JurassicWorld

Three words: Pride of Cincinnati. Winter guard continuity is no measure of success or of, indeed, viability. If I had to a take a guess here: I LOVE that Ms. Bonfiglio will be focusing on the 50th anniversary of the "home team" Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps. We will all benefit, if so.

I will post my notion about "Staff Merry-Go-Round" pertaining to the Cadets here, while I wish that a DCP Expert might begin a thread of confirmed 2017 staffs, just like the thread about show announcements. This past season was a fine one, and I think that 2017 just might be some sort of landmark year. Forty-five years in, I want as many corps to be wonderful as there are corps. Sometimes change hurts, sometimes it helps, but change is inevitable; whether in the creative realm, staff, or even organizational management. To all of that: Sal Salas is one of the legendary visual innovators in both WGI and DCI; here is why I think -- why I hope -- he can bring much to The Cadets in 2017. Most recently, when he began working with Santa Clara, he took a popular musical score that was also familiar to drum corps audiences and judges -- "Les Miserables;" matched a performance approach that the Vanguard brought to drum corps -- storytelling -- and then provided the corps with a grand visual scheme for the production ... to much acclaim! Of course it took a matching grand musical scheme to bring the success, which is where caption heads, designers, and instructors filled in the blanks. I posted earlier that I would love for The Cadets to break their own glass ceiling in 2017 -- Sondheim, "Company," I advocated; I could see another scenario that might work: Ask Mr. Salas to re-vision 1992's "To Tame The Perilous Skies," as one example, or even 2000's "We Are The Future," a production that has served as a precursor to much that is on the field today. Re-vision, reconnection, and a return for the once and future champion Cadets!

Instead of a linear prediction, I will offer a prediction of a different sort: where corps stand -- in my view -- at this moment. All of this will change, of course, as staff changes materialize, and as productions begin to be announced. (Expect more corps to not announce; a la The Bluecoats this year; preferring to, in the vernacular, "leave it on the field" from the first night to championships.) ALL EYES ON / Expectation Saturation -- The Bluecoats -- The Cadets -- Boston Crusaders (with early staffing announced) -- The Academy -- Madison Scouts SHOW ME / Positioned for Success -- Santa Clara Vanguard -- The Cavaliers -- Blue Devils -- Carolina Crown -- Blue Knights ME TOO / Please Surprise, Delight us All -- Phantom Regiment -- Blue Stars -- The Troopers -- Colts / Potential to Shock and Awe -- Every. Other. Corps. MY BIGGEST PREDICTION FOR 2017: perhaps the most exhilarating season in a decade, now that the lid is off the creative box!

The times, they are a changin' -- years ago! The performers are, and have been, ready to view this thing called drum corps "down side up" long ago. They can do all of the things that are rewarded these days. It's time for many organizations, and certainly people -- writers, designers, instructors, directors -- to take to the slide (rhetorically speaking.) And here is what makes changing times wonderful: there are as many ways to skin this beast as there are organizations who put entertainments on the field. But first, everyone simply has to "let it go," actual histories, shows, approaches, songs, drill sets; all of it. The world of entertainment that the activity exists in is different than back in any of our halcyon days. Whether the new approach is as ground-breaking as The Bluecoats, or as signature as was the "feel" of Santa Clara, or as spot-on a mash-up of the more adventurous high school marching band world and class drum corps as was The Cavaliers, or as free-wheeling as was the creativity of the Blue Knights, there were new approaches up and down the spectrum. But for me anyway, what makes drum corps "drum corps," is the level of professionalism that catapults off the field right into my lap, my ears, and my eyes. All of this begins now, with the annual staff merry-go-round, which is all fine and good, but when you look at the most success over the longest periods of time you see one common staff denominator: consistency.* *Blue Devils. This was one terrific season of entertainment and competition. I feel a 2017 unlike anything we have seen in decades! I hope so : )

I am with the folks who say that The Cadets can design and perform a "Cadets" show that will compete. Santa Clara this year is the leading-edge example. But Mr. Dixon, while your view of all things Cadets is must-read material, on what to do next: Cadets, break your own glass ceiling. One man's idea: a Cadets take on the Broadway musical "Company." New York settings have played successful roles in Cadets shows over the decades, and the Sondheim music, arranged, yes, Cadets style, could be spectacular. Not to mention lots of story-telling, guard, instrumentation swap-offs. (Referencing the recent revival in which the actors also played instruments.) I love a Cadets championship as much as anyone -- I like any corps' championship -- but like everyone, it is time for the Cadets to renew, refresh, revision.

I have but one quibble with everyone here: General Effect: Bluecoats Percussion: Bluecoats (Props to Cadets, though) Visual: Blue Devils Color Guard: Blue Devils (It is never just about demand, but about multi-disciplined demand, superior performance, and the writing; oh, the writing! Sublime. Brass: Carolina Crown

Forty-four years in, I have a theory about finals week: the judges are given one last pep talk, a talk that reminds them that the final scores they register will become a part of determining the direction of the activity moving forward. Therefore -- here comes my theory -- given the level of quality performances that every corps will deliver, it comes down to layering those performances on the quality of the shows themselves. *Dodging brickbats* ; ) I can apply my theory to the top of the charts, but since we are discussing who gets in finals, here goes: Crossmen, The Academy, Boston Crusaders, perhaps in that descending order. Should be a terrific week!

WONDERFUL ASIDE: https://www.collegemarching.com/content/dci-at-the-olympics-yep Representing really well. WOW! moment: at the very end ... when this year's Bluecoats' "ramps" are rolled out on the field. Prescient.

HOT #### We have us a Top 3 contest! Elements. Performance. Ordinals. Design. ALL at play. Of course "I alone" know what each corps should do ... but much more fun to sit back and take it all in as each change, each improvement, each tenth of a point increase, is revealed. My money goes one direction, my heart another ... for now.

Mr. Hopkins is too mercurial -- Trump~ian, if you will -- to vote with any degree of certainty at all. Here is what I think: depending on where he lands on a design approach / theme for 2017 will dictate much. - Will he perceive: "If only we had been more Cadet-like ... " - Will he split design hairs and straddle the fence ... again ... - Will he throw caution to the wind and at least attempt to go full bore 2017-style ... I know as little as the next guy -- and much less than the ones of you who know a lot! -- but if recapturing the spirit of performance the corps embodied when the legendary April Gilliland was a part of the design team, which precursed much of what is on the field today, I think the corps could well be back at the very top of performers.

Bluecoats: reminds me of the audience gasps at the groundbreaking Cadets in 1982 Blue Devils: three-peat not only possible, probable ... and deservedly so PLUS: Santa Clara Vanguard, Phantom Regiment, The Academy (nice to see a quality specialty show again) ON THE CUSP ... by season's end, perhaps? Carolina Crown, The Cavaliers, Blue Stars Be nice to the newbie poster / Jurassic fan ; )