blumagus019

I haven't seen much this year due to backlog at work, however, these are the groups I enjoy. Onyx: I do find the complete lack of unison work as arbitrary a constraint as "we have to have a flag feature" and other such rules, but I have to hand it to Lentz for once again designing an amazing show that holds my attention from start to finish. Cypress: Their movement is once again gorgeous; they seem to pushing be themselves in terms of design as well. Blackwatch: just a good ole fashioned color guard show, but so entertaining. Tarpon Springs High School: it is a shame these kids are not attending champs, incredible equipment and lovely staging. The voice overs are overkill on a plot that was already easily understandable from the visuals, but a minor criticism. Anyway I haven't seen much at all this season, but these shows have stood out to me.

Do share! Would love to see some Shapiro twirls.

I wonder if stars will be keeping Michael Shapiro as guard caption head; he tends to move around every few years. This is pure speculation, but the open guard caption head at SCV would be closer to home if he is still living in California. Stars would be smart to keep him because the guard has been one of their strengths the last few years.

Tarpon Springs and Blue Stars have almost identical design staffs so that's why there is so much overlap. Frank Sullivan, arranger and now brass caption head of Blue Stars, also did a show about Neil Armstrong and bicycles called Live Strong with some school in Kentucky that closely mirrored Stars 2008. As they say, "There are no new shows, only new audiences."

Too, too many to list! Norwin High School: everything they had me from the moment this show began until its very last second. Seminole: just the color of this beautiful production. Carmel: One of the most beloved shows of the season. Blackwatch: sheer sheet covering the floor. Alter Ego: just the emotion coming off the floor from this beautiful show in concept and execution. Corona: The infamous "strangle feature" and Shapiro's various other tricks. Braddock: So glad to see this guard medaling, but if I had to pick a moment the abruptness of ending segment. Onyx: I loved their unique approach to movement from the opening dancers in the center, the 2 "almost ensemble" dance features, and the dance with the transparent curtain. Loved them all definitely establishing dance as their strength. SCV: Great moments throughout, but the ending dance feature was simply spectacular!

I agree, they don't. I thought Onyx's book was difficult from what I personally viewed (I was discussing the demand of Onyx's book, though I liked show all in all). Since a lot of people were discrediting Onyx's difficulty, I thought I would state the fact that the show was written by designers that people commonly say have some of the most demanding books, as an example Adam Sage's flag work. I was merely providing a frame of reference.(o:

Since this forum originally asked what Onyx's show is about I'll address that. I don't know, but I personally think the show is about the way people attempt to define and confine art. Hence, the now infamous qoute "They will attempt to destroy anything that differs from their concepts." The show is about playing with and dismantling those predetermined concepts. Personally, I really loved the show (along with Trumbull, Carmel, Alter Ego, Blackwatch, Corona, and Braddock LOVE YOU ALL). As for the earlier comments of "I'd like to know how many people in Onyx can actually perform on a world class level,?" I can answer that question, all of them. As some one pointed out earlier, they're dancing, every world class guard does it. Also, if you watch the show, who's actually spinning usually changes frequently due to the intricate drill book; so most of the members do in fact spin at some point. Going by what I saw on fan network and in person, I think it's clear that they have an incredibly challenging book. Just looking at their website it seems a member of the acclaimed dance company Pilobolus wrote their dance book, and Adam Sage wrote their flag book.

I may be incorrect, but I believe Michael Lentz actually designed both shows!

I couldn't agree more! I think it will be a few years before they become a major contender, but they are deffinitely on the right track. Blue Stars 08 and 09 were my favorite shows those years.

They did do a lot more than that, but the fact still remains is that BD's equipment book is one of the least demanding in the top 12. If you take a look at say Crown, Phantom, or Blue Stars' books, it is very clear that BD isn't in their realm of difficulty. That IS NOT to say I thought the previously mentioned groups should have won, or that BD shouldn't have. In fact, I do think BD is really innovative in a lot of ways, one of which is how effectively their book is written especially given it's level of difficulty.

Ok as some one who marched color guard in drum corps for 3 years and 2 in independent world WGI, I would say that the Cavaliers were better. They had a difficult and effective equipment book, and though I personally liked the Bluecoats movement book better, the Cavaliers weren't far behind in that category. Put all of that on top of the cavaliers demanding drill book, and it is clear why they came out on top. Another note is that, contrary to popular belief, color guard isn't necessarily judged based on difficulty of book or cleanliness. If we were just going to hand high guard to whoever was te cleanest we would see Cadets winning every year, or if they gave it to whoever had the most difficult equipment book than Blue Stars probably would have won the past two years. Color guard in DCI is more based on how well the the performers and design team conveyed the message and impact of the show to audience and judges. Of course things like achievement and difficulty factor into the score, as they are necessary to generate effect, but again it is the subjective impact of the color guard that gets them a score. This is how the Blue Devils. talented as they may be, can win best color guard 2 years in a row even though they have one of the easiest equipment books in the top 12 (drop spins while sitting down, anyone?).

