Stick Stack

I actually prefer elites, because they do seem to be lighter and the neck is thinner so your thumb can wrap around it easier on the catch. (If you wrap your thumb on the catch) However, the strap is really thin so I try to switch it out for a premier or ultimate strap when I can.

I'm excited! It makes the show sound really good!

Question- Would they be judged on doing staff things like how many pushups they can make people do, or would they be judged on playing instruments? I would love to see both.

Alright for opinions. I think the uniform is very dark too, needs more bright.

As I got to thinking, I was wondering if there was more to it. When I saw Center Grove's marching band do it, I remembered thinking that I thought this show would do well as a winter guard show. It was however still coincidentally very similar to that show. It was also one of my favorites in that class, so go figure.

I guess I could describe the uniform... Seeing as I'm looking at a picture of it on-line... Gauntlets are white- They have a satin red trim. The Fleur de lis symbol is a dark red In the upper left corner of the jacket. It is half in the all-white section and half in the green section. The shoulders go out similar to the Cavaliers uniform, however it appears shorter. Both sleeves are dark green. The aussie looks the same as I remember it. White, it has a band around it that is silver with the similar red trim to the gauntlet. The pants are the same. The best way to descrive the green of the jacket is that it looks like a color gradient. It starts with two diagonal bands of Lime? green which start near the neck of the right shoulder and continue through some of the fleur de lis and are next to the white. Then comes 3 bands of forest greenish color which start at the wing section of the right shoulder and continue diagonally along the same line below the lime green. Below the arm, a slightly darker gradient of green continues diagonally like the rest. However, it looks in the picture that this one stops earlier than the rest, perhaps because the jacket is assymetrical at the bottom and not flat. Below that band is another darker band, then it lookes like their is dark green to fill in the rest and match the pants. The neck collar is also the same dark green as the sleeves and pants. Couldn't see the back at all in the picture.

I felt the same too. Their show was awesome, but I hope they gave plenty of design credit to Center Grove. I have no idea if they did or not. It was just strange.

I think design wise, 2007 was handled much better to showcase everything that was going on. Part of the problem with 04 in my mind, from a pure entertainment side, was that he was so powerful that you miss the rifles doing their double turnaround 5, which I find very impressive. (Among other things that are downplayed) This year, they avoided it, had him dance more, had a partner... all of these elements helped show the other performers. The focus was stronger and less "BAM here comes Seishi!". So I guess what I'm saying is I agree.

So I put it to test, and re-watched the 2004 video. (From the Low Cam) As for the performance, it's hard to tell, because most of the time they show Seishi, and he didn't have a particularly different look to him when he was tossing or catching. Of the girls tossing, the camera's not on them long enough to see a clear before, middle, and after the toss performance face. So I suppose this could be true. However... I would say this would be true of all equipment. The thing is, it's probably more noticeable on Baton because it's typically in the air a lot longer! I can think of about a million examples of color guard members with either dead faces when they toss, then super performance when they catch or a smile face that is frozen while their equipment is in the air. And I say no big deal. I wouldn't expect a color guard member to perform and wink to the audience or whatever while their equipment is about to come down from the air. Maybe I should, who knows. As for the movement though with the baton, I couldn't disagree more. They have ground work, they have equipment moving through the legs, around the back for long periods of time, equipment that moves with the body as the body is dancing, equipment that moves with an opposing force against the motion of the body, off center upper body movement, and plenty of leaps and lower leg movement when the equipment is IN their hands. There are parts (Albeit few) when the batons are doing the exact identical body as either the dancers or the rifles. It holds it's own. In fact, I see just as much body, if not more, because the performers appear stronger on that piece of equipment. The only part I would agree with you for lack of body while spinning, would be the double and triple baton twirling parts by Seishi. Now again, perhaps it was different in 07, and I saw their finals run but I don't remember any LESS body movement while the baton was in their hands. Just so we know what we're dealing with, they got 7th in Movement vocabulary and 1st in movement execution to average 3rd overall in movement. http://www.wgi.org/news_detail.php?id=965 It is of my opinion that the movement with their baton did not hold them back.

For what it's worth, to clear it up, I just watched Oracle in 2004 on my DVD. It looked like they had a rifle 6 close to the beginning and a sabre 6 near the middle. Both had about 8 or so people at least. I think as it is right now, there are required standards in shows, but they are vague and very nebulous. I think it wouldn't hurt too much to have a few required elements. That would make it much easier to compare one guard from the other I would think.

