normy diploome

Sure have, even judged and instructed them, including medalists and champs, in and out. I just find the indoor more art than marching. I think there was a deliberate reason the Cadet block was chosen as the DCI photo for this morning's website.

But, indoor does dance/ballet/kinetics rather than marching, no? Have you been to WGI or an indoor show this century? Otherwise, change it to Moving Arts Day! That's why Marching Arts Day might be August 25 (8-2-5) or June 25th for some corps (6-2-5).

So this explains those annual sojourns to the Great Wall of China!:shutup:/>

Sooo... Hopkins, Gibbs, and Acheson walk into a bar. And the... (You get to complete...)

Doh! Sometimes one can be too close to the trees to see the forest! My bad. Besides, it's Monday morning....

Re: Slingerland and "A major brand sponsor is someone whose name and logo is prominently featured on the product, and who pays an amount of money for their sponsorship that is commensurate with the size of the activity. For a $10 million marketing and events company, a major sponsorship would be at least $100,000 in cash every year. I know a number of the brands who are currently with DCI, and they're all great folks, none of whom are paying DCI anywhere near those amounts of money. Anyone who isn't aware of the amount of money that companies spend on events sponsorship is someone who should be kept far away from the decision making process". But haven't we been down this avenue before? And the results were very tentative! The youngsters (born since 1980) among DCP may not realize or remember that there were corps which were corporation sponsored and marched as advertisements! Some were for corporation employees such as the brewery corps: the Hamm Indians in the Twin Cities and the Ballentine Brewers from Newark, NJ. The Blue Stars were originally the First Federal (Bank) Blue Stars of LaCrosse, Wisconsin. And 7-Up (the soda/pop company and it's bottling division) for many years sponsored The Babylon Islanders (NY) which gave DCI/WGI?DCA Tom Beresford. Yes, Hopkins' YEA has roped in Yamaha for the Yamaha Cup band championships and the Marine Corps for the Annapolis show, but what other corporation is going to find our activity a large enough audience for their advertising? I guess if you keep a suit in the closet long enough, the style comes back in fashion???

This is posted today on the DCI and other corps sites... https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/establish-march-4th-national-marching-arts-day/dLVPm2p6 Nice idea, but why March 4th? Isn't that usually Pulaski Day in Chicago where they all wear red like the Irish wear green on 3/17? (Feast of St. Casimir, namesake of General Casimir Pulaski?) I know, I know...Pulaski Day is in October in NYC and in August in Buffalo. I guess not too many of those corps like the Polish Falcons from NJ and the Poughkeepsie Pacers from NYS that someone can randomly pick March fourth when anything north of the Mason Dixon line, anywhere near the Rockies, or anything less than Texas-Florida-and So. Cal. are definitely not marching. Cute idea non the less.

But wasn't he in Spirit, not Canton?

Stu, So much of what you have said is straight on true But we've had the same folk selecting, training, and assigning the judges (Markham, Oliviero, and Philips) for so long now that we only get cookie-cutter numbers no matter how on or off any one performance is from contest to contest for individual corps and corps within a few places from others. The subjective is really mimicry, particularly when the judge(s) check the subcaption numbers from the night before. Having been intimately involved in DCI and its' corps since (and before) its inception, I am bored with the numbers assigned, the assessments given, and the judging tapes on the whole. Little humanity, rarely much growth, never any surprises.

"Some " innovation " is successful, while much of it turns out not to be and later that innovative idea is either greatly modified, or scrapped altogether. Placement and " competitive success " has virtually nothing at all to do with where the new innovative concept originates from. As mentioned earlier, innovation has come throughout the strata of DCI Corps placement. Some of the innovative ideas that came about from the lower placing Corps were later incorporated by the the so called elites at the very top in their shows, while some filtered down from the elites to those below. Narration was used extensively by The Cadets a few years back despite the Cadets not being the first to use narration in shows. They have since... it appears... decided to scrap both singing and narration in their shows. Some ideas work, some don't. But it is a fallacy to believe that all innovation in DCI has originated with the elite Corps. Some has, of course. But much of it has not first originated here as well. " Brasso I am told Cadets' FB today 2/27 has a video segment of their 1977 show where the corps (and audience) sang Amen, the color guard took up sopranos, and shorts replaced the traditional Cadets' guard skirts. Brasso is quite correct that many things considered "innovative" today have been performed before. "Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it." By the way, the 1977 show was considered innovative for its time and was a crowd pleaser and GE judge pleaser. Not so much with the field judges and purists however. The shorts "disappeared" somewhere in Montrose, Colorado the following summer and were never seen again as the guard returned to skirts as my old mind remembers. Narration did not originate with either Crown or Boston but was done, and penalized, by smaller junior corps in other circuits decades earlier.

I am impressed that the supposed financial "commitment" of each of the G7 is roughly equal the camp and tour fee for one marching member for a season. Did the individual members volunteer to be the sacrificial offering for the new project? Are the kids as committed to this as these directors, the most influential in the G7 who make their full time salaries from this activity? I wonder if the discussion is really about 'the activity."

