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Brief Bridgeport Review


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It's been good, and even better, some folks who may have taken a year off have come back throughout the run

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Question: What is their average retainage of membership from year to year, on the run they have going? Seems to me that it would be pretty high for this to be effective.

My understanding is that they have had quite a bit of turnover particularly over the last 3 or so years. They also get returns from people that marched in previous years that take a year or 2 off, then come back so, there is a good veteran base. However, it's obvious that the program they have in place is geared towards bringing whomever is in the spots to a preset level of accomplishment in the time frame required to get the job done. It also doesn't hurt that they seem to have more people than they need to fill spots

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Let's be honest. They are the only DCA corps in PA. That helps

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You seem to think the Communication sub caption is an applause meter. It isn't. It's a measure of how the corps communicates the program to the audience. Audience reaction can and is part of that, but it goes way beyond who claps loudest.

Though to be fair, the corps that had the highest score in Communication in Bridgeport was the corps that deserved it (Reading). They were also the only corps that had sporadic standing ovations *during* their performance, in addition to the one at the conclusion of the show (one as the opener ended, one as Mambo ended).

Cabs had a really nice audience moment at the end of the introduction, but it really fizzled from that point on. They didn't really get a big pop until they trooped the stands. Hurcs got a really nice hometown redaction, but nothing near what Reading received. Statesmen were well received, but didn't get a big reaction (which is no surprise, as their show is only a skeleton right now, with none of the typical Statesmen "shtick" in yet).

Exactly John...in general effect the judges are not reading the audience for reaction, they are a PART of the audience and they basically go along with the corps for the ride just as an audience member would. They are looking at how much opportunity for communication and VARIETY of communication the design allows, and how well the corps is achieving that design. There are 3 main types of effect in the marching activity and they are...

Intellectual...the easiest example of intellectual effects is when the designers LITERALLY depict different aspects and complexities of the music in several different ways simultaneously in the drill, ie - different stages showing different speeds of music... regular time, half time, double time, etc. In that example you are literally "seeing what you hear." We make the audience think.

Emotional...this is the easiest one... for example if your show is about love and you have a couple run into the center of the field and kiss... pathos, drama, surprises, etc, that all falls under emotional. We make the audience feel.

Asthetic... using the example of the show about love, an asthetic effect would be the corps forming a heart shape on the field. The audience identifies that the heart shape ties into their concept about love. We make the audience identify.

Asthetics also have to do with achievement... achievement DOES play a role in effect... if the judge is not able to read an effect because the performer isn't maximizing it yet, it is impossible for them to give full credit on the sheets for it... how could they?? they can't read it, and the judge CANNOT guess or assume what the corps MIGHT be going for, they must only judge what they see and hear.

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Ok could we talk about this idea of a "formula?" Can someone please define what we mean by "formula?" In my opinion, this is a fallacious idea whose time has passed... First off, I feel that it's a disturbingly ambiguous term that slights the design efforts of a GREAT many writers. Let's use the textbook example... The Hawthorne Caballeros. No one has more wins under their belt in the ENTIRE HISTORY of the activity than Cabs, and no one gets more CRAP for "sticking to a formula" than Cabs. Quite frankly, that couldn't be less true of them. They play music that fits their persona and in my opinion, you'd be hard pressed to find a corps that comes up with MORE new show ideas with the firm caveat that it be within that persona than Cabs. Some of the music might be similar, but you can't JUST look at the music... how the visual team interprets the music is a HUGE part of design and Cabs ALWAYS seem to put new spins on old classics. I mean, at this point in the corps' history, can anyone think of anything HARDER than coming up with a COMPLETELY fresh and original Cabs show?? If one checks out Cabs' website there is a video section where they have probably 80% of their videos of the last 30-40 years. Someone please, go watch all the videos (I've seen most of them) and identify this "formula" for me. Just the fact that they play Latin music every year HARDLY qualifies as a formula. That's a genre. I'm going from personal experience, but as a former marching member... Cabs' only formula has been that they play music that fits their persona... that persona has been constantly evolving and changing with the activity. Is the 1980 show the same formula as the 2010 show? Is Cabs' 1995 show IN ANY WAY similar to their 1996 show?? HARDLY. Go back and look at the 70's and early 80's... some of those shows were WILDLY experimental and envelope-pushing for the time and there is no discernible "formula" that I can identify. I would take issue with anyone who says "I've got a FORMULA for a winning show." There are FAAAAR too many factors for all but the VERY best groups to reproduce optimal results year in and year out. Most of the time it's just the luck of the draw for that given year. Bucs have been very lucky that no one has figured out a way to train their membership better and write a better show on a senior schedule... that's their formula. Can anyone really, HONESTLY say that the 2005 Bucs show was similar in formula to any of their other championships of late?? Yeah... me neither.

