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HS marching band show controversy


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92.

88 promoted animal creulty as they had a "bull" out there for Malaguena, and encouraged him to do vile acts, like urinating on the fallen matador.

oh and it was ####### funny too

Let’s not forget that the 88 show got some complaints from the “Violence Against Women” crowd, when said matador slaps the dancer across the face.

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High school marching band raises controversy with hammers and sickles

Are political sensibilities too hot to handle with shows that aren't meant to offend some values or praise controversial ideals?

Answer: Probably yes. (You can please some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time but you can't please all of the people all of the time)

Should this get in the way of exploring all artistic opportunities?

Answer: I would hope not

Good question, Michael!

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? ...

There is nothing political about the above statement...

Again...I don't want this to be a political thing. The subject manner is well worth discussing.

I regret that you can't see that the boldfaced comments can indeed be taken to be of a political nature. Please don't force this thread to be closed.

Edited by Geoff
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Sure. It happens every day of the week in the Performing Arts, whether its Drum Corps, Stage, Theatre... and everyone responsible for the show is " held accountable", although the responsibility is elevated for those most rersponsible for its creation. I'm surprised you would ask me this. Lots of very capable people sit around a table and agree to do a show with its blueprints clear to all., and that show when brought to production might have to close down in a matter of days, or it becomes a Classic, or something in between. You can bet your life that banks that provided loans to show designers on shows that lost money will be " held accountable ". Lots of very good collective minds put together collossal flops for shows. And they are all " held accountable " for these flops. And every bit as much as the ones who takes a bow on a stage for winning an Emmy or a Tony. Show Designers in Bands and Drum Corps are likewise held responsible for what goes out in show design, theme. Was Michael Gaines " held accountable " for his show Design whren he was with The Cavaliers doing Show Design ? Was Allen Hinshaw the Cavaliers Visual show designer for the 2012 Cavs show likewise" held accountable " for this year's edition of The Cavaliers ?

IMO whatever is performed on the field by a HS marching band is the responsibility of the marching band director, not one of the designers. That is certainly how the school administration and Board of Ed would view it...the director is the teacher they hired for the job, not a "hired gun" visual or guard designer or music arranger.

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Again...I don't want this to be a political thing. The subject manner is well worth discussing.

I regret that you can't see that the boldfaced comments can indeed be taken to be of a political nature. Please don't force this thread to be closed.

Well, if you consider the statements you put in bold political, then this thread is political. Part of the political process is discussion. News organizations are not suppose to be political and FOX goes out of its way to claim its not. What should be discussed is how the school administrators folded because one person complained.

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I think you mean Rupert, not Rudolph.

Pink Floyd’s “Money” would work for the music.

Govenaires played that song last year. However, their theme was Vegas: the sinful city rather not the sins of capitalism.

What a great lesson in freedom of expression!

This is a privately-owned forum; there is no right to freedom of expression here.

Edited by Geoff
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Well, if you consider the statements you put in bold political, then this thread is political. Part of the political process is discussion. News organizations are not suppose to be political and FOX goes out of its way to claim its not. What should be discussed is how the school administrators folded because one person complained.

I was asking if the same thing could happen to us in drum corps.

And yes, I consider referring to said media outlet by putting the word "news" in quotation marks, referring to it as a "propaganda empire" and referring to one of its viewers as "narrow minded" and a "zombie" to be a political comment.

And I comment as someone who doesn't see what was put on the field as a celebration of communism or applauding a regime that killed many, many people.

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IMO whatever is performed on the field by a HS marching band is the responsibility of the marching band director, not one of the designers. That is certainly how the school administration and Board of Ed would view it...the director is the teacher they hired for the job, not a "hired gun" visual or guard designer or music arranger.

I'd agree with this too, Mike. The ultimate responsibility of what goes on with a Corps... both on and off the field for that matter... ultimately is the responsibility of the Corps Director or the Band Director.The hierarchial lines of authority and responsibility, as I'm sure you are aware can differ markedly between Drum Corps and school afiliated Marching Bands. Oftentimes in Corps, the Corps Director defers to the Show Designer that is hired and gives them some large swarth of lattitude in designing the show. If the show doesn't work, its not the Corps Director that typically is ousted, its the Show Designer, or at the very least its communicated to the Show Designer that its expected that the following year's show needs to be a better product, however that Corps Director defines a successful show design ( which can probably be dedfined differently from Corps to Corps ). Show Designers are " held accountable " for their Show Design. And just one of the people that will definately hold the Show Designer accountable is the Corps Director. Thats because the ultimate responsibility rests with that Corps Director ( and the Board ). In Band, the responsibility is the Band Director, but also the Director of Music if that school has such a hierarchy, as well as the Supt. of Schools. Oftentimes, if there is a lawsuit generated for one reason or another on the school regarding something that occurred in the Marching Band, the defendents " held accountable " by the plaintiffs suit go all the way up to the highest level of authority in the School or the College.

Edited by BRASSO
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(N.E.B.'s note: reference to media tycoon R.M. that was removed by moderator.)

I think you mean Rupert, not Rudolph.

Pink Floyd’s “Money” would work for the music.

Govenaires played that song last year. However, their theme was Vegas: the sinful city, not the sins of capitalism.

What a great lesson in freedom of expression!

This is a privately-owned forum; there is no right to freedom of expression here.

This post has been edited by Geoff: Today, 05:05 PM <-QFT!

Oh, the irony!

Now, to look at Michael's original questions again:

Are political sensibilities too hot to handle with shows that aren't meant to offend some values or praise controversial ideals?

I believe this is a legitimate issue that could possibly sneak up on some designers who don't anticipate such a reaction. What are your thoughts?

Is any theme truly politically neutral? Doesn't West Side Story encourage tolerance? Isn't that a political point of view? Does anyone reject the show for that reason? But imagine a show that instead promoted intolerance. Most people would object! Not because the material was "political", but because they disagreed with the specifics of the politics. Now, contra Brasso, I am not opposed to shows --on the field or on the stage-- that have a point of view. And as far as I am able, I will try not to reject that show for presenting a point of view different from my own. (The greater the artistry, the more forgiving I am likely to be.) But everyone has their limits, and it behooves directors and designers to know their audiences. Not having seen the marching band show in question, I can't judge for myself whether it actually promotes the Soviet revolution (and surely there are people whose ancestors suffered under the czars, who might have reasons to support a show that did so) or merely presented it. Unlike Stu, I think that such a distinction can indeed be made, even in marching band, but again without seeing the show, I have no idea how well this band managed it. The mere presence of 1917 Soviet symbolism and costume proves nothing either way.

Cadets in 2012 caught but a few grumbles for presenting a show that arguably promoted Christianity. How would a show that promoted Islam or even atheism be received?

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