Stu Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 (edited) At the end of the day, Blue Devils do what they do extremely well (let's be honest, that's who is in the crosshairs in this conversation). They do what they do better than Madison Scouts or Bluecoats, or Phantom do. That's why they win. I do not deny that the Devils do what they do extremely well; however that is not the entire reason the Devils are normally at or near the top in the GE captions because I contend that the top 3 corps in any given year are very close to performing equally well in their GE execution. It is therefore a matter of current interpretation of the word 'engagement' as it applies to GE. At the end of the day, the Blue Devils typically do better than other corps designing shows each year which fit better into the current interpretation of the word 'engagement'. Change the current interpretation from 'intellectual engagement' over to 'emotional engagement' and SCV thus wins GE over the Devils and Crown with their equally extremely well performed Les Mis. Another example is 2008 where the 'intellectual engagement' of the Devils Absurdity took first in GE by trumping the 'emotional engagement' of Regiment Spartacus. So when we are talking about the top 3, where all shows are performed at an extremely high level, the current interpretation of GE leans toward rewarding the intellectual over the emotional; and the Devils are better at designing to that interpretation. Edited August 21, 2013 by Stu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 I do not deny that the Devils do what they do extremely well; however that is not the entire reason the Devils are normally at or near the top in the GE captions because I contend that the top 3 corps in any given year are very close to performing equally well in their GE execution. It is therefore a matter of current interpretation of the word 'engagement' as it applies to GE. At the end of the day, the Blue Devils typically do better than other corps designing shows each year which fit better into the current interpretation of the word 'engagement'. Change the current interpretation from 'intellectual engagement' over to 'emotional engagement' and SCV thus wins GE over the Devils and Crown with their equally extremely well performed Les Mis. Another example is 2008 where the 'intellectual engagement' of the Devils Absurdity took first in GE by trumping the 'emotional engagement' of Regiment Spartacus. So when we are talking about the top 3, where all shows are performed at an extremely high level, the current interpretation of GE leans toward rewarding the intellectual over the emotional; and the Devils are better at designing to that interpretation. dont you think that no matter what the interretation of the sheet, if its emotional or intellectual BD would rise to what needs to be done to be successful NO MATTER how the sheet is read....as would many of those top corps. Thats what keep these corps up where they are . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindap Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Are there staff that teach more than one corps in one season anymore? I'm curious : ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Are there staff that teach more than one corps in one season anymore? I'm curious : ) yes....at the upper level of staff person there are some that will write or consult for another....lets say NOT in the area of their primary corps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 dont you think that no matter what the interretation of the sheet, if its emotional or intellectual BD would rise to what needs to be done to be successful NO MATTER how the sheet is read....as would many of those top corps. Thats what keep these corps up where they are . Ummmmm... I have already stated that the Devils always perform impeccably well. However, the Devils design team forte, and why they are always tops within in the GE department, is directly related to their unique ability to successfully adjust to the way the GE judging community defines and interprets the GE sheets. That is why I do not have, and never have had, a beef with the Devils 'performance' wise; I have just really disliked many of their new millennium design choices. Here is the deal on their ability to always succeed competitively within GE: If in the next few years the judging community leans the definition of the GE word 'engagement' more over toward the emotional, and away from the intellectual, we will once again have the Devils knocking our faces off with something like the hot music of Here Come The Mummies as opposed to experimental arranging progressions of Dada meets the re:Rite of Spring. The Devils staff, for better or for worse, appear to care more about winning than they do about the emotional/entertainment enjoyment of the audience. Want an example? Well, you very rarely ever here any current or former Devil performer or staff member mentioning and uplifting those very emotional cool arrangements of Channel One Suite; but you certainly do often hear most of them mentioning and uplifting their 15 rings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Ummmmm... I have already stated that the Devils always perform impeccably well. However, the Devils design team forte, and why they are always tops within in the GE department, is directly related to their unique ability to successfully adjust to the way the GE judging community defines and interprets the GE sheets. That is why I do not have, and never have had, a beef with the Devils 'performance' wise; I have just really disliked many of their new millennium design choices. Here is the deal on their ability to always succeed competitively within GE: If in the next few years the judging community leans the definition of the GE word 'engagement' more over toward the emotional, and away from the intellectual, we will once again have the Devils knocking our faces off with something like the hot music of Here Come The Mummies as opposed to experimental arranging progressions of Dada meets the re:Rite of Spring. The Devils staff, for better or for worse, appear to care more about winning than they do about the emotional/entertainment enjoyment of the audience. Want an example? Well, you very rarely ever here any current or former Devil performer or staff member mentioning and uplifting those very emotional cool arrangements of Channel One Suite; but you certainly do often hear most of them mentioning and uplifting their 15 rings. well, as you and many have said , even those who oppose their design choices....it is a competition Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 well, as you and many have said , even those who oppose their design choices....it is a competition Yes it is a competition; but what the movers and shakers within DCI seem to miss is that people do not pay big bucks for tickets and pack a huge venue to see just a high quality competition (the National spelling bee for example is a high quality competition); people pay big bucks and pack extremely large venues to see high quality competition which is entertaining and enjoyable (for example the National Football League Superbowl). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Yes it is a competition; but what the movers and shakers within DCI seem to miss is that people do not pay big bucks for tickets and pack a huge venue to see just a high quality competition (the National spelling bee for example is a high quality competition); people pay big bucks and pack extremely large venues to see high quality competition which is entertaining and enjoyable (for example the National Football League Superbowl). ughhhh you and your comparisons,....lol..yet we always say how unique our activity is...anyway we DO have high quality IMO, and better yet diversity...no I dont want to see 12 of BD but nor do I want to see 12 of ANY one type of show. If someone cant be entertained( subjective ) by more than 1 in finals then I think theres more issues there because theres plenty to be entertained by , no matter what your taste......If one cant at all find some sort of entertainment then maybe its time to find a new pass time..jmo 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 ughhhh you and your comparisons,....lol..yet we always say how unique our activity is...anyway we DO have high quality IMO, and better yet diversity...no I dont want to see 12 of BD but nor do I want to see 12 of ANY one type of show. If someone cant be entertained( subjective ) by more than 1 in finals then I think theres more issues there because theres plenty to be entertained by , no matter what your taste......If one cant at all find some sort of entertainment then maybe its time to find a new pass time..jmo If show design diversity was really being rewarded as it applies to the GE word 'engagement' I would be right on board your wagon. But a very narrow view of the word 'engagement' (intellectual) is currently being rewarded above all other definitions (emotional, entertaining, comical, etc...) and that is the issue, imo, which needs to be resolved. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flammaster Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 I watch every single corps that goes out there. I show up early and stay late. I like all of it. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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