BlueR36

Thank you. I didn't see that information anywhere.

I know they're doing the Finals webcast, but it DCI showing the scores being announced live online, free for everyone like they have the past few years???

Anyone know?? A friend's student is there and wants to go watch them rehearse.

Vanderkolff, Moore Join Westman-Led Design Team (Canton, Ohio) - 9/7/2012 The Bluecoats are proud to announce the addition of Jonathan Vanderkolff and Jim Moore to the corps’ design team. Vanderkolff will serve as the corps’ Visual Designer and Jim Moore as a Guard Designer and Choreographer. Program Coordinator Dean Westman will lead the 2013 Bluecoats’ outstanding group of designers, while Michael Gray will move into the role of Artistic Consultant. Jonathan Vanderkolff has enjoyed a long and successful career in the performing arts, including serving as Stage Director and an original member of the creative team for the Tony Award-winning production Blast! In addition to Blast!, for which he won an Emmy Award for choreography, Jonathan was a primary designer for Brass Theater, Shockwave, CyberJam, and M.I.X. He has also been a designer for Emerald Marquis Winter Guard, Northview Winter Guard, Ventures Drum & Bugle Corps, and the 1993 Star of Indiana Drum & Bugle Corps. Most recently, he designed the drill for the Madison Scouts Drum & Bugle Corps, and served as Color Guard Coordinator for the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum & Bugle Corps. He continues to serve as the Program Coordinator, Designer and Composer of the two-time WGI World Champion Santa Clara Vanguard Winter Guard. As Visual Designer, Jonathan will design the Bluecoats’ drill, as well as collaborate with the corps’ design team in the development of the 2013 program. Jim Moore also won an Emmy Award and was nominated for a Tony Award as a choreographer, designer, and performer for Blast!. In addition, Jim was involved in the creation of Shockwave, CyberJam, and M.I.X. and has danced professionally for almost 20 years, beginning with his career as a principal dancer with the Georgia Ballet Company. Jim has also served as a choreographer for many successful winter guards and drum corps, including Pride of Cincinnati, Emerald Marquis, Santa Clara Vanguard, The Cadets, Carolina Crown, and Aimachi from Nagoya, Japan. Most recently he served as the primary choreographer for the Madison Scouts, and he continues to work with the Santa Clara Vanguard Winter Guard. With the Bluecoats, Jim will serve on the design team and partner with returning Caption Head Andy Mroczek to handle design & choreography duties for the corps’ Color Guard. After having served as a Music Consultant in 2011 and the Music Coordinator in 2012, Dean Westman will serve as Program Coordinator in 2013. Entering his 23rd year in the activity, Dean is a former Brass Caption Head for the Cavaliers and the Cadets, Brass Arranger for the Santa Clara Vanguard, and Program Coordinator and Arranger for the Troopers. Dean is currently the Performing Arts Department Chair & Director of Orchestras at Avon High School, and serves as a Program Coordinator and Designer for the three-time Bands of America Grand National Champion Avon High School Marching Black and Gold. As the Bluecoats’ Program Coordinator, Dean will lead the corps’ 2013 Design Team in the development of its competitive program. Continuing to lend his outstanding creativity and inspirational skills to the Bluecoats organization, former Program Coordinator Michael Gray will remain with the corps as Artistic Consultant in 2013. Michael is excited about his new role as well as turning over the reigns of the Bluecoats’ program to Dean Westman. “As my career as a professional artist continues to demand more of my time, now is the right time to pass the baton to Dean. He is an incredible designer, leader, and person, and I look forward to assisting him in his new position. In addition, I am thrilled to remain with the corps in a very meaningful role with the design team where I can continue to share my passion for the activity with the Bluecoats family." Andy Mroczek has served as color guard designer and caption head since 2010, and will again lead the caption in 2013. Andy has almost 20 years of experience as both a performer and an instructor with the Madison Scouts, Blue Devils, Seattle Cascades, James Logan High School, Northern Lights, and Santa Clara Vanguard summer and winter color guard programs. In addition to working with the Bluecoats, Andy is currently the Guard Director at Cedar Park High School near Austin, Texas. Returning for his 13th season with the corps is Percussion Arranger Tom Rarick. Tom received a Bachelor of Arts in percussion performance from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and currently serves as a percussionist with the United States Air Force Band, a position he has held since 1997. In 2011, Tom was elected to the Bluecoats Hall of Fame. Assisting Tom with the design and compositional duties for the percussion ensemble, and returning for his fourth year with the Bluecoats, is Electronics Designer Kevin Shah. Residing in Southern California, Kevin serves as the wind and front ensemble arranger for several marching programs including Arcadia High School and Upland High School. He is also an active designer for many winter percussion ensembles including the 2011 WGI Percussion Scholastic World Gold Medalist Arcadia High School, the 2012 Percussion Independent Open Gold Medalist George Mason University, and Rhythm X. Kevin is a Yamaha Performing Artist and holds a bachelor's degree in music from UCLA and a Masters in Percussion from the Julliard School of Music. Returning for his 22nd season with the Bluecoats is Brass Arranger Doug Thrower. Doug has been a brass instructor since 1992, arranged for the Bluecoats since 1997, and was inducted into the Bluecoats Hall of Fame in 2009. He has also instructed and arranged for many bands and drum corps including Dutch Boy, the Kiwanis Kavaliers, and the 1986 Class A World Champion Canadian Knights. Doug studied with Don Johnson at Humber College in Toronto and studied jazz performance at McGill University in Montreal. Planning for the 2013 program is already in high gear, and the first face-to-face design meeting will take place in just a couple of weeks. Stay tuned to Bluecoats.com for updates.

http://www.bluecoats.com/news_detail.asp?news_id=347 Discuss ....

