ranintothedoor
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Posts posted by ranintothedoor
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To be honest, I say give staff folks 3 years and watch for growth. If there's growth, hold onto them, as long as they buy into the vision of the director and board.
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16 hours ago, BlueStarsDad said:
That moment when my daughter looks up in the stands, sees me, and gives me a huge smile. I only get to experience that moment four more times ...
Dude, my daughters are 7 and 3, and I just got chills reading this. I can't wait for them to march. 🙂 Thanks for that.
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So far, my best moment was sitting with my band students when Jersey Surf did the switch to *under*water... they were so blown away... it was beautiful. 🙂
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9 hours ago, barigirl78 said:
The Surf's props are basically just pictures of coral[...]
um... spoiler warning!!!
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Saw Cadets in Annapolis. Took my band kids to watch ensemble rehearsal beforehand. Just sharing some thoughts:
I think the tonal shift at the "Do Better" section is very abrupt and a missed opportunity considering the serious tone during the first half of the show. The overthrowing of the queen, the resulting tribal factions (and actually resonates very well given the current political climate)... it's very well done. But the need for reconciliation within the queen's former kingdom that Cadets clearly demonstrate at the end of the second movement is abandoned... the literal approach of a queen being overthrown undercuts the symbolic intent of the show about men treating women with respect. For instance, the XY formation, which is definitely necessary to get the point across, was jolting because up until then I thought I was watching a show about a queen being overthrown by her subjects... but now suddenly that was MY fault? Again, I get it, but they went too literal before going symbolic and therefore did not communicate the intent well enough.
Anyway, the main reason I'm posting, in case any staff member cares for the recruiting report of a former Cadet band director, is that several of my kids who want the DCI experience were not persuaded to do Cadets this week (despite my best efforts) but want, rather, to audition either at Crown or Jersey Surf (we live in Virginia).
For several kids, 2019 Cadets was their favorite show, but many more of them preferred the Seattle Cascades and Jersey Surf. The show oftentimes is the corps' audition for the hearts and minds of future members. Many don't care about winning; they just want to march at a place they love. I think Madison Scouts, as hard as it is to swallow their current scoring, took a good tactic this year in going for a more traditional design for the sole purpose of, as Chuck Naffier's posts indicate, having the audience reaction "wash over" the young kids. I even had a parent (his talented kid will probably one day march DCI) mentioned how different this Cadets was from last year's corps. He said he loved how the sustained drill and music passages from last year were so unique compared with everyone else's production style; it really stood out (zig vs. zag, right?). This guy loves rock bands and repairs HVAC units for a living... not an artsy guy, just appreciates what these kids do. They bought souvies from the Cavaliers' tent, btw.
I'm not saying to abandon everything and "restart"/"restructure". Please no. This show, if they can figure out timing issues and let those kids shine could finish solid. For instance, the percussion feature feels rushed... I couldn't figure out how/when to clap for the amazing tenor feature... it's staged well, performed great, but for whatever reason I had trouble giving them a response. These Cadets kids are just awesome. IMO, keep the staff together and try again, taking the lessons they've learned and improve. But I'd suggest not 'playing the game' next year, which is what the second half of the show seemed to be.
Too long... sorry!
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*giggle*
oh, you. 🙂
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14 hours ago, Gantang said:
A ring never crossed your mind?
Meh... a ring's not all it's cracked up to be. I went from dead last in DCI (Scenic City 2003) to the top (Cadets 2005). The experience is what's important. The competition aspect serves as a framework and a vehicle, but I don't remember who beat whom on any given night.... (well, except for the first time we topped the Cavies in 2005... I think it was San Antonio... that was a good night).
And that's why I have so much hope for Madison. This year is such an enjoyable show... if the kids are having a great experience, I think they will build retention. If ndkbass' post is any indication, that is what they need to focus on, admin and staff alike.
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21 minutes ago, ndkbass said:
This is a really interesting point that I think about a lot. I would have gladly stayed in 2010 if the environment/administration/staff had been better. The administration is what drove me away more so than gained experience making me want to march elsewhere. It was the toxic environment (in my opinion) that made me leave, not wanting to win a ring. Winning with Devs was just an added bonus, not the impetus. Not making finals two of the three years I marched does not tarnish my memory of marching with Madison or in anyway sour my experiences. Even though Rhythm X was quite successful during my two years there, it was the staff and environment that made it so much fun (outside of the other members).
This is so important. My experience with Sonus Brass Theater/Shenandoah Sound since 2007 (when there were 7 of us at one point) was wonderful because of the people, and though I am taking a couple years off right now because of family stuff, I fully intend to go back as long as they are who they are. 🙂 It's the relationships that keep a group going year after year, but long term, it's a great management/administrative team that makes a group truly successful! 🙂
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10 hours ago, jjeffeory said:
I've proven that old saying wrong many times... 🙃
Yeah, just need a really, really big hammer.... that thing'll fit, by golly.
