danielray Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 (edited) So, seen pretty much everyone this season on the Fan Network. One thing that sticks out is the amount of choreography that the musicians are doing. This type of choreography is becoming much more pervasive, extensive and complex than in years past... I really dig it. There is one thing that sort of bothers me about it, though, which I actually noticed with Blue Devils... particularly when they are bending down to move the white columns (I guess it was the white plumes that highlighted it)... Shakos simply don't work anymore with this kind of movement. As soon as you break a certain point in the plane, shakos seem extremely awkward and distracting. I went back and watched their 2010 victory run... the one they did without shakos... it was a much greater performance without. I loved the way the performers were engaging with the audience and the cameras and how their movements felt much less constrained. I wish they always performed like that... a lot more fun and interesting to watch. What I am getting at, and what I wonder is if the shako and other sorts of headgear like this has really run its course? Without this sort of artificial barrier limiting planes of movement, what other sorts of options for choreography could be explored? What could be possible without this need to continually keep the top of the head straight and upright? Drum corps is long past its military roots... and it seems that it is now hitting a sort of wall in terms of what is possible in pseudo-military costume. Remove this one simple aspect and a whole new realm of possibility opens up. I think it is definitely time for the activity to jump into a new approach toward costuming... head first. Edited July 26, 2011 by danielray 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeN Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 Only real problem I can see is that in many corps (BD, Cavaliers, etc.) the hats help define the marcher in the form from a distance. As much dance and movement as the individual players have to do nowadays, they still have to march. And while I too love the videos of the championship encores (buy mine from BD every time they win), the closest live audience members is still a minimum of 10 yards from the front sideline at least. A lot of the fine points get lost at increasing distances - especially engaging with the audience. It's not the face that's doing it - it's the body language, I think. Mike 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandpa Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 (edited) The problem is probably amplfied (oops - poor choice of word ) by the size of plume being used to define the marcher, as you say. I didn't wear a plume that often but the one I did wear was half the size I see now. Good point about the subtleties being lost to the crowd. I guess my question would then be, so what's the point of those subtleties? Edited July 26, 2011 by Grandpa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skywhopper Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 (edited) I really don't think the hats are holding anyone back. Cadets take theirs off quite a bit. Maybe the visual "issues" you're finding with BD's shows have more to do with their plumes than their shakos per se? The plumes do stand out in a (to my eyes) messy way when the corps does a standstill freeform park and blow, which BD has more than one of IIRC. I think that if the Blue Devils design staff thought it was valuable in some way (artistically or visually or whatever) to get rid of the shakos, or take them off for parts of the show, they would not hesitate to do so. As far as I know there are no rules about the uniforms. Also: VK Edited July 26, 2011 by skywhopper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_G Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 Definitely food for thought. Though I will say, with corps like the Cadets, Cavaliers, SCV, BD, etc. the Shako/Ausie/whathaveyou is a big part of their identity as a corps to me. I'm open to the idea of the entire corps being in something a good bit more breathable then a corps uniform, lids and all. Think Blast! type outfits for the corps proper in that case. But still it's for the most part marching around the field more then anything else. It's a concept that I could get behind though, I'd love to see it tried with a show at some point, if only for a few shows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheClutch Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 (edited) Like winter drumline? I feel indoor drumline could be a good model for how shows could be written (costumes included) sometimes the hats can be used for visual. Cavaliers turn their head semi-frequently for effect. Like the crosshair set in Mad World. (shakos have to tilt neck, Cavaliers hats turn head.) Edited July 26, 2011 by TheClutch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotorCityMusician Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 Like winter drumline? And then they can do flips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adub Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 Wait...what' a plume? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaplac Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 Wait...what' a plume? It's the feathers that are attached to the shakos. BD wears them along with most other corps except scouts, cavs, scv, troop, crossmen, and pioneer (am I missing any?). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adub Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 It's the feathers that are attached to the shakos. BD wears them along with most other corps except scouts, cavs, scv, troop, crossmen, and pioneer (am I missing any?). I was attempting to make a bad joke...I know what plumes are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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