I marched 4 years in drum corps aging out in 09 with Blue Stars. I don't really remember much rivalry, though in each group I marched in we had certain groups we saw as being our direct competition. At Blue Stars it seemed to be Boston, but we hardly had a rivalry with them. Though I will say there is a lot of animosity between Colts and Blue Stars stemming from Colts making finals in 07 and not in 08. The Colts have repeatedly suffered from bad design despite the fact they are talented performers, and I think the kids just felt "why them and not us." Though this was mostly a brass thing, colts and blue stars colorguard are kind of indifferent to each other... The most intense rivalry I remember was when I marched Jersey Surf in 07: Surf vs. Spartans! I'm still bitter about them beating us at div II finals even though we won high brass and percussion!

There have been several wow moments for me with Blue Stars in the last three years, their brass has a great sound and book and the color guard simply does some of the most amazing things in the activity. 08: The bike rider formation in the closer. 09: Guard spins flags with missing pieces and eventially makes a full flag that they do a moving flag feature through the corps with. 10: Guard spins WITHOUT HANDS in straight jackets. All three shows have AMAZING ballads. I'm not a big fan of the cadets, but they have some great drill books every year so I'm sure some one can name a few of their biggest moments Blue Stars 2010

I unfortunately can't use my DCI finals tickets )o: They are the value tickets so I am selling them for $25 dollars each (savings of $10 bucks per ticket and $20 bucks overall, from their normal price of $35). Contact me at mediahelix@yahoo.com, I will expect payment in cash or check through the mail, and will then e-mail you with the info to pick up my tickets from the will call both. Time is of the essence!

I unfortunately can't use my DCI finals tickets )o: They are the value tickets so I am selling them for $25 dollars each (savings of $10 bucks per ticket and $20 bucks overall, from their normal price of $35). Contact me at mediahelix@yahoo.com, I will expect payment in cash or check through the mail, and will then e-mail you with the info to pick up my tickets from the will call both. Time is of the essence!

Hello, I'm a vet of world class Drum Corps and WGI groups. I've spun for a few top groups, even gotten a medal in WGI independent world class. I've seen a lot of success in my short guard career, but I've always been either a flag or dancer. I'm more than happy with that, but I'd like to add some variety to my show and just have more versatility as a performer and instructor. I never really spun in high school so I never picked up even the basics of weapon and it was hard to catch up in drum corps when I was learning flag for the first time. I have learned a few things just from doing guard so much the past few years, but I still can't toss with any degree of consistency on weapon. I feel like I don't really get how to use my left hand properly on rifle or sabre. I'm not expecting to be a primary weapon miraculously but I do want to get better at it. So any tips that could help?

Colts seem to be taking a new direction this year with their design, though I doubt it will get them into finals this year, I think if they continue on this track they will return to the top 12 soon. I also was pleasantly surprised to see how well the color guard moved in the ballad. Blue Stars color guard once again astounds in their level of equipment difficulty. Blue Coats ballad is my favorite of the season Crown sounds great, as usual Jersey Surf color guard is achieving their show on a surprisingly high level

Corona was his main one, he taught Crown guard before that. Here's a 2009 finals review from Winter Guard International, to show I'm not the only one in the activity that thinks his equipment work is some of the most demanding. Corona – 2nd, 95.9 Since they first appeared on the WGI scene just a few years ago, Corona has raised the bar in terms of equipment exploration every year, pushing its performers to the limit with an extraordinary array of revolutionary new tricks and techniques. This year’s production, “A Case of You,” was perhaps their most difficult and well-achieved program to date, offering a thrilling combination of jaw-dropping tricks, unique exchanges and awe-inspiring tosses. Welcome to the medalist podium, Corona! http://www.wgi.org/news/04052009-Independe...als-Review.html

I agree that the Blue Stars could be in trouble this year, and may face an uphill battle to reclaim 8th place or move up a spot. However, I ENTIRELY disagree that Blue Stars color guard is "terrible" this year. If you look back at Blue Stars 08 during this time they were equally as dirty if not more so (if you remember correctly in 08 the Blue Stars corps and guard lost to groups that didn't even make finals and went on to place 7th in guard at champs), and the kids this year have way better performance quality. Their instructor is Michael Shapiro, known for writing the most demanding books in both DCI and WGI, which he has once again done this summer. Trust me, his groups always start the season looking tragic, but peak in the late season, surpassing other groups with their unique and highly challenging choreo. Yes, it will be up to the guard kids to execute their show, but the season is early yet, and I'll wait til San Antonio to make my call.