may never be the popular team, but we get our injoyment out of the art itself.

Has WGI hurt the percussion and guard sections in drum corps? I would have to answer no. Many of our corps most talented members come out of winter programs. Though they may miss the occasional camp they are ultimatly much stronger performers and faster learners. I believe the same could be true of brass players. I can tell you that the BK winter brass program has been a definite positive for their corps. The winter ensemble does not rehearse/perform on corps weekends and encourages it's members to participate in both groups. Many do. It has been a mechanism in which to recruit and train new members locally as well as develop new leadership.

I envision a separate brass/wind division under the model of WGI where groups can field programs in the same way that guard and percussion do. I think this would be more practical than trying to develop an indoor band circuit that incorporates all three mediums. One or two percussionists could be utilized, but the visual/musical product would be brass (or wind) focused. Yes… brass players have concert band, but I can remember feeling left out as a trumpet player in the winter season watching color guards and percussionist field programs while I was stuck in a chair. I think there is great opportunity for entertainment and education here. A brass division certainly would take a lot of work/money to develop, but I DO think that there would be interest. Here are a couple of videos that illustrate what I have in mind. I think a competitive circuit could greatly increase the quality of the product. The resources are available in Denver right now to develop and launch a trial circuit of this sort of thing. I think that initially it would start as a forum for exhibition performances, where musicians could simply perform for each other and develop their skills. Later on, judging could be added if desired, or not. Do you think there would be interest in this sort of thing? How would one go about spurring community interest in developing new ensembles? Is it even reasonable to ask schools to consider this with the new challanges it would place upon them (financial, rehearsal space, distraction from concert band)?

It's about being the underdog. No one expects you to be good and everyone is surprised when you are. Moving up in rank over the years is about more than getting better. It's also about changing peoples perceptions of you and of the activity. It is more challenging and thus more rewarding. My own decision at the end of my dci years was between staying with the corps that had trained me or moving to one of the "elite" groups. My decision to stay meant that I got to be a leader within the organisation and was able to shape a new identity with them during a time of rebuilding within the organisation. I felt a true sense of ownership in the group. It was MY corps rather than simply the corps that I marched with. I don't know that I could have said the same if I made the decision to march elsewhere.

Bring lots of turf spray with you on tour. It's hard to find in stores, but it's absolutely a necessity!

I liked this video, but I like the origional much better. Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dvn_Ied9t4M Pictured are Albert Einstein, Bob Dylan, Martin Luther King, Jr., Richard Branson, John Lennon, R. Buckminster Fuller, Thomas Edison, Muhammad Ali, Ted Turner, Maria Callas, Mahatma Gandhi, Amelia Earhart, Alfred Hitchcock, Martha Graham, Jim Henson, Frank Lloyd Wright and Picasso.

I completly agree! I seem to remember one of the finals week percussion judges pushing people around during the performances like HE was the show. What a jerk. Othes have mentioned how judges get hit and injured. Let's not forget that the same thing is happening to the corps members when there is a collision. Members just don't let anyone know they're injured until after they have stepped off the field.

http://www.bknights.org/media/video-camps....ideo=november06

I respectfully disagree.

I met the new director last weekend at the Colorado State Band comp. What a GREAT guy!

Both activities influence each other. There is some AMAZING creativity out there in WGI and BOA these days!

Anyone else check out the awesome tour videos on the BK webpage? http://www.bknights.org/TourZone/multimedi...AlbumType=VIDEO I especially like the Texas one.

Is there a difference? I can remember being booed in Madison in 99 when my corps (BK) beat the Scouts in Quarters and Semis. The applause when we lost to them in Finals was deafening, and lasted a full minute. I was 17, and I was crushed. I bet this years Blue Knights felt the same way.

seriously though...it is a real dog fight out there this year. I just can't believe how competitive it is to be in the top 12 these days.

Frontline99, thanks for the photos. I really like Mandarins new uniforms.

What are the chances this type of thing will catch on? Think we might see a brass catagory in WGI with competing units someday?

Man...I thought this was a riot! The bass drum knocking over the lamp cracks me up. Very funny.

Colby marched 98, 99, and 00. He had a ring attached to the bell of his mellophone so he could hold it up with his thumb and pinky finger and play with the other three fingers. When the hornline did pushups, he did them on his one good arm. Needless to say, his good arm was twice the size of anybody elses. There was no special treatment, and he was held to the same high standard as the rest of the group. I hear that his rookie year was extreemly diffacult for him, but he was a strong leader in the 99 and 00 hornline when I marched. BK continues to march trail on the left arm today.

You know, this happens all of the time these days too. While I respect the judge who wants to "get into the action," I'm tired of watching judges cause falls during performances. One of these days a member is going to get injured and sue the pants off of DCI.

Yeah, that's the one. You thought it was leading up to a big impact and then they faked everybody out with the Krupke bit. Hi-larious moment. Thanks.

I seem to remember seeing a backwards company front somewhere. Was it Cadets in the 90's? It seems to me that it was a pretty funny moment. Does this sound familiar to anyone?

I think that their geographical isolation has a lot to do with the fact that people don't hear much about them during the winter. With the inactivation of the Troopers this year, BK is the only Div 1 drumcorps for miles around. BK has a few staff changes in the percussion section this year but most of the other staff members are returning. The design team is pretty much the same as well. (http://www.bknights.org/corps/staff.asp). There are also some pictures up on their website from the Nov. camp (http://www.bknights.org/media/mm-camps.asp?photoset=06camp1).

Jason is absolutely one of the best educators in the activity. Though not always well liked by the judging community, he is very passionate about what he does and his horn lines idolize him. I marched under Jason while at the Blue Knights and I have been a fan of his work at the Troopers the two years he was with them. I went on to march under different instructors after Jason left BK but I have always thought of Jason as my caption head. I look for great things to come out of his involvement with the Colts this summer.