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Ok could we talk about this idea of a "formula?" Can someone please define what we mean by "formula?" In my opinion, this is a fallacious idea whose time has passed... First off, I feel that it's a disturbingly ambiguous term that slights the design efforts of a GREAT many writers. Let's use the textbook example... The Hawthorne Caballeros. No one has more wins under their belt in the ENTIRE HISTORY of the activity than Cabs, and no one gets more CRAP for "sticking to a formula" than Cabs. Quite frankly, that couldn't be less true of them. They play music that fits their persona and in my opinion, you'd be hard pressed to find a corps that comes up with MORE new show ideas with the firm caveat that it be within that persona than Cabs. Some of the music might be similar, but you can't JUST look at the music... how the visual team interprets the music is a HUGE part of design and Cabs ALWAYS seem to put new spins on old classics. I mean, at this point in the corps' history, can anyone think of anything HARDER than coming up with a COMPLETELY fresh and original Cabs show?? If one checks out Cabs' website there is a video section where they have probably 80% of their videos of the last 30-40 years. Someone please, go watch all the videos (I've seen most of them) and identify this "formula" for me. Just the fact that they play Latin music every year HARDLY qualifies as a formula. That's a genre. I'm going from personal experience, but as a former marching member... Cabs' only formula has been that they play music that fits their persona... that persona has been constantly evolving and changing with the activity. Is the 1980 show the same formula as the 2010 show? Is Cabs' 1995 show IN ANY WAY similar to their 1996 show?? HARDLY. Go back and look at the 70's and early 80's... some of those shows were WILDLY experimental and envelope-pushing for the time and there is no discernible "formula" that I can identify. I would take issue with anyone who says "I've got a FORMULA for a winning show." There are FAAAAR too many factors for all but the VERY best groups to reproduce optimal results year in and year out. Most of the time it's just the luck of the draw for that given year. Bucs have been very lucky that no one has figured out a way to train their membership better and write a better show on a senior schedule... that's their formula. Can anyone really, HONESTLY say that the 2005 Bucs show was similar in formula to any of their other championships of late?? Yeah... me neither.

I would love to really get into this, but I'll be brief. My son marches in his first year with Reading. The main reason is becuase of the penetration they have into some of the local high school programs. From his high school alone there are 11 kids marching only 2 of which are still in high school. If not for 2 kids who moved to DCI they'd have 13. This is not uncommon from some of the other local programs in their area. Next year with Cadets 2 in the mix might be a different story. That wil be something to pay attention to since Cadets 2 is specifically targeting the age group that is one of the bases of Reading's membership.

Most of their membership is DCI age up to their 30's and and some older. Younger members mean less missing at rehearsal due to fewer life demands which in the DCA activivty can impede the amount of practice time an individual can commit to.

Their first "practice" member day is the Sunday after Thanksigivng and from that point they were going every other weekend. I had the opportunity to sit at that first presentation as I went up with my son to check it out. I can't tell you what other corps are doing and I only have a peripheral view of Reading, but that first day was incredibly organized and structured. The 2011 program was introduced and explained to the group. I'm sure there have been changes to that first "vision" that was presented, but the first presentation was clear that they knew exactly where they were going.

The winning doesn't come by accident with those folks. They know what they've done in the past, how they've done it and how to acheive it again. If you want to use the term formula it's about everything that goes on in the planning and development of their show. Yeah the actual formatting of the show has something to do with it, but knowing how to develop the talent and having a good idea as to what they will achieve in the time given is the real formula.