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DUDE! I'd just like to say that this 2019 show is the type that made me fall in love with the Scouts back in the 90s.
Design determines the placement, but honestly, placement doesn't dictate my tastes. I'm so loving this show, man.
I will be buying a souvie from Madison this year. 🙂
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1 hour ago, ndkbass said:
A couple thoughts in response to your post: I think you need to provide some statistics to back up your claim that there is a "growing lack of stable father figures in homes across America." That is a very specific claim that seems coded in many ways. As an academic who studies these things, I would argue that that is not actually the case. I also take issue with your use of equality as you define it via context. Separate is not inherently equal. It is, in fact, completely the opposite. See the landmark 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board or current equal pay issues in women's professional sports (in particular the U.S. women's national team, which sells more jersey's and performs better than the U.S. men's national team, but receives a fraction of the pay). Sure, there are physical or biological differences between the sexes, but patriarchy is a social construction, and there is a vast difference between biological sex, gender identity, and sexuality in how it is both theorized and understood. Understanding power dynamics and systems or structures of inequality is more important to this conversation than arbitrary definitions of gender or equality. We are also discussing private entities, not government or public entities. This means that they can set their own policies, and that does not prevent you or anyone else from establishing their own gender segregated activities or organizations if they so wish as long as they are not doing so with public funds. Madison going coed is not "dissolving the distinction between the two," it is simply recognizing that as a private organization they wish to be inclusive to all those who are interested in auditioning regardless of gender identity. This is not saying their cannot be all male corps or even all female corps. It is just a decision made by a private entity to update their own membership policy. Nothing more, nothing less.
Thanks for responding, ndkbass! I hope the mods don't close this discussion, because I think it's very important to have. 🙂
Since you asked...
19.7 million children in the US (about 1/4) according to the Census Bureau, live without a biological, step, or adoptive father in the home. https://www.fatherhood.org/fatherhood-data-statistics Even if this statistic is off, I personally believe it, since as a teacher over the last 11 years I've seen a dramatic rise in my area of kids who don't have decent male role models at home. Anecdotal, sure, but indicative of a larger trend.
I think your point concerning the pay issues for women vs. men in prof. sports is a red herring, but I'll counter anyway. The disparity is due to revenue, not patriarchy (in my opinion). Women players actually make a higher percentage share of the revenue their games generate then the male players do. (https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2019/03/07/world-cup-soccer-pay-disparity-between-men-and-women-is-justified/#446e277c6da4) Maintaining patriarchal societies isn't a goal for the vast majority of folks... they simply watch what they want to watch, and networks interested in a profit are going to show what they think the most people will watch. Sure, this can (and has!) change over time, but to force this to change is to give up our capitalistic way of life.... and that, my friend, would not be pleasant.
Anyway, back to the Scouts.
I did not say that Madison going coed is dissolving the distinction between the two, as you misquoted. I said having BOTH a Girl AND a Boy Scouts is important, as an example. (btw, in case you're interested, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2019-04-17/boy-scouts-are-just-scouts-now-and-that-s-making-girl-scouts-mad).
You said that "this is a decision made by a private entity to update their own membership policy." I affirmed this in my original post! We agree on this! 🙂 So why imply that I don't understand "power dynamics and systems or structures of inequality" being important to this conversation? Surely just because I disagree doesn't mean I don't understand. Private entities, like the Scouts, are entitled to their decisions.
My singular point of the post was to mourn the loss of the option for a young man to grow and mature amongst other boys and men within the drum corps paradigm.
And the Madison Scouts will not be worse off by any means. Again, I point to the Cadets; they went coed, and it's been great for them since. I'm sure Madison will be no different.
Yet the experience for future Scouts will be different than the one experienced before the change.
And boys wanting or needing an all-male experience will have one less place to go.
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4 hours ago, PamahoNow said:
I think what we would wish for in all of our relationships is "equality of opportunity". That is what I took from the BOD's statement.
Sorry... I didn't read the BOD statement (unless... well, I read the Twitter version... was it the same thing?). I guess I was trying to work through my initial reaction to the news itself, not the reasoning of the Scouts BOD in particular.
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DIRTY LOOOOOOOOOOPS!!! 🙂
A cover of a cover of a cover... let's go.
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23 hours ago, George Dixon said:
agreed. Cadets in a lot more shows this year - others (Crown, Boston, BD, SCV to name a few) in many fewer
Cadets are also "fighting" earlier performance times - which shortens the rehearsal day further
With smart scheduling and smart changes to the program they have a shot at a strong finish. This and further strengthening of their organization back in A-town will allow a more level playing field moving forward
DCI should consider a minimum show # for world class - it's getting a little ridiculous with certain corps
The more shows they do, the more money they get, ja?
