Cesario steps up as DCI's Artistic Director

[Jeff Ream]

I have to disagree.

After hearing some of Michael's thoughts, I came away with the impression that DCI is trying to do some things toward evolving the way the game is judged. When that happens - if it is done right - it could have a very positive effect on the audience.

they key is what the design staffs do from there. that's why I don't expect a one year fix

[jjeffeory]

I agree. The 2010 Santa Clara Vanguard show was nothing like that of ( say ) the 2010 Cadets show. Not in style, form, approach, degree of seriousness or comity of theme, visual, music, guard.... nothing. There was a bigger disparity in these 2 Corps approaches last year than in any found in any other 2 Corps from the lower placing tier. It made it difficult for the judges to compare and contrast such completely dissimilar shows, but they did.

Those were different for sure. Now, I've been watching the Blu-ray disks I got today and another thing I've noticed is that every hornline has to do lunges and all of that body work while playing, which isn't bad. It does seem to be another cookie cutter element in today's shows to be competitive.

[Jeff Ream]

so what did people think of the 2nd part? sounds to me like G8 shows is where the experimentation will happen, and a lot of it is still very vague or under wraps at this time

[Wadep66]

Looks to me like they are making an attept to do what many folks on here have been clamoring for: Have some way to reward/recognize shows for being more crowd-friendly. If I recall, many folks have been crying that DCI is loosing audiences because it is too inwardly focused and the shows are too esoteric for the average fan to enjoy.

Looks to me like we have the typical naysayers who are convinced any change is an underhanded move by some to dictate the entire activity.

Looks to me like some will like it and some won't.

I'm keeping an open mind and hoping for the first intent to have some impact.

[Jeff Ream]

I see merits. I'm just not sure of a quick fix

[Stu]

> Looks to me like they are making an attempt to do what many folks on here have been clamoring for: Have some way to reward/recognize shows for being more crowd-friendly.

More Crowd Friendly; less Esoteric? .... For the past five or six years Gibbs/Hopkins have been the two biggest instigators in constructing shows that many fans have found too "way out there"; and they are now the two who are pushing this G (fill in the number) idea. Other than Michael C. being involved, how can we be sure that this TOC thing is now going to go in the "Capture the Crowd" direction?

Edited December 16, 2010 by Stu

[DrillmanSop06]

> Looks to me like they are making an attempt to do what many folks on here have been clamoring for: Have some way to reward/recognize shows for being more crowd-friendly.

More Crowd Friendly; less Esoteric? .... For the past five or six years Gibbs/Hopkins have been the two biggest instigators in constructing shows that many fans have found too "way out there"; and they are now the two who are pushing this G (fill in the number) idea. Other than Michael C. being involved, how can we be sure that this TOC thing is now going to go in the "Capture the Crowd" direction?

Firstly, The Cadets have had shows that, while arguably "over the top," are not esoteric. If anything, the complaint has been that they are the opposite: cheesy.

Secondly, the idea is that the Blue Devils should be free to do their thing. Cersario is advocating an idea that lower-placing corps shouldn't be pushed by the judging to community to emulate those qualities in order to succeed competitively. Did you listen to the podcast? He states explicitly this.

[Stu]

Firstly, The Cadets have had shows that, while arguably "over the top," are not esoteric. If anything, the complaint has been that they are the opposite: cheesy.

Secondly, the idea is that the Blue Devils should be free to do their thing. Cersario is advocating an idea that lower-placing corps shouldn't be pushed by the judging to community to emulate those qualities in order to succeed competitively. Did you listen to the podcast? He states explicitly this.

I am not going to quibble over the nomenclature between esoteric or cheesy; the point is that both the Devils and the Cadets have been way “over the top” turning off many in the audience with their (tell me a story about a girl in an outhouse with mirrors and a large bunny rabbit while absurdly hallucinating on something) type shows. And it is the two directors of these corps’ that are the leaders in this G#/TOC extravaganza which is attempting to be more crowd friendly. Yeah, that is the ticket!

[DrillmanSop06]

I am not going to quibble over the nomenclature between esoteric or cheesy; the point is that both the Devils and the Cadets have been way “over the top” turning off many in the audience with their (tell me a story about a girl in an outhouse with mirrors and a large bunny rabbit while absurdly hallucinating on something) type shows. And it is the two directors of these corps’ that are the leaders in this G#/TOC extravaganza which is attempting to be more crowd friendly. Yeah, that is the ticket!

...and those directors enact what sort of control over the design teams of other corps, exactly?

It's the judging community, not two administrators, who are responsible for the show designs of lower-placing corps. Cesario is taking measure to ensure that corps aren't penalized for not following the winner's footsteps. How is this difficult to understand?

And just to split hairs, I'd never in a million years compare BD shows to Cadets shows. Cadets shows are accessible to the point of being nauseating. A random individual can discern what they are about instantly, even if they dislike them. BD shows, not so much in since 2006. By the way, The Zone II is nearing its fifth anniversary - let it go.

[Stu]

> It's the judging community, not two administrators, who are responsible for the show designs of lower-placing corps.

Nope, it is the Design Team of each corps that is responsible for the design of each individual corps.

> ...and those directors enact what sort of control over the design teams of other corps, exactly?

None; but Hop/Gibbs are both directly responsible for this G# fiasco pushing the cirque envelope.

> And just to split hairs, I'd never in a million years compare BD shows to Cadets shows. Cadets shows are accessible to the point of being nauseating. A random individual can discern what they are about instantly, even if they dislike them. BD shows, not so much in since 2006. By the way, The Zone II is nearing its fifth anniversary - let it go.

Got it! Cadets shows are understandable and accessible but not the Devils. So, in 2012 the Cadet show can be about a little boy getting testy because Alice threw all of his toy soldiers in the outhouse so he goes to his dad who sits him down to tell him a story about the good ole days when he actually believed in something but the rabbit ate his homework therefore he will decide to buy a radio and place it on a table right smack dab in the middle of the 50 yard-line; and the 2012 Devils show can be about vanity with mirrors while the announcer yells out dance moves to people sitting in chairs doing some rather absurd things to their instruments. (Meanwhile) all the other corps' shall receive a big binding promise from Mr. C. and the judges that they will not hold these poor less privileged units to the same standard as the high and mighty Cadets or Devils and they can even play some umm-pah Sousa music a-la '70s style, dump the electronics, go back to the G rotors, become the crowd the favorite, and have a real chance to win the 2012 WC title! Or am I missing something here?

Edited December 17, 2010 by Stu