FieldofBlueDreams

Mandarins has 8. (website says 7 from div 3, 1 from div 2)

Lets just say i really enjoyed both programs. =) don't take it so seriously, obviously they aren't on the same level (but i was serious about the bdb drumline, they're very good) edit: I guess what i meant was that maybe i expected a little more from vanguard in terms of performance and cleanliness, even at this early stage in the game.

Incredible BD. I've never seen anything so.... amazing.... on the field. The show will blow you away. (so will the hornline, they're louder than i've ever heard them). The mirrors are so cool. Its a visual trip for sure, not really sure what you're seeing is real sometimes. You will have to see it to believe it. Vanguard cadets were also very good for this point in the season. SCV, not so much. I honestly thought BDB would have taken them if they were competing together. (Especially that BDB drumline, wow can those kids play. they would have taken vanguards drumline easy, imo) SCV is so dirty... cool show though. People will love it, lots of potential. The book is cool, but i really couldn't see the whole GE effect of the drill from where i was sitting. The "whack-a-mole" section had everybody laughing. BDB is better than last year. The hornline sound literally made everybody around me say "woah..." within the first 10 seconds.

Agreed. Music, they want you to be good already (generally speaking)... Visual, most will teach you what you need to know. Audition camps they usually are looking for the basics, such as: How good is their foot timing? How quickly do they pick up on the exercises? How many mental errors are they making? How quickly do they adjust to specific (if not indivdual) comments about their performance? How quickly do they implement corrections into their personal performance? These are the things he should be worried about... they look for what they can't teach (they will teach you their technique) and take those kids who will be the best to mold and work with to get them to where they want them to be by August.

honestly, if i was marching that show... i'd probably be relieved to have my feet on the ground and doing some actual marching. Balancing on one leg, while twisting your body core in different directions AND playing what they're playing at the same time... thats incredibly difficult. Marching and keeping intervals, piece of cake compared to whats required on those chairs.

yes i did! It was pretty amazing, great show with a great corps.

oh and didnt cadets actually march in a basics block in 07? and it wasnt even flawless.. lol.

when they like blue of course. heh.. this is fun, is it not?

yeah okay but they're not playing mary had a little lamb... and that whole cavies to bd thing is apples to oranges. Two completely different perspectives, philosophies and direction of drum corps. They're both incredible but they do it different stylistically. Thats what i love about this activity. Do what you want, we'll do what we want and we'll let those guys with the green shirts decide. they just so happen to be liking the color blue too...

heh. It does reflect in the score. Do i want to watch 8 minutes of lesser quality drill and music or would i want to watch several sections of a corps do their thing flawlessly for a smaller portion of time. I pick perfection. just my preference though

so what you're saying is that BD only needs half the time other corps need to convince judges they're the best? sounds good to me.. lol... work smarter not harder, what?

clearly you have never seen the BD design team at work! The show will improve up to and including finals day rehearsal and the members will do everything in their power to hold onto their top position. BD wont relax just because they're on top, you know... they're trying their hardest to put the nail in the coffin so to speak and will continue to strive to be better than all other BD corps to date. Thats how it works... its not about the other corps, its about being the best BD corps. Just so happens that when you strive to be better than the Blue Devils, usually you beat everybody else too. hahaha.. i love it. go bd!

Who cares? This is about corps identities and i think you've hit one on BD. Excellence and competition (and winning at those) is an identity of who the Blue Devils are. Being the best is part of their identity in DCI, so what do you expect when they lose that identity on the last night of their season? Of course if you talk to them what they thought of the 08 results they're going to say things like that. And from what i've seen, unless you bring it up to an 08 member, they aren't really that bitter anymore, they are more focused on being the best BD corps to date in 09, A corps and B corps alike. Regardless, this thread isn't supposed to be about the 2008 Blue Devils A or B.

In a response to the unedited version of the OP's post: 08 is gone (FYWW ), looking forward to seeing that championship where it belongs in 09. Go BD!

Thats exactly right. BDB isn't meant to be a touring, ultra competitive corps. They do what they do and this year they are very good, but i would be suprised to see B corps competing in world class ever... thats not really what the corps is about.