Can't afford not to perform a lot when you're trying to improve your financial situation. Besides, Cadets always seem to perform more than most others... that's what I love about the corps culture. You do more because you can. 🙂
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I applaud the Scouts for doing what they feel they need to do to survive, grow, and thrive. I don't fault them as an individual organization; if it works, it works! After all, corps like the Cadets went coed, and it's worked out wonderfully for them.
My visceral reaction is against the trend toward de-genderizing everything for the sake of a false idea of what "equality" is. Men and women are different, and it's healthy to have activities and social groups that are gender-specific. There are less and less places where men can go be with men, and women can be with women, boys with boys, girls with girls. Equality means having a Girl Scouts AND a Boy Scouts, not dissolving the distinction between the two.
Again, the Madison Scouts need to do what they need to do. I just mourn the loss of yet another institution where young men can grow and learn in an environment of other men; this is especially important given the growing lack of stable father figures in homes across America.
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54 minutes ago, tommynev said:
I wouldn't use Spider-Man as an example. A few of the actors suffered bad injuries because of the technical aspects of that show. One actor broke both of his wrists and another one almost died in a horrific fall and ending up suing the production.
Dude... I had no idea. Wow, what an awful example.
Welp... stick a fork in me. lol
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Nah, they'll continue to push the envelopes. From what I remember, Spider Man on Broadway was a huge sensation because of all the amazing technical/safety boundaries being pressed with flight and swinging, etc. However, it bombed because the ticket prices were astronomical and the writing had huge issues... ie, they relied on props too much. 🙂 Still, creative folks are still going to try and find ways to push, even if it causes controversy.
And if the money dries up because of the outside scrutiny... well, they pushed too far. But it won't stop them or maybe even slow them down.
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1 hour ago, chris ncsu said:
Because it's subjective and relative. The corps in front of a judge on a given night are ranked and rated against each other. It's not "check the boxes and add up the numbers". A certain maneuver isn't worth a certain number of points like in figure skating. It also matters if there's a corps comparable to you at the same show, versus corps considerably better or worse than you -- the bigger the disparity the harder it is to get the numbers "right", the harder to quantify the relative excellence.
Good description. Though the numbers can't compare, the sheets have a more 'objective' measure called Boxes (Box 1,2,3,4,5) in each category on each sheet that you CAN compare.
https://issuu.com/drumcorpsinternational/docs/2012_judging_sheets_full_set/2?e=1376842/2992110
On the same night, if I have Cadets in Indiana in Box 3 on a sheet, and Blue Devils in Colorado are in Box 5 on that same sheet, then the judges are saying that the Cadets are doing a particular skill well "Sometimes" vs. BD doing that particular skill well "Always". There's a huge 'objective' difference between playing all the right notes "sometimes" vs. "always", imo.
Like Chris NCSU said, where you can't compare between shows are the specific numbers. Within each Box, there're 10 to 30 points of wiggle room to rank corps at a show site. So if you have four different corps in Box 3 on a sheet at one show vs. only one Box 3 corps at another show on the same night, the actual number mean very little if you try to compare the five corps since the numbers are basically for ranking who's the best within that box on that particular skill. However, you can objectively say that those five corps are performing that skill well only "Sometimes."
Too many words, but I hope that helps!
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I noticed something while looking at the Madison Scouts thread and their discussion of the role the leadership and BOD has on the success of an organization. The BAC approach has was being held up as a strong example to follow in building a successful corps. From what I've seen, the YEA board seems to be on a similar path with a clear vision and focus on getting things right.
I think that combined with the Cadets culture of not giving up and pushing through... I have confidence that this 2019 corps just might turn things around.
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🙂 I officially love the timpani player this year. Such passion!
Will they pan the camera in on him at finals, I wonder? DCI had a thing for that timp player back in the early 2000s... time to bring it back! lol
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15 hours ago, George Dixon said:
Cadets need a 70+ tonight imo
i know the members and staff are working hard - a big improvement imo from Detroit to Sunday night illustrates that
hoping for a couple point jump tonight - 1 would be good a couple would be really good
Got your wish, George! 🙂 Can't wait to see 'em!
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Get it Mandarins! 🙂
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8 minutes ago, DCI-86 said:
1. SCV
2. Bloo
3. BD
4. Crown
5. Cavies
6. Boston
7. BS
8. Mandarins
9. BK
10. Cadets
11.Crossmen
12. Phantom
Saw DCI West on Flo last night. I really liked Mandarins' show and music especially. I think putting them 8th right now might is right on. It's exciting to see them grow!
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Cadets win? Yeah... Cadets win. 😉
...based on only the uniform... but...
Yeah, Cadets win.
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Allentown, PA - Friday, August 2, 2019
in DCI World Class Corps Discussions
Posted
Worked for them in '89.......... 😄