marchingartist Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 (edited) I'm loving BD's show this year, but I just wish they would really go all out and push the bar with show design even more, especially visually. I think the props are really being under-utilized right now, especially the the cubes! I hope they find a better way to integrate the props with the rest of the drill before finals rolls around, like the way they did with the mirrors last year or the poles in 2008 (sorry, wasn't a fan of the chairs in '09). One of my favorite visual moments this year is the stair-building with the bars, which is just a genius use of dimension in visual design. Edited July 25, 2011 by marchingartist 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Granny Smith Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 ...I didn't love last year's show... This particular sentence stood out in your post to me, not because I happen to agree with you, but because the whole premise of your post seems to be that it's a little 'unfair' that people don't like BD's show this year. One thing I learned a long time ago is that you will get yourself in trouble when you start questioning people's motives. I would say that 98% of the people on this forum who don't like BD's show simply don't like it because they don't like it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielray Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 I find this interesting but also a bit sad at the same time that so many felt compelled to leave their former World Class Division Corps. There is nothing wrong with kids moving around to different corps. Ultimately, it is probably a good thing, particularly for kids that plan to become music educators. The more exposure to different ways of approaching things, the better. Individual corps are probably better off with more members sticking around for longer periods of time, but kids shouldn't be looked down upon for wanting to try out different experiences, especially when they're the ones paying to participate. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CuriousMe Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 (edited) <snip> But here's what I saw at the rehearsal Saturday: I saw adults treating members as partners in a quest to make something beautiful. I saw kids who were having fun and were loose even in 115 degree heat. I saw great musicianship being taught without ego on the part of the instructors. I saw parents with no concerns about how their kids were being treated in the corps. I saw an intensity in rehearsal and talk about getting better, not about how the members were letting the instructors down. I saw positive motivation. I saw kids who understood how to get better. I saw kids doing their own pushups in the heat. I heard controlled, in tune, musical playing. I saw amazing marching. I saw incredible food laid out for dinner. I saw kids who genuinely like each other. Does that happen in every corps? Well, not in my experience limited as it is. <snip> I'm sorry that's not what you've seen with other corps. In spite of your experience, I'd say this is actually the norm in other corps these days. Glad your kid is having a great experience. Believe it or not though, when folks mention aspects of BD's show that they don't like....they're not factoring in whether your kid is enjoying their summer at all....they're just talking about the show. Edited July 25, 2011 by CuriousMe 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tja273 Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 I saw adults treating members as partners in a quest to make something beautiful. I saw kids who were having fun and were loose even in 115 degree heat. I saw great musicianship being taught without ego on the part of the instructors. I saw parents with no concerns about how their kids were being treated in the corps. I saw an intensity in rehearsal and talk about getting better, not about how the members were letting the instructors down. I saw positive motivation. I saw kids who understood how to get better. I saw kids doing their own pushups in the heat. I heard controlled, in tune, musical playing. I saw amazing marching. I saw incredible food laid out for dinner. I saw kids who genuinely like each other. Nice to hear nothing has changed. :) When I first joined, my parents heard some negative stories about BD from the strong SCV contingent in our area. After watching several rehearsals (I wasn't even old enough for a driver's license yet) they were sold. My father even learned to drive a bus my 2nd year and drove for free every year until they went to leased buses. The staff has had some changes (though a surprising number still remain from my day), but the approach has not. It seems the only difference is the performers are better, the shows are better and, from what I have seen, the food is better. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lance Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 I love BD because i've never seen a more efficient rehearsing group of people in my life. I love BD this year for their musical choices, and Downey's wonderful interpretation of some classic music. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Michael Boo Posted July 26, 2011 Popular Post Share Posted July 26, 2011 (edited) "I love the Blue Devils because..." I love being entertained. I love being stimulated. I love being exposed to music I haven't heard on the field before. I love and appreciate quality. I love knowing the corps is going to be great every year, even if they're down a bit from other corps or have a show that doesn't enjoy the success of some of their shows. I love Blue Devils for this, when they didn't have to take time from their victory celebration in 2007 to give two US Marines an experience they'll never forget. And when one of them tragically died in between tours of Iraq, the corps sent a bugler to play "Taps" at his funeral. Speaking of funerals, I also love Blue Devils because there were four phenomenal flower displays send to my mother's funeral in 2009. One was from Blue Devils, one from The Cadets, one from Jeff Fiedler and one from Bill and Gayle Cook. I burst into tears when I saw each one from drum corps people (in addition to many other smaller displays from others in the activity as well) because I could feel an arm reaching out to hug me to let me know I wasn't alone. So, yes, I love Blue Devils. I love every other corps as well for different reasons. And yes, Blue Devils take a lot of heat for various reasons, including winning a lot. But for anyone who doesn't love Blue Devils or any other corps, I wish they would ask themselves how they would feel if they learned that any one of those corps ceased to exist. Then they might realize they too love Blue Devils and all the other corps made up of kids who give up everything they've got, including time, money and other youthful pursuits, to entertain us. Us...all of us...we all owe a debt of appreciation to every kid who is out there busting their butt to present to us a show they hope we will enjoy and appreciate. Sure, they're having fun doing it, but they're not the one's sitting in the stands enjoying the sweat and tears and countless hours...we are. And among those kids are members of Blue Devils, so I make no apologies when someone sends me an e-mail claiming that it's apparent I love Blue Devils...because they're right. Edited July 26, 2011 by Michael Boo 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madrid Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 I love the Blue Devils because I love every facet of drum corps. Plain and simple. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Flores Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 Oh waiter...1 order of crow...this table with the fat guy and the sweet tea!!!! So I have watched and listened to BD in San Antonio well over 20 times over the past few days and I am really digging the music, I am starting to like it and it is entertaining me. A lot of great melodies that I am used to BD playing pre-2009. It is having a 2004/2003/2002 effect on me. I find my self tapping my foot several times during the stream. BD may move up in my list of favorites so far. Oh and make that crow blackened over penne! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ApathyJones Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 This particular sentence stood out in your post to me, not because I happen to agree with you, but because the whole premise of your post seems to be that it's a little 'unfair' that people don't like BD's show this year. One thing I learned a long time ago is that you will get yourself in trouble when you start questioning people's motives. I would say that 98% of the people on this forum who don't like BD's show simply don't like it because they don't like it. I am sure your made up statistic is very accurate! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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