GUARDLING Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 (edited) I spent many hours watching BAC's guard rehearse this summer. While I, too, think that their 7's and 8's were incredible (particularly by about Allentown), I was even more enthralled with much of their other work. Looking at the triad of responsibilities the guard members were presented with, I was especially impressed with their "animal" characterizations. If you watch them carefully, you'll see these characterizations being performed throughout the show, including the body which occurs while in transition from form to form as well as during their performance of the equipment work..particularly weapons. They were incredible at performing the body stuff underneath the throws, usually while still moving at 160++ bpm. The sheer velocity of the movement, combined with those characterizations, combined with the aerial responsiblities was Box 5, imo. They spent hours upon hours working on emulating the method of movement of the particular animals which corresponded to the masks which they wore. Yes, there were a handful of other guards throwing sevens and eights, but most didn't throw these while jazz running like farm animals might. As soon as I post this, someone will jump in and say what BAC's guard did was no big deal. They have their opinion, but so do I. The 2014 edition of the BACCG was arguably the best ever to take the field. Contrary to what someone else here said, content DOES in fact matter. The vocabulary of the book IS creditworthy as long as the achievement is there. By the end of the season, the achievement WAS there. One may or may not like the Animal Farm production, but you would be hard pressed to say that the guard wasn't effective in evoking an emotional response. I dont think there is any argument as to the improvement in BC guard. Programming, connecting the dots, highs and lows, etc etc can be debatable for many. This can also be said of most other corps . With that said, you are right , the members did portray the animal character quite well and did throughout the show. BAc's guard does deserve this. The best in your opinion? MAybe , maybe not in others opinions, which is fine . Box 5? well, maybe, box 5 is a very big place and from lower box to upper box can be light years apart , although making box 5 is quite an achievement in itself. what some are ignoring is the fact that like it or not, agree or not with what judges and many may or may not feel towar either content or achievement, IT WAS AND IS TALKED ABOUT. and this in itself makes it a success on whatever level. Personally , I would rather be the guard or corps people talk about then not talk at all. It is a competition and comparisons will always be made from top to bottom. It doesn't make one less worthy than another but as with guards, corps, hornlines and drum lines on different levels comparisons and opinions ( including the number givers ) will separate one from another, BUT thats what a competition does. Edited October 11, 2014 by GUARDLING 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tobias Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 Boston threw it out their last summer and maybe it wasn't as competitive as they had hoped, but, I thought the show was intriguing and I like risk taking corps. They learned a lot I'm sure and will take the experience of last summer into account when designing the 2015 program, what the judges are willing to appreciate and what they won't. I'll take that over a vanilla show that's under a given corps abilities. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tesmusic Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Boston threw it out their last summer and maybe it wasn't as competitive as they had hoped, but, I thought the show was intriguing and I like risk taking corps. They learned a lot I'm sure and will take the experience of last summer into account when designing the 2015 program, what the judges are willing to appreciate and what they won't. I'll take that over a vanilla show that's under a given corps abilities. But if they learned a lot, why are they starting over with program coordinator. I sincerely doubt that if those running the corps from an administration/board perspective were happy with what the 2014 program represented, then why seek out a new program coordinator. Granted, I think Adam Sage is very intelligent, and very gifted, but why switch gears then. Why not stay the course if that is the direction they want to move. That, being design and concepts, and ways to display the concept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cappybara Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 But if they learned a lot, why are they starting over with program coordinator. I sincerely doubt that if those running the corps from an administration/board perspective were happy with what the 2014 program represented, then why seek out a new program coordinator. Granted, I think Adam Sage is very intelligent, and very gifted, but why switch gears then. Why not stay the course if that is the direction they want to move. That, being design and concepts, and ways to display the concept. Doesn't them getting a different program coordinator imply that they learned from their mistakes this season? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tesmusic Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 (edited) Doesn't them getting a different program coordinator imply that they learned from their mistakes this season? Yes, but I would take that as them learning what not to do. Which I hope to god is what they learned. Edited October 13, 2014 by tesmusic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.E. Brigand Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 I said nothing about weakness, just the fact that most everyone improves. Isn't that s a statement that states nothing? In which case why state it? Some improvements are more impressive than others, same goes for corps. So you agree that Boston's improvement in guard was more impressive than the improvement by Crown, Cadets, Bluecoats, Cavaliers, Phantom and Scouts? And that Boston's final achievement in guard was more impressive than that by Scouts and Phantom? Because that's all I was saying. I think this is the touchiness some are talking about, that you can't say anything... "Some" as used here includes me, as it happens: I'm someone who's grumbled about fans being too touchy. But I think it can work both ways. Some people say that Boston had a great guard, or a guard who improved at an astonishing pace, and others touchily respond that Boston's guard was no big deal. Prickly is in the eye of the perceiver, I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corpsband Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 I spent many hours watching BAC's guard rehearse this summer. While I, too, think that their 7's and 8's were incredible (particularly by about Allentown), I was even more enthralled with much of their other work. Looking at the triad of responsibilities the guard members were presented with, I was especially impressed with their "animal" characterizations. If you watch them carefully, you'll see these characterizations being performed throughout the show, including the body which occurs while in transition from form to form as well as during their performance of the equipment work..particularly weapons. They were incredible at performing the body stuff underneath the throws, usually while still moving at 160++ bpm. The sheer velocity of the movement, combined with those characterizations, combined with the aerial responsiblities was Box 5, imo. They spent hours upon hours working on emulating the method of movement of the particular animals which corresponded to the masks which they wore. Yes, there were a handful of other guards throwing sevens and eights, but most didn't throw these while jazz running like farm animals might. As soon as I post this, someone will jump in and say what BAC's guard did was no big deal. They have their opinion, but so do I. The 2014 edition of the BACCG was arguably the best ever to take the field. Contrary to what someone else here said, content DOES in fact matter. The vocabulary of the book IS creditworthy as long as the achievement is there. By the end of the season, the achievement WAS there. One may or may not like the Animal Farm production, but you would be hard pressed to say that the guard wasn't effective in evoking an emotional response. agree that boston's guard took great strides this season. i dont think design held them back. in the end i think the performer couldnt quite realize the full potential of the design. i saw them early season and had great doubts about them ever getting a handle on that book. they certainly proved me wrong! looking forward to see what Adam writes for them next summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 agree that boston's guard took great strides this season. i dont think design held them back. in the end i think the performer couldnt quite realize the full potential of the design. i saw them early season and had great doubts about them ever getting a handle on that book. they certainly proved me wrong! looking forward to see what Adam writes for them next summer. I would suspect it being much different from last season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perc2100 Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 Boston threw it out their last summer and maybe it wasn't as competitive as they had hoped, but, I thought the show was intriguing and I like risk taking corps. They learned a lot I'm sure and will take the experience of last summer into account when designing the 2015 program, what the judges are willing to appreciate and what they won't. I'll take that over a vanilla show that's under a given corps abilities. I totally agree. While I wasn't in love with "Animal Farm," I really respected what it was attempting, and appreciate that their design staff was going for something different instead of falling back on a rehashed favorite, or even doing something safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flammaster Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Oh I loved it!!!! That is my kind of show. Adventurous interesting and out of the ordinary. Good stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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