crowns body movement

[TAFL]

I can feel my scales forming....slowly....rawr.

That's it...you can do it...we're always happy to have somebody else see the light and step out of darkness! A little bit further and you'll be able to RAWR with the best of us.

[KeyboardGuy]

BAND. There...it's out, now no one use it!

There's nothing dirty about "band". After all, most of them have been playing in tume MUCH longer than drum corps have...

[ShortAndFast]

There's a line for me with body movement where it becomes too WGA. I can't define it. I just know it when I see it. Same thing with not playing and just kind of running around doing stuff like BD is doing this year a ton. I'm curious as to how much further this trend can go in DCI shows.

I find a fair amount of the body movement in DCI to just not be convincing. You can tell the players don't really buy it, or the staff didn't rehearse it enough to get it locked, or it's not well written for the context, or whatever.

But I do like what Crown's doing with it this year. I think it helps to give them visual energy and impact, and lets the hornline depict more of the story of the show. I also liked BD's take on it last year, and a fair amount of what the Cavies have done.

As to how far the trend can go, ask yourself how much the judges are prepared to reward it. Last year, BD pulled a 20.0 in Visual Ensemble at quarterfinals, and 20s in both VE and Visual Performance at semifinals.

[Tez]

I just watched the on demand show... and as predicted (since I don't generally like body movement), I didn't like it. The show is great... the body movement I could do without.

Possibly said body movement is responsible for the subtlety necessary to earn maximum GE points.

Can someone explain to me why they roll on the ground on side 1 during a portion (sorry, it's too late to go back and check for time stamps). What is that adding to the show? Obviously it is adding something, or they wouldn't be doing it... i'm just curious as to what that is?

Same question with a side 1 horn block that jumps/skips toward the goal line for roughly a yard line on side 1 instead of marching there?

Insight is appreciated.

Asking why they roll around, or skip, or whatever movements they do is like asking why they play a particular melody when they do.... it is part of the show that the designers designed. It seems to me that some people view drum corps way to much through a competitive lens... hence all the comments about it earning maximum GE and things like that. Did BLAST! not use body movement? Were they being judged? Modern Drum Corps is first and foremost an art-form.... just like theatre, ballet, or the symphony. Like I said in an earlier post... marching is dancing, so why restrict the members to just one form of dance? Marching is probably the blandest form of dance, which like I said, is perfect for calling attention to the "big picture." But if you want to showcase different movements, you must use different forms of movement.

[Tez]

....I’m just wondering if wearing a light-colored uniforms and doing the things they do are a good idea? (I know this isn’t the first time a cors has done this sort of thing)

In my opinion, only the corps who wear light colored pants (there's only 4 of them now) could do this type of body movement effectively. When Crown's mellos are on their backs with their legs in the air, it is very striking visually. I don't believe we would see it in the same way at all if their pants were black.

[louderisbetter]

... you should hear dancers complain about being asked to play percussion instruments! I was at a rehearsal the other day, and the choreographer borrowed a tambourine from the pit and handed it to the featured danseur, and one of the ladies remarked, "This activity is getting way too WGI for me!"

[Lincoln]

Crown seems to be doing almost guard like stuff which seems to me a little over the top.

I think Crown's hornline is doing a great job with the body movement - a much better job than their guard.

[soccerguy315]

Asking why they roll around, or skip, or whatever movements they do is like asking why they play a particular melody when they do.... it is part of the show that the designers designed. It seems to me that some people view drum corps way to much through a competitive lens... hence all the comments about it earning maximum GE and things like that. Did BLAST! not use body movement? Were they being judged? Modern Drum Corps is first and foremost an art-form.... just like theatre, ballet, or the symphony. Like I said in an earlier post... marching is dancing, so why restrict the members to just one form of dance? Marching is probably the blandest form of dance, which like I said, is perfect for calling attention to the "big picture." But if you want to showcase different movements, you must use different forms of movement.

I didn't mean to stress the score aspect, I meant to stress the "it adds to the show" aspect, which is why Blast does it. Just in drum corps, "adding to the show" results in "more points". My problem is I am not understanding what it adds to the show. Someone else posted (quoted below) that it body movement is an attempt to reflect the music, which makes sense to try to do. I am still not a fan of it, but at least I can try to understand where it is coming from.

Your explanation was helpful though... If I loosen my definitions, I might understand better. I have viewed the horn line's responsibility as "play music to communicate the point" but I guess there isn't really a reason that only the guard should do significant body movement. Just my preconceived perceptions.

There is a short clip on the FN that talks about the "Mellos body movement". It is supposed to reflect the music being played and so it portrays a sort of primitive nature and its very raw or something like that.

thanks, I will look for this clip.

[BostonRocks]

I generally don't care for horns doing a bunch of body movement.

But I absolutely love what Crown's horns are doing. It's cool body movement. And it works oh so well.

[JayM]

I like that they have choreographed moves when they are letting loose. The standard "undulating" ($1 to BD) motion by itself is getting a little tired, IMO.