Staff behavior concerns...examples/solutions

[The Other Mike]

Sure, go ahead and graduate High School and then I'll give you a dose of the truth and also how 90% of people genuinely feel about BOA bands.

Now THATS to the point

[TastyWaves]

I haven't checked the whole thread yet, but "the Water Break" by the Crossmen's color guard staff in 2002.

It cemented most of them being fired the next year. That was not a fun bus ride that day.

Wow.. i missed that story! I was just getting out of the marine corps that year. lol. Please feel free to tell that one! (in PM if necessary)

As to the topic, I also have not read the full extent of the posting here, but I tend to agree that it just needs to be balanced. There should certainly not be any "Rule" or regulation of staff members reactions, but staff members should show the proper courtesy and show etiquette.

But I do know from teaching drum corps in the past that sometimes reactions can be passionate! Either joy or frustration can certainly happen and as long as you dont ruin the moment of the whole corps because of 1 sabre drop, missed "horns up" or direction change, then by all means react.

As a marching band director, I tell my staff that they should let their genuine positive reactions come out. Applause moments are applause moments and the staff should certainly join in. If there are errors, especially the REALLY bad ones, just bite your tongue until we get back to the bus. All of the complaining and moaning about it while the show is still going on isnt going to help anyone out.

Basically, I LOVE being in the stands during my bands performance because for 9 minutes, I become a spectator and not a director. Deal with the other stuff later.

[The Other Mike]

I only read through about half this thread and couldnt take it any longer. What in the world has happened to Drum Corps fans??? Drum Corps was an activity where parents and staff encouraged their corps from the stands. There use to be standing ovations in the middle of shows and staff on the side lines going NUTS yes I said NUTS! Audiences today for the most part are LAME! And expecting your staff to sit on their hands and not encourage their corps is just STUPID! This activity needs more excitement and response from the stands both in patrons and Staff! That was and should be Drum Corps. It even use to have an impact on General effect scores.So any suggestion that patrons and staff should act like they're in a concert hall should be thrown out the window!

You mean back when there were gaps between tunes to allow for this ?

Hell, today if you clap your hands you're most likely gonna miss something important.

[Liahona]

IMHO there is too much going on to miss out on something by standing up and yelling like a 10 year old school girl that sat in an ant pile.

Why do we need to witness everything...IMO less is more

[BRASSO]

I'm not saying this does not happen, because I know it does, but I think this is sensationalizing. I promise, I have never done this, and no one I work with has ever done it. Even though the visual staff goes up high to see what's going on, I know they are respectful. Do you see this happen quite often? If so, are they the same groups?

No, I 'm not going to take the bait and name Corps here. As a matter of fact, when on a few occasions over the years that I've had a bad experience with a staff member, I've taken the issue directly to the Corps Directors and the issues were resolved to my satisfaction and they thanked me for bringing it to their attention. I don't see any Corps better or worse in this issue of rude behaviors. But thats just my own personal experience here too. Also, I don't think it's appropriate to go onto a public forum like this with a personal bad experience with a Corps and name the Corps. It can be resolved without such a public display, imo.

Edited July 7, 2011 by BRASSO

[7567BC]

Years ago an instructorwith a very innovative and creative used to go crazy in the stands or on the sidelines and occasionally slipped into coaching his corps. Rules were passed to stop the coaching and to minimize his overt but entertaining histrionics. He did go over the top and it was right to restrain his behavior.

My corps, when I taught never told me how to act. DCI never told me how to behave. I can safely say I and my fellow staff members always acted with respect and decorum so we would not disturb other show patrons. We applauded, cheered and sometimes shouted things to kids in the corps..if only to embarrass them (not in a mean way mind you)a little. I have no problem with staff enjoying their corps show respectfulof the paying audience. But I woud have a problem if someone were to get on me for vocally supporting my corps when I've travelled thousands of miles on my time and dime teaching for hours and hours each day.

That said, I would have no problem asking a staff member who was being a nuisance by being overly loud and obnoxious, to tone it down or leave. If I was then ignored and the behavior continued I'd have no problem seeking out a show sponsors rep or an executive rep for the corps, and report the problem. Most corps directors would not take kindly upon any staffer misbehaving in the stand during their corps or any corps performance.

Unfortunately being a staff member doen't always mean they know how to be a professionaland behave responsibly in public. My corps history didn't allow for us to misbehave in the least, lest we be deemed as rude as our "ancestors" were.

[soccerguy315]

My director goes nuts when we do something awesome. Why wouldnt corps staff....?

because the standards are different.

The expectations put on you by your band director, and the expectations put on members marching world class drum corps, are completely different.

Are you one of the people who thinks your high school band could make DCI finals also?

[Kyle B]

I'm not familiar with this story, but it sounds juicy.

Care to elaborate or no?

I think I've mentioned it on here at one point but sure.

We were in Texas practicing for the San Antonio show I believe.

The guard wasn't having a good day of rehearsal.

So when they were in sectionals, the guard staff told them all to run over to their water coolers for a water break.

They were instructed to pick up the cooler, pour out some water and to run back to rehearsal. That was their water break.

I rode the guard bus and it was an interesting ride.

Just so everyone knows, Texas in 2002 was actually pretty nice and not a sweltering heat like normal, but still doesn't excuse it.

[Kyle B]

I have talked to people who marched in drum corps well after that incident and some have heard of that story all these years later, so that's how infamous it was.

[soccerguy315]

You might make the argument that you haven't identified your band program, which is true. However, we can narrow the field quite a lot based on your comments. You mention that you won 6th at grand nationals, and that you are still in high school. At the very least, that means that we can narrow the field to any band that took 6th place in their class at grand nationals in the last 3 years. More likely, and implied by your general "6th in grand nationals" comment (rather than 6th in class), we can draw the assumption that you are referring to 6th overall regardless of class. That would narrow the field to Kennesaw Mountain and Broken Arrow (as Broken Arrow took 6th in both 2008 and 2009). Regardless of which program you are with, you could easily put a bad taste in people's mouths regarding every one of those organizations. Simply by mentioning grand nationals, you have made yourself a representative of the entire BOA organization.

Do you see how easily you can reflect poorly on your organization?

Sincerly,

A concerned educator

you can narrow it further (to one band) because in a different thread, the poster you are addressing said he (or she) wants more corps to move to Georgia:

Can we get another here in GA for the people who dont want to march Spirit...? Nothing against them but 1 choice sucks. Doesnt matter for me though im marching at 1-2 choices.