danishmodern
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Posts posted by danishmodern
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It's come to the point where we're basically compiling a checklist of "mandatories" to put into our show next year.
that's funny that you wrote that. our staff sat in the stands, watching our class finals and made a list of everything we saw that all the groups did. i'll watch the DVD and do the same thing.
that's what our show will be next year... all the things that a group is supposed to do in order to place well. oh, and with a slow, boring soundtrack.
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did you compete at a wgi event? if so, contact shirlee whitcomb. she can put you in touch with an experienced designer at the world class level who will give you feed back.
i did that this season and it helped a lot. i spent an hour on the phone with a scholastic world designer. he told me flat out things we needed to fix in the show, etc.
after reading your post i am thinking that i will call him back in a week or two and ask him what he thought about our show at the end of the season after we made changes and got it clean, etc. you are right... i'd be nice to have someone tell me what worked and what didn't and why.
Our budget is really small, and we design our own shows. We had (what I thought was) a really neat concept, great song, floor design that went with it all.We pushed the kids work wise. We weren't the cleanest of clean, but out of 19, we had 13 rookies, and only 6 vets. That's tough numbers experience wise, but I really feel we did a good job pulling it off!
What I wish: to have someone in the 'design capacity' to tell me what I did right, and what I did wrong. Not to pick me apart in terms of performance and expression, and shoulder facings. I want to know if the DESIGN of my show, the IDEA of it, is it on the right track?
This was my 5th season doing this. 2nd year in class A. In Indiana. This is our second season writing our own show. (in the past we had another person writing the drill).
Any takers?
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at one of the regionals we went to this year, i went to the tabulation/sound table to get my cd and mp3 player. i was about 15 feet away and they barked at me to get away. literally yelling at me, saying that it was a restricted area. they were very rude to me. they reluctantly gave me the cd and mp3 player.
later that day i saw a scholastic world staff walk right in the middle of the tabulation area, welcomed with open arms, and have a 5-10 minute long conversation with all the folks there. some of the judges that were not judging at that point in the regional, ran over to talk with this particular staff like they were celebrities...
oh, and any judges that were willing to see past the cookie cutter shows were axed before the 2008 season. the judges that are left are too afraid to to think for themselves.
the frustrations of being in class A...
sigh...
steps up on soap box...The 'mass exodus" was by no means a voluntary event. Judges that thought for themselves and did not do what they were told were asked to leave. Of course we all know that would be denied by WGI, but that is the truth, been happening for years.
On a second note, I am convinced that WGI does not care one bit about the A Class, they are simply there to create income.
WGI caters to a few world class designers and their teams...it's ALL about them and their special fraternity. More people are getting fed up with WGI's attitude.
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is this something that should be brought to WGI's attention, or do you think it would fall on deaf ears? maybe the SA coordinator would like to hear about this?
i'd send an email, but it just sort of seems like whining to me, and i don't want to burn any bridges in a judged activity that can be political.
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We hear that we are supposed to pick shows that will allow us to be remembered. We are also told to stay away from the ballad-type show that's so popular in our class because so many groups choose this route.
Yet, the shows that are doing well competitively are the ballad/slow shows that are "cookie-cutter" in their design, staging and choreography. It seems as though there is a formula for doing well in Scholastic A. If you choose to deviate from that formula then you aren't rewarded for it.
Our staff is already talking about next year, saying that we should just do a "cookie-cutter" show because that's what does well. That's really unfortunate.
Can somebody please help Scholastic A?!
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Based on what i've seen in person and on the fan network, here's what i think will happen in SA:
For sure in finals:
Mansfield HS
Byrnes HS
Kokomo HS
Croatan HS
North Syracuse Central HS
Friendswood HS
Spanish River HS
Probably in finals:
Francis Howell North HS
Stockdale HS
Westerville HS
Maybe in finals:
Central Crossing HS
Lyman HS
Milford HS (OH)
Mineola HS
Kickapoo HS
In Scholastic A - I'll agree with Croatan, Spanish River, possibly Milford OH.....others to add are potential winner in SA ....Kokomo HS; Greenfield Central, Lafayette Jefferson, Westfield (possibly the most theatrical winter guard show i've witnessed in some years and Owen Valley. These are some very talented groups from Indiana. Good Luck to all groups this weekend at Ben Davis HS for the WGI Regional. -
you are totally correct about this year being boring!! i've done the same thing... started watching shows on the fan network, then after ten seconds of a boring ballad stopped the video.
check out Milford HS and Interplay. they are doing "fun" shows this year.
I could not agree more...I have been to a few local shows and watched the majority of the Regional finals on the WGI site. I am very bored...why are so many groups using such lame music?? Why oh why must we hear Over the Rainbow again??? Monotonous piano music??? There were about 10 shows I clicked on and after ten second turned off becuase I was bored...Can't anyone do an up tempo show?I'm sorta glad I am not going to Dayton this year, I can nap at home...
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I can totally appreciate all the hard work that goes in to producing a competitive winter guard show each season. However, I have to admit that I almost fell asleep during most of finals at the Dayton regional this weekend. Most groups are doing slow, boring music. When are fun/exciting shows going to come back?!
The three groups that stood out for me today were:
Milford
What a fun, creative and well performed show! These kids are having a ton of fun on the floor performing as ants on a picnic blanket. A well deserved win in competitive Scholastic A. Can't wait to see this show again at the Indy regional after they have had time to clean, etc. I would love to see this group in SA finals in April.
Interplay
In your face and full of applause moments. I think this was the only group that had the audience off their feet, other than a few people for Milford. At first you aren't sure about the "most wonderful time of the year" music. And then when you notice that the lyrics have been changed to fit the winter guard activity, it pulls you in for the ride. Also excited to see this show at the Indy regional next month. Definite IO finalist.
Zydeco
I have always loved "weird" shows and this one I totally adore. The music is odd, but cool enough to make the storm theme accessible to the audience. Lots of great equipment effect moments. Unsure where they will place in April. Probably between 5-8.
I need a world finals ticket
in CGP General Discussion
Posted
i have an extra one that i dont need. it's a $50 ticket in section 412.
email me at vintagemodern1974 [at] gmail if you want it. i can meet you outside the arena.