First experiences with drill?

[84BDsop]

Take all the counts to get to your spot....that means if you have a 32 count set and you go 3 feet....take all 32 counts to get there.

By the same token, if you're out of form and need to correct on the move, do NOT do it in one step....do it gradually so those guiding off of you don't get left out to dry all of a sudden and cause centipeding down the line.

Remember....it's not X amount of individual drills that have to work...it's X amount of individual SHOWS that all happen at the same time and place...it all has to work together.

[SF2K4]

Take all the counts to get to your spot....that means if you have a 32 count set and you go 3 feet....take all 32 counts to get there.

By the same token, if you're out of form and need to correct on the move, do NOT do it in one step....do it gradually so those guiding off of you don't get left out to dry all of a sudden and cause centipeding down the line.

Remember....it's not X amount of individual drills that have to work...it's X amount of individual SHOWS that all happen at the same time and place...it all has to work together.

To add to what he said and what I said, MID POINTS ARE YOUR FRIEND!!! If you can note them on your dot book DO IT!!! Yes, it's kind of like memorizing twice as many charts but I also memorize a mid point; actually makes memorizing all your drill MUCH easier and greatly helps with maneuvering thru the drill.

[soccerguy315]

yea... it is helpful to note counts of moves where you cross yard lines also.

[Shadow_7]

There's also counts and special moves. M8 H4 as in Move 8 Halt 4. Sets I write every other line, the transition between sets (counts) go inbetween. There's also special horn moves, foot moves, and other complexities of modern drill. Personally I hate that stuff as a member. Mainly because it's impossible to do cleanly / well. With more defined moves, bells front and flat, bells in and flat, bells front and up, bells in and up (to the box), feet together, feet apart, it's much easier to teach and clean (fewer questions). And doesn't require a minor in dance to compliment your major in music. And it doesn't take a full month to get past learning the drill for the 2 minute opener. (for the 7th time).

[AlexL]

By the same token, if you're out of form and need to correct on the move, do NOT do it in one step....do it gradually so those guiding off of you don't get left out to dry all of a sudden and cause centipeding down the line.

AKA, the "#### You Step".

[84BDsop]

AKA, the "#### You Step".

Ohhhhhh yeah.

[euponitone]

Ohhhhhh yeah.

Just to nail it down, here is a count by count breakdown for the guide point in an 8 count move

Step 1 - Too small

Step 2 - Too small

Step 3 - Too small

Step 4 - Too small

Step 5 - Too small

Step 6 - Too small

Step 7 - Too small (and realizes he wont make it)

Step 8 - OHHHMMMMYYYYGODDDD-FLYYINGGGSUUPPERMAANN LEAAAP, INTO MY SPOT

Count 9, as the entire line is ****ed, dress point thinks "Phew, I made it "

[LancerFi]

Similar to mine...no one on the field had charts....the staff had a big set of acetate sheets with the pages drawn on them (so they could see the transitions from page to page, I think). They'd set the end people and someone would step us off for proper intervals, they'd dress the line, then when they were satisfied, we put down a mark (usually tape). The go to the lest set, repeat the procedure, and march from set to set, lather/rinse/repeat.

Wow, the staff could afford acetate sheets????

The staff used spray paint for each set, from the sky it looked like a UFO landing strip. It was black hot top.

Ditto for my experience. There were a few sets of charts/sheets that the M & M staff had.

In 1994 we did get sheets, however due to a letter I sent to the powers that be and then a conversation we got a 2nd set to reset where each rifle would be located. Long story......but I felt so important because I was actually heard......ain't I proud.... way too much information I know but I just think it's funny what goes on behind the scenes that no one has a clue about. I'll have to start a new topic along those lines!

Oh, sorry, my point was that we had kind of the same thing.

[84BDsop]

Just to nail it down, here is a count by count breakdown for the guide point in an 8 count move

Step 1 - Too small

Step 2 - Too small

Step 3 - Too small

Step 4 - Too small

Step 5 - Too small

Step 6 - Too small

Step 7 - Too small (and realizes he wont make it)

Step 8 - OHHHMMMMYYYYGODDDD-FLYYINGGGSUUPPERMAANN LEAAAP, INTO MY SPOT

Count 9, as the entire line is ****ed, dress point thinks "Phew, I made it "

QFT!!!

[84BDsop]

Wow, the staff could afford acetate sheets????

Hey...it was BD...our busses didn't have mushrooms growing out of the floorboards, either! (at least, that was the story told by a couple of 27th guys who moved to BD in 84)

In 1994 we did get sheets, however due to a letter I sent to the powers that be and then a conversation we got a 2nd set to reset where each rifle would be located. Long story......but I felt so important because I was actually heard......ain't I proud.... way too much information I know but I just think it's funny what goes on behind the scenes that no one has a clue about. I'll have to start a new topic along those lines!

That happened to me on my first night in BD. Mike Moxley put me up for the night the day I moved up north from San Diego. That also happened to be the first night the visual staff met to discuss drill. Mike invited me to watch and I was smart enough (first time for everything!) to keep my lip zipped.

They were going over the opener, "Bacchinalia"...remember that a bacchinale was a Roman orgy.

So they're discussing the first bit halt/hit in the show and I see that the drill's expanding. I #### my head a little, Mike asks if I have an idea, and I answer that "if everyone's coming to the orgy (Mike's actual description!), shouldn't the form be coming together?"

And THAT was my one contribution to drill for the 84 Blue Devils!! Always felt kinda pleased that people with their experience took seriously a suggestion from someone who had NEVER marched corps style...just one of the things that made me love that year....and regret that I didn't discover BD sooner.