Consequently until someone beats them they are the only ones that absolutely knows what it takes to win in the here and now. Not to disparage any of the accomplishments of years gone by, but it's been 6 years since someone other than Reading figured out how to win. We've all been in this activity at some level for a long enough period of time to realize how much changes simply from year to year. What worked 6 years ago has very little bearing on the present method.

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I would love to really get into this, but I'll be brief. My son marches in his first year with Reading. The main reason is becuase of the penetration they have into some of the local high school programs. From his high school alone there are 11 kids marching only 2 of which are still in high school. If not for 2 kids who moved to DCI they'd have 13. This is not uncommon from some of the other local programs in their area. Next year with Cadets 2 in the mix might be a different story. That wil be something to pay attention to since Cadets 2 is specifically targeting the age group that is one of the bases of Reading's membership.

Most of their membership is DCI age up to their 30's and and some older. Younger members mean less missing at rehearsal due to fewer life demands which in the DCA activivty can impede the amount of practice time an individual can commit to.

Their first "practice" member day is the Sunday after Thanksigivng and from that point they were going every other weekend. I had the opportunity to sit at that first presentation as I went up with my son to check it out. I can't tell you what other corps are doing and I only have a peripheral view of Reading, but that first day was incredibly organized and structured. The 2011 program was introduced and explained to the group. I'm sure there have been changes to that first "vision" that was presented, but the first presentation was clear that they knew exactly where they were going.

The winning doesn't come by accident with those folks. They know what they've done in the past, how they've done it and how to acheive it again. If you want to use the term formula it's about everything that goes on in the planning and development of their show. Yeah the actual formatting of the show has something to do with it, but knowing how to develop the talent and having a good idea as to what they will achieve in the time given is the real formula.

Consequently until someone beats them they are the only ones that absolutely knows what it takes to win in the here and now. Not to disparage any of the accomplishments of years gone by, but it's been 6 years since someone other than Reading figured out how to win. We've all been in this activity at some level for a long enough period of time to realize how much changes simply from year to year. What worked 6 years ago has very little bearing on the present method.

Well-said.

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I would love to really get into this, but I'll be brief. My son marches in his first year with Reading. The main reason is becuase of the penetration they have into some of the local high school programs. From his high school alone there are 11 kids marching only 2 of which are still in high school. If not for 2 kids who moved to DCI they'd have 13. This is not uncommon from some of the other local programs in their area. Next year with Cadets 2 in the mix might be a different story. That wil be something to pay attention to since Cadets 2 is specifically targeting the age group that is one of the bases of Reading's membership.

Most of their membership is DCI age up to their 30's and and some older. Younger members mean less missing at rehearsal due to fewer life demands which in the DCA activivty can impede the amount of practice time an individual can commit to.

Their first "practice" member day is the Sunday after Thanksigivng and from that point they were going every other weekend. I had the opportunity to sit at that first presentation as I went up with my son to check it out. I can't tell you what other corps are doing and I only have a peripheral view of Reading, but that first day was incredibly organized and structured. The 2011 program was introduced and explained to the group. I'm sure there have been changes to that first "vision" that was presented, but the first presentation was clear that they knew exactly where they were going.

The winning doesn't come by accident with those folks. They know what they've done in the past, how they've done it and how to acheive it again. If you want to use the term formula it's about everything that goes on in the planning and development of their show. Yeah the actual formatting of the show has something to do with it, but knowing how to develop the talent and having a good idea as to what they will achieve in the time given is the real formula.

Consequently until someone beats them they are the only ones that absolutely knows what it takes to win in the here and now. Not to disparage any of the accomplishments of years gone by, but it's been 6 years since someone other than Reading figured out how to win. We've all been in this activity at some level for a long enough period of time to realize how much changes simply from year to year. What worked 6 years ago has very little bearing on the present method.

as I said somewhere else, it ain't rocket science, but Bucs have mastered it. That, and the staff is a well coordinated machine.

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Let's be honest. They are the only DCA corps in PA. That helps

I don't think that has much to do with it. There's people that live closer to reading that are marching in other corps and people closer to other corps marching reading...

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