TerriDitt57 Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 sigh...I loved Guardsmen so much, I do miss them !!~G~ Thank G. I would have been super cool to have Andy march there second generation on both sides. But as you know, the best laid plans of mice and men...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMichael1230 Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 sigh...I loved Guardsmen so much, I do miss them !!~G~ Me too....on the tape everyone seems to be so petite in their guard, yet they did some of the most amazing things! Their horn line I also thought was quite good! I'm no horn person I remember so many of their songs, played beautifully! (Seahawk?) Wasn't that one of their OTL? Anyway, ~G~ please stop making me Of course I love it and appreciate it....and I get giddy...OK you make me feel like a kid again! Thanks for that!! Nancy OMG thats right !!! "seahawk" and "Henry the V" Their rifle line was excellent and their Brass was like their signature.......the power and subtlety during "Greensleeves" was amazing...as were the arcs in the drill !! LOL Awww, Nanc....what can I say. Im sure every guard fanatic of our era considers you the "Madonna" of colorguard........LOL..I slay myself !! ~G~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMichael1230 Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 Thanks G. I would have been super cool to have Andy march there second generation on both sides.But as you know, the best laid plans of mice and men...... That WOULD have been nice but look at it this way, now you have two corps to love that are close to your heart !! :) ~G~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMichael1230 Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 Oh and Nanci, when I see you this summer, I might just have to bring my rifle, done in true 80 Lancer style and do the work to "Folksong Suite" LOL LOL ~G~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerriDitt57 Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 Thanks G. I would have been super cool to have Andy march there second generation on both sides.But as you know, the best laid plans of mice and men...... That WOULD have been nice but look at it this way, now you have two corps to love that are close to your heart !! :) ~G~ that's true, Cap Sound, Guardsmen, and one more: The Royal Airs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deftguy Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 That annoys me too, Mike but if I were to pinpoint the thing that annoys MORE than anything, it is the "these kids don't know any better so they would like it OUR way better" opinion. There is waaaay too much emotion, and not enough logic and clear thinking here. None of the alumni who have marched in the late 70's to middle 80's such as I have want to see colorguard go back to that era. That is taking things way out of context. What I think many of us alumni " would like to see" is better control of the equipment, clean moves done in unison, and a little less dance(or in my case no dance on the field at all). It doesn't take winding the clock back to 1980 to get this accomplished. As an alumni I don't understand what instructors and show designers are trying to accomplish. It does not make sense to me. That is NOT the fault of the performer, but the leaders. I would never blame the performer who is just carrying out the wishes and visions(or lack thereof) of their instructors. What I would like to see is a more broad range of performances and styles so that there is something for everbody. Colorguard is monovision today. There basically all doing the same thing. No variety, personality, or even the smallest sense of individual character. This is not the performers fault. When I instructed, I paid alot of attention to what very experienced people told me(namely Linda Markham and Steve Brubaker) is to not alienate our colorguards fans. The older ones, and the newer ones. Give something for everybody to digest. But in order to win these days you have to look like the top five, and do what they do. That is a shame and shows todays colorguard instructors(not all mind you) lack a PERSONAL vision of what the would like their guard to look like. I think the crust of most complaints of alumni is not the performer, its the instructors. I know that is were I think the problem is. I saw when I began teaching colorguard and going to other guards rehersals that many instructors would get fustrated with trying to clean equipment work done in unison, they would switch to a solo or individual "feature" work instead. What kind of work ethic is that?? What does it teach the kids, when it gets to hard, switch the script? Its not the 80's, guard has changed. But the ethic of hard work, clean clean clean, one unit(and not 12 individuals), doing appropriate moves to compliment the music with their equipment. That is not a 70's or 80's thing. As I have said before it should be a timeless thing. I say for the performers that are doing this thing now, you are really good at what is taught to you. To the visual, weapon, and flag instructors ask yourself these questions. Will the judges see ALL of my work from the pressbox? Do the performers do it well? Is my work detracting from the overall show? Have I made dance such a priority that the guard members need a degree in dance to perform? For most of colorguard today the answers would be like no, no, yes, and yes in order. That to me is the biggest shame of all and none of it has ANYTHING to do with the performer. So everyone can take their feelings and emotions off of the shoulders