The horn had a portable mic on it. Cavaliers used it in Allentown. Someone else did one too, but I don't remember who. I didn't realize those were legal -- and I don't like it.

If crowds were booing after the corps performed, that would be classless. As far as I've ever seen, very few have ever booed a corps' actual performance. If crowds are booing after the judges' scores are announced, that's a perfectly acceptable reaction. You don't always have to agree with the judges (and many of us don't b/c the activity has changed so much into pleasing the judges and writing for the sheets rather than pleasing the audience and writing for the fans), and if you don't agree, you have a right to express your opinion.

BLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There's a lot of talk about corps above and below the Bluecoats, but not a lot about the Bluecoats themselves. I think this is a fantastic show that they are performing very well -- with both design and performance a step up from last season. Whattayathink???

People saying they don't understand PR's show but they DO understand BD's show.

Hate that BD show. Hate a lot of their shows lately.

Saw them in Akron ... This is a very good "vehicle" for the Bluecoats this season, and a great staff to drive it all summer long. Can't wait to see them in Allentown!!!

Bluecoats 1991

THIS. I was in Atlanta. I booed when the scores were announced because I disagreed with the judging and the results. Again. There weren't any corps members on the field at the time (there wasn't anyone on the field since it was non-retreat, just scores on the scoreboard, which is another topic all together). I would never, EVER, boo a corps on the field. I might moan, groan and cringe a little if/when they use too much synth and electronics ... but I truly don't like a corps or their performance, I will respectfully decline to applaud.

The Bluecoats AREN'T practice at the stadium the day of the show?!?!???!!?!?!????

These are always very helpful and interesting. Thank you. I'm sure in the future you'll go beyond 12th to include some of the rest, right?

Just a question ... maybe I missed something ... I liked the 8-through-1 Saturday, then 1-through-8 Sunday start to these TOC shows, but if you look at the "performance order" on the DCI Schedule for all of the remaining shows this season that have these eight corps in them, it seems as if the performance order is exactly the same for all of them ... The Cadets - Allentown, PA Carolina Crown - Ft. Mill, SC Phantom Regiment - Rockford, IL Santa Clara Vanguard - Santa Clara, CA Blue Devils - Concord, CA The Cavaliers - Rosemont, IL Bluecoats - Canton, OH Blue Stars - La Crosse, WI Is this truly the case? I thought the idea was the "change things up" from show to show and make them each unique and different? How is it different to have the exact same show order every show? If I am wrong about this, please -- correct me. Thank you.

Thank you!! Looking forward to seeing and hearing them this summer!!!

This winter-time topic is about the Bluecoats only ... if you want to start your own about another corps, go ahead. What are you favorites songs the Bluecoats have ever played?? Here's a short list of mine ... First -- a nod to "Autumn Leaves" from 87 and 88 (first two years in Finals) and 98. It's the corps song, of course, but still one of the best tunes they've ever played. Others ... -- 1991 - "Palookaville." Great song. One of years I marched, so biased of course. Also played a short-lived song after drum solo that was a different version of this but can't remember name. We used it as a retreat song later in the year -- debuting it after a show without tell the staff ahead of time. That was fun!!! -- 1989 and 1995 -- "Sing Sing Sing." Either year, BOTH deserve to make this list. -- 2006 -- "My Heart and I". One of two moments since I aged out that I showed up at a practice and got real chills hearing something that I just KNEW was amazing -- first time heard 1995 during an ensemble at Hershey Park, and in Perry, Ohio, at a winter camp when hornline was outside playing "My Heart and I." Wow. Great song -- original is from an Italian TV show, sung by Sting. Look it up. Great song arranged beautifully by Doug Thrower for the Bluecoats ... of course, we can say that about a lot of songs over the last 10-15-ish years. What say you, Bluecoats fans?????

And now this ... http://www.bluecoats.com/news_detail.asp?news_id=307 ... the entire instruction staff leadership is coming back too. Please keep the discussion on the Bluecoats and this EXCITING news rather than electronics. There'll be enough of those threads throughout the winter anyway.

They're all back ... http://www.bluecoats.com/news_detail.asp?news_id=305 ... and that's a good thing.

I wish people who want to praise and bash different corps would go do it in other topics. This one is supposed to be about the BLUECOATS and the fantastic season they had. Geez -- some people just don't get it. Blllooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Man, I hope that column is WRONG about the new Buffalo Bills uniforms. Those "new" ones are just plain UGLY!!!

heheheh ... good to see the "family" atmosphere I remember from my years in the Bluecoats (and still experience in all my interactions with fellow alumni) is still going strong. Blloooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Most rapidly advancing"?? You mean the corps that dropped two places from 2009 to 2010?? Love CC this year. Talent was amazing and show was very good. But I think it's a toss-up as to which corps is more "rapidly advancing" now -- Bluecoats, CCrown ... with Blue Stars and Madison Scouts not too far behind ...