Even though Forbes magazine yesterday gave Rockford in Illinois the bronze on the list of "ten most miserable cities in the US," I have always admired and enjoyed the Regiment and look forward to what they will present this summer. (Who gets killed, how amazing will their thrust be in showmanship and musicianship, how beautiful will be that gal guard again?) They are always a contender worth watching. Besides any corps that can inspire Bobby Langan to foresake his lab and crewing to fly through blizzards and tornados for winter camps has to be something phenomenal. Count me a Regiment phriend. P.S. I miss those spirited DCP posts from Elise, the very dedicated volunteer uniform lady who makes those plumes out of the boas. What color this year??? We phans await.

isn't this where usually on DCP the usual posters make some vitriolic comment about Jeof Gibopkins asking for donations, this time in memory of the deceased? My email hasn't gotten many requests of late. Maybe they gave that up for Lent!?!?

Too bad that the blizzard that hit the East Coast that weekend closing so many airports and cancelling so many flights prevented more from attending. This is a most fine tribute others might like. http://www.yea.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=21807&news_iv_ctrl=1002 I presume John will be also remembered at the annual Memorial Mass at Most Holy Name Church in Garfield in the Spring. RIP. An appreciative fan.

re: Old Cavie's comments. You sir are absolutely correct. I was debating with myself whether Jeff Fiedler's title last in Rosemont was Director or CEO. and without conclusion I merely dropped it. My post should have read, "Fiedler, former Cavalier director..." My bad. I know once a Cavalier, always a Cavalier; once a Syracuse Brigadier, always a Brigadier; once a Scout, always a Scout; once a Holy Namer, always a Cadet, etc., etc. for certain units who operate more as families and fraternities than one and dones. Just don't bring back the infamous Cavalier "paddle." This old body is already too bruised as it is. Many rainbows to you, sir.

Thank you, Michael Klesch and Crown, for introducing the activity to Lovatt-Cooper. Maybe this will be your Crowning Achievement thus far. Thanks too to those posters who have shared individual clips of his works for us to hear. I can easily imagine Immortal and Hero on the DCI field with the right brass lines and soloists. Yes, they are relatively unknown pieces to the Common Man, but I believe the audience (and judges) would fall in love with them as I have.

Given the realities of competitive inertia as stated by more than one poster on DCP, if there is true stagnation in DCI, I note this corresponding coincidence that the judging community has been directed/led/formed by the same triumvirate (Gary Markham, John Philips, and George Oliviero) for a very lo-o-o-ong time. While each is an amazing person, and at least two have sterling credentials beyond the activity, this old timer wonders whether they have been in the job too long for any real shift to occur, even with the supposed changes on the judging sheets and judging perspectives. This comment is not meant to be an attack on the character of any of the three gentlemen. But if we now realize that there may be a worth in tenure limits in government administration and representation, might that also be a benefit in the judging area for a move past stagnation or competitive inertia.? Who selects the judges, educates the judges in philosophy and technique, and assigns them to specific contests and/or sub-captions... It's been this triumvirate for many seasons. Just thinking aloud. Perhaps this may be a good discussion for its own thread.

Did anyone else notice that on the Cavies' website as of 2/15, there is a little notice about their Green Thunder (WGI percussion unit) which lists Pete Weber as a member of the design/visual team along with the Flynn clan quartet of Dave, wife Sue, son Dan, and cousin Andy Rhebergen?) Of course, under (former Cavalier) Mr. Fiedler's tenure at SCV, SCV organization faculty have roamed nationwide with other units, e.g. Vanderkopf did SCV winter guard plus Madison's summer corps. Is Weber returning to his Rosemont roots with a possibility of other future assignments there? Just wondering aloud...

re: Uh... where's his two?(white dawn) Duh? Behind the camera!!! Don't tell me bus partners haven't planned some awesome "adventures" during tour...

are you certain it's the Ham Fam? It seems empty and there are no long lines out the door...!!:doh:/>

One of my sponsorees sent me this; still can't stop laffing. No wonder no eating in unies. Enjoy.

What a great man. And how he beamed, especially when the corps celebrated its 75th in 2009. May the Lord grant him the reward of his many good labors and may he rest in peace. Amen. FHNSAB

With apologies to Letterman and Leno, Kimmel and crew… Many remember the 2008 Spartacus show by the Regiment when asst. DM* Koji Mori killed off Will Pitts on the podium. Funny coincidence is that Mori in Latin (so appropriate for Spartacus) means “to die” (mors, morte…like in mortician.) Always had great respect for Will Pitts who ended his DCI field career so loyal and flat on the ground bottoms up, knowing the crowd loved it; even more when he was dragged to the starting line for awards. (*ok, it’s Phantom: ”conductor.”) Is this life imitating art or art imitating life? Before the Gibopkins gauntlet was thrown to the DCI board, the one corps changed its show title from “Both Sides Now” (inclusive) to “Side by Side” (two separate identities, DCI and MIM) well , maybe that coincidence is an overthink. The corps from Ft. Mill has gotten a notorious nickname (Carolina Cloud) from many recent marchers since its home show so often is spoiled by stormy weather. (“Rainbeat” instead of “ Nightbeat” or “Firstbeat”.) The nickname certainly follows them to performances in many places, like the several non-shows in La Crosse and Jersey. And speaking of Ft. Mill, is it true that their super-secret winter camps and spring training is code named “Crown Moldings –Finishing Touches” ???? Could one say that to regain their finalist spot, the Blue Stars are resorting to Voodoo? Enjoy your Super Bowl commercials.

yes, the other spelling was intentional: no/know