N.E. Brigand Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 ... it is just that what the #@$% do guns have to do with, say, Turandot, set in 12th-century China? It isn't a bit strange that guns are put into a piece set hundreds of years before the gun was even invented? Got to correct you on something: Turandot is set in the 12th-century Persian Empire. Rifles are no less relevant to the Persian Empire as is having the characters sing in Italian. Sorry, Michael, but while the name "Turandot" is Persian, and the first execution is of the Prince of Persia (for failing to answer Turandot's questions), the setting is Peking (Beijing). What's more, as wikipedia notes, for "many years, the Government of the People's Republic of China forbade performance of Turandot because they said it portrayed China and the Chinese unfavourably", but was eventually performed it was in the Forbidden City itself in 1998, under the direction of Zubin Mehta and Zhang Yimou. This is a documentary about that production. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielray Posted February 4, 2013 Author Share Posted February 4, 2013 Drum Corps mostly use " sabres ", not " swords ". A " sabre" is not " a sword ". The "sabre's " blade is typically curved, while the " sword " blade is not. The " sword " blade is typically straight. The " sword " is also typically twin bladed. My guess, your inability to explain to new fans why Corps use rifles and sabres is due to your own lack of understanding of what actually is out on the field,... and more importantly, why. I have had no difficulty at all in explaining to new fans in attendance with me why we see rifles and sabres on on the field in Drum Corps, and without exception, the explanation seemed to be understandable and satisfactory to them. My hunch is that your own confusion on this is picked up by the new fan(s ) with you and thus they remain confused as well. Thats a shame. I wish I was there at these moments to explain it to them properly. I will admit I'm still trying to figure that whole color guard thing out, and whatever they are called, it is pretty neat to see all those twirly things out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 BD 2012 is a show were rifles and swords actually make sense. Yes, but only in the context of finding that d*** DaDa guy who kept talking through the show, and cutting out his vocal chords. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielray Posted February 4, 2013 Author Share Posted February 4, 2013 Yes, but only in the context of finding that d*** DaDa guy who kept talking through the show, and cutting out his vocal chords. This? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perc2100 Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 Show drum corps to someone who has never seen it... has no context. One of the first things they ask is why are they throwing guns and swords? Seriously? Is that your experience? Because in my experience that's happened never. When I've shown drum corps to people who have never seen it before I've always heard more comments about musical programming, visual design, color guard colors & costumes, etc. If anything, after taking-in all of that stuff, occasionally I've heard a "what are those white things being thrown up in to the air by those people in costumes" but I've NEVER heard any sort of negative connotations from a newbie watching drum corps for the first time. I teach HS band, and ALL OF THE TIME I field questions from newbies middle school parents who don't know anything about marching band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielray Posted February 4, 2013 Author Share Posted February 4, 2013 Seriously? Is that your experience? Because in my experience that's happened never. When I've shown drum corps to people who have never seen it before I've always heard more comments about musical programming, visual design, color guard colors & costumes, etc. If anything, after taking-in all of that stuff, occasionally I've heard a "what are those white things being thrown up in to the air by those people in costumes" but I've NEVER heard any sort of negative connotations from a newbie watching drum corps for the first time. I teach HS band, and ALL OF THE TIME I field questions from newbies middle school parents who don't know anything about marching band. Where I live... even marching band is literally a foreign concept. All of it is completely new. Viewing it in this context is quiet interesting, as things you sort of take for granted or see as usual are pointed out. Looking at it objectively, shakos look pretty #### silly... as do uniforms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 yes Daniel, but the world is not ready for naked drum corps yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithHall Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 Just remember...Daniel is right and has the right answers for our problems in drum corps. Ask him, he'll tell you. LOL 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 Where I live... even marching band is literally a foreign concept. All of it is completely new. " Marching Band " is found on all 7 Continents. Do you live on Planet Earth or some other Planet ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perc2100 Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 Where I live... even marching band is literally a foreign concept. All of it is completely new. Where do you live? It kind of seems like your concern is anecdotal at best, and quite possibly pretty unfounded. I stand by my assertion that If we are going to have a serious conversation about how to appeal to more fans, and/or taking measures to ensure we don't turn off new fans from the activity, I think eliminating rifles on the off chance it might offend a few overly-sensitive (or to be fair, maybe just uninitiated) folks is pretty dang far on the list of "things we should change." Viewing it in this context is quiet interesting, as things you sort of take for granted or see as usual are pointed out. Looking at it objectively, shakos look pretty #### silly... as do uniforms. Oh, for sure, and I've had the fun occasionally when we have foreign exchange students, or something like that where a student or family comes from an area where there is zero marching band presence other than maybe military parade bands or 'rah rah' pep band type athletic bands. It is interesting watching their mind's kind of tick as they process what they're seeing in the context of competitive marching band, or high-achieving drum corps. But, just because something is different, foreign, or even culturally weird doesn't automatically mean that we need to change something. We could also, I don't know, explain the tradition and history and stuff. Scottish sgian-dubhs seem a little crazy/scary in America, where we're not exactly comfortable with someone walking around with a visible knife attached to a person (or a kilt, for that matter), but that doesn't mean we should freak out going to Scotland when we see it. We are talking about a pretty distinctly American activity being performed in America: if we're talking about adapting the activity in Europe, or Asia, or India or wherever you may be talking about, that's a different conversation. But I still don't think there is anything even remotely startling about spinning rifles or sabers in DCI corps: certainly not jarring enough to change for the sake of appealing to specific foreign sensitivities. Now if we're talking about artistic merits of change, that's a whole other argument, and I'm with you on that one... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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