From what I've been hearing....the first time was at the finals run. Can someone confirm that?

There's a new article on the WGI website that gives most of the breakdowns for the Independent World class, including some sub-captions. I feel like they were pretty much dead on for Aimachi- Extremely high on Performance captions, low on Vocabulary captions. 11th place in equipment vocabulary.

I think you misspelled it. There's no "W", "I", "G", "E", or "T" in drum corps. In fact, you misspelled it several times.

I guess my biggest question is...why Picasso? Such a strange abstract choice. I wonder what made them decide on going that route. The show's about Picasso, but what are they trying to say about it kind of thing I guess is what I'm getting at. Also, I'm wondering why they skipped his African influenced period. I could see some cool ideas for that segment. A little bit of trivia- apparently his full name is Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María Julio de los Remedios Crispín Crispiniano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso. I'm not smart, I just know how to use Wikipedia!

If it's out door, I say get them in shoes. The conditions can get way too cold for bare feet, depending on the part of the country. Ah...indoor, I'd say it's pretty standard to go barefoot. Dare to be different! Perhaps footwear would be innovative?

I believe Northern Lights show in 2004 was spherical in design and ended up being a show that could be watched and enjoyed from any corner of the performance venue, being as people were facing and performing to all sides at once in many spots.

Aww...sadness! So much for being at the forefront of being accepting of other lifestyles!

Agreed. I thought the sound was WAY too loud. I think it's supposed to be loud, but it's kind of painful. Also, I really think the way they perform their show now doesn't fit the piece and the style of music. For music and a show that is so abstract, for me their performance style now is way too standard, almost typical. I remember seeing it earlier and I felt like their approach was better and more appropriate.

I'm not entirely sure about 40" being the standard, I would think of it more as the exception for IW rather than the rule. I've spun 39" throughout my career almost always. It's tough to transition from a 36" to a 39" from what I hear.

True, the clip is shorter now. Also, Rancho Bernardo's clip has been changed, it no longer has the person who slips and falls. And the whole not matter about dropping isn't entirely true... Yes, difficulty does go into it and is considered. But yes, it is better for your score if you catch everything. Dropping can kill effect. And the thing that the two attempt under that toss is just crazy! I've never even imagined it.

Not possible. However, perhaps the sentence was kind of meant to be read as Pride barely over block and Corona barely under post block? Either that or they got the two confused. Mixed up. No biggie.

Also what he/she said. It can get a little over their head sometimes, but if you take that time slowly in the begining, I've seen it pay off well. There's only so much time in a season, but I think if you start off training these things properly and slowly, it will help immensely in the long run. Planning not just for the current season, but continuing the education and making kind of a long term goal in both movement and equipment will result in some beautiful control and technique.

Just so we're clear, I feel we agree about why they call it Marching Music's Major league. It is the elevated performance that is the attraction and appeals to many about drum corps. Perhaps the phrase better fits the identity. This is the best reason to change a name- when it better fits an identity or makes you understand it and see it in a clearer way. I also agree that on a list of priorities, it certainly is down there next to what type of meal they should feed the corps for lunch on July 15th of next season. I for one hope it's grilled cheese!

I see this occurance too. My friend was just telling me when I mentioned what you said and he told me how he felt Madison's drumline individually should have been ranked much higher, kind of like they were earlier in the season. However, since the whole corps was going down in the ranks, I think individually it hurt the drumline. Also, I thought the Cadets and Crown's color guards should have done better, but their corps ranking gradually pulled them down throughout the season. I think with the current system, I get the impression that if the sum of the parts is not a whole, then the parts suffer for it. And vice versa, if the sum of the parts makes something completely whole, it doesn't matter as much if those parts are made out of scrap pieces because the whole works.

Couldn't agree more. I can't imagine how bad a corps would score if a member accidentally wore the wrong uniform to a show. Would hate to be that guy! Seriously, though, it's ok. The lack of parody in drum corps may cause many to feel this way, and that's alright. However, I also believe it is easier to fall into this mentality rather than realize that other corps out there are consistently and genuinely better year in and year out, and admitting this is the first step to getting better as a corps to beat those at the top!