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The Cadets - 2014


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Maybe next year we can have more balance with a show of presidential scandals and embarrassments...Clinton with Lewinsky, Nixon and Watergate, Cleveland getting stuck in a bathtub, Ulysses S Grant and the general incompetence and corruption of his administration.

Think of all the props...cigars, a blue dress, Nixon masks, recording devices/tapes, a bath tub. What could be better than this?

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Somehow I don't think DCI is quite ready for "Abe Lincoln The Racist" as a show theme just yet.

I agree with the point here that the unthinking hagiography that the Cadets show presents is part of what makes the theme such a turn-off. There's a reason why propaganda movies don't appeal to most people. But I don't actually think you can or should tackle intellectual arguments like this in a drum corps show - 2008 is ample evidence of why that's a very, very bad idea for a show design.

Good post. I disagree that drum corps shows can't tackle intellectual arguments -- Boston is doing a good job this year -- but I do think that probably this design team hasn't shown that it has the bandwidth to do it well, resulting in 2008.

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You really think that kind of thinking can be presented in a 10-minute drum corps show?

Trying to explain that sort of stuff gives me visions of 2008 all over again. :shutup:

Looks like you didn't read the very next few sentences...

"Someone commented above that a DCI show isn't school, and I agree. In fact, if 120 people all talked for twelve minutes straight instead of playing music, they still couldn't say everything there is to say about these things. However, art is defined by what we choose to emphasize. Did the design team do a service to this year's Cadets and their audiences with the emphasis of this show?"

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Maybe next year we can have more balance with a show of presidential scandals and embarrassments...Clinton with Lewinsky, Nixon and Watergate, Cleveland getting stuck in a bathtub, Ulysses S Grant and the general incompetence and corruption of his administration.

Think of all the props...cigars, a blue dress, Nixon masks, recording devices/tapes, a bath tub. What could be better than this?

lol -- Where are the 1980s Velvet Knights when you need them...

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Looks like you didn't read the very next few sentences...

"Someone commented above that a DCI show isn't school, and I agree. In fact, if 120 people all talked for twelve minutes straight instead of playing music, they still couldn't say everything there is to say about these things. However, art is defined by what we choose to emphasize. Did the design team do a service to this year's Cadets and their audiences with the emphasis of this show?"

Yes, I did read it, hence my comment about visions of 2008 going through my brain, as they try and emphaisize the points that take entire college courses to cover.

IMO the Cadets show is fine...MORE than fine, as it stands.

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Someone said in the Buffalo thread that the tarps weren't there. Can anyone confirm if this is true or not?

I don't have first-hand knowledge, but I think that if the field is natural grass, covers like that (and the Coats tileted field frame) are not permitted.

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Yes, I did read it, hence my comment about visions of 2008 going through my brain, as they try and emphaisize the points that take entire college courses to cover.

IMO the Cadets show is fine...MORE than fine, as it stands.

To answer your question, yes, I disagree with you: I do think that nuanced historical ideas can be presented in a 10-minute show, and I don't think that one unsuccessful (5th place?) example from 2008 demonstrates otherwise.

Again, art is defined by what we choose to emphasize. My question stands: did the design team do a service to this year's Cadets and their audiences with the emphasis of this show? I believe the answer is no. I appreciate that you and I disagree and that's fine! :)

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