now. The instructors should be the defensive ones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerriDitt57 Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 That annoys me too, Mike but if I were to pinpoint the thing that annoys MORE than anything, it is the "these kids don't know any better so they would like it OUR way better" opinion.There is waaaay too much emotion, and not enough logic and clear thinking here. None of the alumni who have marched in the late 70's to middle 80's such as I have want to see colorguard go back to that era. Well dude, you didn't say that but you need to look up this thread a piece at what someone else said. I didn't quote anyone verbatim but I did capture the jist of their post pretty much saying what I posted. I am not ruled by emotion. And I am very logical. And last time I looked, my mind is pretty clear about things. Sometimes MUCH too clear for my own good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBrancheau Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 Oh and Nanci, when I see you this summer, I might just have to bring my rifle, done in true 80 Lancer style and do the work to "Folksong Suite" LOL LOL~G~ LOL! I was looking at 80 Finals over the weekend. Too incredible for words. Kept trying to figure out which rifle Nancy was...I think (looking at the field from the audience) that she's on the left. Am I right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wheelerand Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 Its not the 80's, guard has changed. But the ethic of hard work, clean clean clean, one unit(and not 12 individuals), doing appropriate moves to compliment the music with their equipment. That is not a 70's or 80's thing. As I have said before it should be a timeless thing. This whole post was very well put, but I quoted only a small part of it in deference to George's database and servers... :P Two points stick out: 1. Those of us who prefer equipment work to dance are not necessarily advocating a "return" to any era past. We're not necessarily against evolution in drum corps. Typically, we simply believe that equipment work translates better on the field and adds to the show more than dance. 2. The unison vs. individual thing, IMO, is the single biggest complaint I have against drill today. It's especially apparent in CG and seems to prevail more in the dance sections than in the equipment sections, although it happens in both. It's very distracting to watch, and fails completely to create the effect of one coherent show taking place. So does much of the "running around" that happens in trying to get people from one position to the next. Again, this is especially apparent in CG, but I've seen whole corps do it. To me, and this is just one person's opinions, this is where drum corps ceases to become drum corps and becomes something else - part drama, part dance, part music, etc. But not drum corps. I'm not saying everyone needs to be marching in a straight line up and down the field, but I am saying that unison, doing things in time to the music and doing them together, is for me a DEFINING characteristic of the drum corps idiom. --Andrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 Two points stick out: How did Dolly Parton get into this thread??? 1. Those of us who prefer equipment work to dance are not necessarily advocating a "return" to any era past. We're not necessarily against evolution in drum corps. Typically, we simply believe that equipment work translates better on the field and adds to the show more than dance. Well, IMO much of the thrust of these threads has been comparing modern guard to 1970-80-whatever and lamenting about how much better show design was then as compared to now. 2. The unison vs. individual thing, IMO, is the single biggest complaint I have against drill today. It's especially apparent in CG and seems to prevail more in the dance sections than in the equipment sections, although it happens in both. It's very distracting to watch, and fails completely to create the effect of one coherent show taking place. So does much of the "running around" that happens in trying to get people from one position to the next. Again, this is especially apparent in CG, but I've seen whole corps do it. To me, and this is just one person's opinions, this is where drum corps ceases to become drum corps and becomes something else - part drama, part dance, part music, etc. But not drum corps. IMO.... Nothing is automatically one way or the other....it's how the show is put together that makes it work or not. If it looks like aimless "running around" then for you the show isn't working, unless aimless running around is what they designer is looking to portray. I've seen great unison...and I've seen great small group and individual moments. I've seen what I'd consider lousy individual type moments, lousy small group...and lousy unison. I just don't see that there can be any one way that is HAS to be. I'm not saying everyone needs to be marching in a straight line up and down the field, but I am saying that unison, doing things in time to the music and doing them together, is for me a DEFINING characteristic of the drum corps idiom. There are lots of moments like that in shows. I've yet to see one where the predominant design is scattered fragments all over the place. In some places? Yes. Does it alwyas work for me? No. But, that's just MHO. I'd not presume to think that there is one way is HAS to be to make it drum corps. Mike, DC since 64 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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