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Random Cadets question...


JKT90

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Have they always led with the right foot? I am going to assume no, and that it began when GH took over. Is the motivation behind this about doing something different? And lastly, for those who march(ed), how hard was it to adapt since we all learned from way back in the day to lead with the left, and was it hard to switch back when tour was over?

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Have they always led with the right foot? I am going to assume no, and that it began when GH took over. Is the motivation behind this about doing something different? And lastly, for those who march(ed), how hard was it to adapt since we all learned from way back in the day to lead with the left, and was it hard to switch back when tour was over?

Well in my Cadet days we led off with the left...at least most of us did! :smile:

As to what the motiviation was to change, what I have heard...and this is not really first hand...just "stuff" floating around, is that they (whoever "they" were) decided that since most kids came to the corps having marched all sorts of different styles in their bands and other corps, in order to create one "Cadet style", by changing the stepoff it sort of placed everyone back at square one, and they could then mold the MM to their style easier than breaking them down and changing an already deeply learned different style. They were all on the same...er...footing, so to speak! :tongue:

Don't know if that is true, but that is what I have heard over the years.

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I believe the right foot step off started in 1984.

... it was a Mark Sylvester contribution which Zingali loved. It made the corps members focus more, reflected the particular music being played, and challenged the activity another level.

Mike D, that's how I remember it too.

...if you can't nab Mark Sylvester between here and DBQ Colts to get a full answer, I know there is some discussion of it in the great book that was written for the Cadets' 75th anniversary by Gregg Cinzio and Dave Shaw. The book is also online and was featured here on DCP since the jubilee back in 2009.

Edited by drilltech1
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To those who have marched the "right foot" style: How long did it take for it to seem natural? How long before you no longer thought about it?

Can someone enlighten about why Glassmen adopted the same? Did someone bring it over from Cadets?

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To those who have marched the "right foot" style: How long did it take for it to seem natural? How long before you no longer thought about it?

Can someone enlighten about why Glassmen adopted the same? Did someone bring it over from Cadets?

Took about 15 mins in the arc to "not think" about it (marking time while standing still) in 1987. By the time we started marching it didn't even warrant a thought. But also - due to switching time signatures sometimes there would be left step-offs as well after a stopping at a form for a few counts.

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To those who have marched the "right foot" style: How long did it take for it to seem natural? How long before you no longer thought about it?

Can someone enlighten about why Glassmen adopted the same? Did someone bring it over from Cadets?

at least part of the Gmen story of being right footers had to do with the image Brian Hickman, their new director, wanted to reshape the Toledo corps, just like the Gmen usually came out onto a field down the fifty in a block formation which was the same as The Cadets who called it "the prayer block" for various reasons; most publicly, it was the first thing they did after they had sung the O Holy Name corps song before entering the public's view. Remember Brian marched Cadets in the percussion line back when the pit actually marched, like yourself, and then he became the assistant director of The Cadets before being hired by the Toledo corps. Brian brought with him a few Cadet alums, particularly Pat Miller who was part of the Gmen's viz staff. There are a few other nuances to the story, but I will leave that for Glassmen alumni to relive.

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I'm ashamed to admit I never noticed Glassmen did it too. What year did they start?

Mike

off the top of my balding head:

didn't Brian Hickman succeed Dan Acheson as director of the Glassmen from 1985? And Dan started at DCI in 1995 and Brian Hickman became director of Glassmen then... And the Cadets started right footing in 85, the same year Acheson became the Toledo director....

So therefore the Norwegian will live in the blue house and have lutefisk for holidays... ...in tribute to Michael Boo's birthday..

Edited by drilltech1
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