Help on basics block

[soccerguy315]

do you have competent (at marching) jr/srs in your program?

the program I work with teaches marching basics in sections. So the jrs/srs will work with the freshmen in small groups. Then they all come back to a big block, and do whatever they worked on together. Staff floats around and helps the people who are struggling. IMO it's important to help the new marchers with positive and constructive comments.

Some kids are just physically awkward at that age (mostly guys).

Do you have any other staff? If you are in a competitive area I assume you do... but if you don't, you should try to find some.

[blue_devil_fan9903]

Thank you all for your suggestions.

As of right now, I do not have much of a staff. Minus the colorguard instructor, I am running everything. With next year being my 3rd yr, I feel comfortable giving my juniors and seniors more time helping the younger kids out since they're doing a pretty good job with the technique I've been teaching them for the past two years.

It would be nice to have a staff, but I'm teaching in New Jersey right now and I'm just happy to have a job with the rate things are going around here. As of right now, I'm just looking for any techniques or ideas I can use differently to help my students improve even more and so far you all have helped me put some things into perspective a little more.

Thanks!

[jonnyboy]

Few tidbits to add: Many kids don't know what it feels like to be in a straight line with others carrying instruments. Get them in line/file and ask them to look around and see where they are in relation to the others. Then do it with just the eyes. Then take four (then eight then sixteen, then a box drill) steps and see if they can tell if the line/file was maintained. This kind of thing really helps with spacial relationships, hitting forms and maintaining forms etc.

Volunteers: You may not want to ask for season long volunteers, but what about band camp or special clinics? Often times corps vets will help out "for the love of the game". Let them know there is no pay and remind them they work for you. I help out with my local indoor line whenever I can in whatever capacity is needed, fun for me and hopefully helpful to the young staff.

[Josiahsop08]

Hello everyone,

I have a some questions regarding basic blocks. I am in my 2nd year as a High School Band Director with a competitive group and have my biggest problems in marching uniformly. I'm a huge drum corps fan, but unfortunately never had the chance to participate and learn from the best. Anyways, since I assume many of you on here have participated and learned from great educators, I was hoping you guys could help me out.

As of right now, I keep things very simple during basics. I use very few commands and spend a lot of time perfecting our technique and repeat figure 8 blocks and circle drills. Once we warm up in a full band basics block, I then split up into groups in order to break things down even more and help those who may be falling behind.

Anyways, I've been doing this type of set up for 2 years and some of my students really aren't getting it. My question to those of you willing to help me out is..........are there any other tools I should utilize in basics block? If anyone has any suggestions, tips, or even educational videos to get, I would greatly appreciate it. I'm already brainstorming for next year and would love some input.

Thank you!

push-ups and running laps! =) With an Air Max breathing tube.....oh wait thats just cruel :P You might get fired for that.....

[luvs me sum mello!]

www.dynamicmarching.com

Fundamentals in marching, music, and percussion from some of the best names in the business.

[BozzlyB]

Create a bigger front line to absorb the aren't getting it crew.

[CrownFan4ever]

I am not a drum corp instructor or anything or a band director but these are a few things that visual techs have done during basics.

Break down each step, for example just do one step and have them stay there, this enforces the idea and do that a couple of times. Then move to doing two or three steps. I know that has helped me out to becoming a better marcher. I second the point that some people just can't get it, but another idea is doing some one on one work with people who are having trouble with it and maybe having a veteran or their section leader come and help and give advice. It might help to hear it from someone who went through the same thing. Maybe also get a special volunteer like someone who has marched drum corps or like a director of a very good college band. I remember in band camp our band director brought in the band director from West Chester University, and he helped us out alot, and gave us really great tips some of us never heard before.

Hope this helps!

[soccerguy315]

I second the volunteers effort... if you could even snag 1 or 2 recently graduated kids from your program for a week before they go to college, it would help a lot.

Use your drum majors as staff to float around the block when you are doing basics. Make sure they are positive. You don't want them to just go around criticizing people, but actually taking the time to help them.

[mckdan]

This may seem a bit old-school, but, you might want to try drill-downs, or having the group compete with each other while the drum major barks out different marching commands. Change the tempo of the marching and vary the commands. Put an emphasis on correctness of marching, but, make the actual practice fun. By entertaining the band members you also can imprint a certain pride in the marching of the band and each individual.

[SkyDog]

If your high schoolers are anything like the ones I work with, transitions from move to move might be a bit of an adventure. They're not absolutely confident in what they're doing -- they tend to be passive, afraid to commit and make a mistake, so they watch their peers and try to follow along. (They don't realize this won't work because they'll always be late and LATE IS BAD.) To try to get them to commit on the first beat of a move, I've been doing a "plus one": Do the first move, then plant their lead foot as if they're making the first step in the direction of the next move. This is also handy to address changes in technique when changing directions, like making sure hips rotate correctly for wind players or making sure that hips don't rotate for drummers.