Time for Rifles to Go?

[GMichael1230]

Since when do we alter the activity to fit the theme ?? We are supposed to, I thought, or the designers that do it best, take a theme or idea and adapt it to the existing criteria drum corps has. Rifles never fit the theme of a show, the show was worked around exisiting elements.

Now we have narration, amplification, now altered guard equipment ?? Again crutches hiding true creativity.

~G~

Edited August 23, 2007 by GMichael1230

[GuyW]

That could actually be a good thing. It has the potential to pare down the audience/fanbase, make it more focused, more pliable... which is more attractive to sponsors. Fewer number, but the ability for greater focus is actually better. The sponsor can target their message without the distractions from the segment of the audience they aren't much interested anyway.

To be honest, the very best thing that could ever happen for drum corps would be a clear and complete fracture of the fan base.

Traditionalist could have more incentive to embrace DCA and alumni corps, causing them to flourish.

Absent the distraction of these segments, DCI corps could focus exclusively on growing their base of potential participants and progressive fans.

This is something that should be encouraged as everyone wins.

Finally - a post by Daniel Ray I can agree with...

[BDMOM]

You'll never give it up you hot rifle spinning chick with an attitude :P

Hope you are at Mars Saturday night T! Miss ya!

[GuyW]

I do fined it a shame that people who were around in those days...who were part of an enormous level of change in the drum corps world...are today afraid the same sort of things they were a part of back then.

Well Mike:

A) some of us never supported the Combine or the start of DCI (ironic, yes)

B) some of us also got smarter as we got older.

[NakedEye]

Really - ALL thing "evolve"?

How much has Fife and Drum Corps "evolved"? etc.

Ah true. Good point. Let's rephrase: all things either evolve or diminish from lack of advancement while those around them continue to change."

Since the theatrical element keeps being brought up, here's a line from Hairspray..."you can't stop the beat..." b**bs

[X DM]

Well Mike:

A) some of us never supported the Combine or the start of DCI (ironic, yes)

B) some of us also got smarter as we got older.

Guy...... this one's for you and like minds ( with my apologies to General Douglas MacArthur ) for it's application to Drum "CORPS "instead of the West Point " CORPS " of Cadets :

" THE SHADOWS ARE LENGTHENING FOR ME. THE TWILIGHT IS HERE. MY DAYS OF OLD HAVE VANISHED, TONE AND TINT.

THEY HAVE GONE GLIMMERING THRU THE DREAMS OF THINGS THAT WERE. THEIR MEMORY IS ONE OF WONDROUS BEAUTY, WATERED BY TEARS, AND COAXED AND CARESSED BY THE SMILES OF YESTERDAY.

I LISTEN VAINLY, BUT WITH THIRSTY EAR, FOR THE WITCHING MELODY OF FAINT BUGLES, OF FAR DRUMS BEATING THE LONG ROLL..

IN MY DREAMS, THERE ARE THE ECHOES, AND THE ReECHOES OF DUTY..... HONOR...... COUNTRY. TODAY MARKS MY FINAL DRUM ROLL WITH YOU.

BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WHEN I CROSS THE RIVER, MY LAST CONSCIOUS THOUGHTS WILL BE.......

OF THE ( drum) CORPS...... AND THE ( drum ) CORPS........ AND THE ( drum ) CORPS.

I BID YOU FAREWELL "

Edited August 23, 2007 by X DM

[Liam]

Since when do we alter the activity to fit the theme ?? We are supposed to, I thought, or the designers that do it best, take a theme or idea and adapt it to the existing criteria drum corps has. Rifles never fit the theme of a show, the show was worked around exisiting elements.

Now we have narration, amplification, now altered guard equipment ?? Again crutches hiding true creativity.

~G~

So ~G~, not sure if this was directed at me, but I'll respond in one way, anyway.

I, at least, am not saying that the activity NEEDS to or even SHOULD be altered to fit the theme. My question was merely that since so much of color guard HAS been altered to fit the theme, why hasn't this one aspect -- the use of rifles/sabres? I just find it curious that practically everything else has changed to fit the theme -- the movement, the costumes, the emoting, props, etc (and we can debate whether or not those things SHOULD have changed andor whether they changed for the better, but the fact is, they DID change), yet this one aspect -- the use of rifles has not. One reason I'm trying to figure out why, is that it may be the key to keeping it (and other things) from changing without proper reasoning in the future. :)

[Guard Diva]

based on the discussion in the other thread, i was just curious what the majority here thinks..

Mods, feel free to merge with the thread, if that's possible.....

[jwscv87]

B ) Gun deaths among youth, particularly accidental, are the highest they have ever been

I think correlating rifles (that don't much resemble rifles) in a guard performance to societal woes with respect to the misuse of firearms is ridiculous. Taking it a step farther and taking the position that it is not socially responsible to utilize them is over the top, political over-correctness at its worst. ...although Rosie O'Donnel would love the logic.

Hanging on to certain traditions as a nod to the activity's roots is ok by me regardless of how far we may have moved away from those roots.

[Willie85]

Willie - thanks for the response :)

So do you think that the drama, mystique, danger, etc comes SPECIFICALLY because the items are weaponry or because they are hefty objects. Meaning, I understand why a baton might not engender that same level of "danger" because it is puny compared to a heft, wooden rifle. But could another sizable, wooden shape that fits with the theme produce the same kind of drama, etc that you're talking about? Or are you positing that the imagery of weapons is what causes this drama?

Your example about Italian opera only furthers my above question. Italian opera is sung in Italian because ... well ... because it's ITALIAN!!!! :) In other words, it fits the theme. But Gilbert and Sullivan opera isn't done in Italian because it wouldn't fit, no matter how beautifal a language. See what I'm getting at? And I don't know the answer to this and I'm not trying to sway you -- I'm just trying to get to the crux of the matter so I understand better, that's all :)

Liam-

Yeah, I’m saying it’s the about weapon imagery, not heft. The element of danger is more of a subconscious/collective memory thing. No one, …well, very few of us anyway, go to drum corps hoping to see a guard member get beaned in the head. In any case, it’s all the more dignified to get beaned in the head by a rifle than a green-and-purple-spinning-question-mark-dealy-mabob. :)

As far as theme shaped objects: I find them a bit cheesy as an expressive device, like a bad pun. I get the idea of ‘Spring’, I don’t need giant twirling wooden daisies to knock me over the head with it. :P I think at some point most people figure out that they are watching a drum corps with a color guard and the rifle just become a neutral flying spinning tossing thing.

As far as opera, Italian doesn’t really fit the theme of Boheme (Parisian artists), Madama Butterfly (Nagasaki geisha) or Turandot (Chinese princess), yet it is an integral part of the experience whether in Milan, New York, or Tokyo. Besides, if you’re going say an opera is presented in Italian because it’s Italian, you might as well say a color guard spins weapons because it’s a color guard. :)

I think there’s a question of scale too. In a football stadium, people in row 75 (as well as judges in the press box) need to know what you’re spinning, and the weapons are recognizable standard shapes. In my experience, unconventional twirly shapes usually cause several minutes of ‘Marge, what is that thing they’re spinning down there ?’ type stadium murmuring. Not sure how that’s an improvement over having to explain why rifles. Again, maybe it’s different a situation for winterguard performed on a gymnasium floor.