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Phantom Regiment 2016


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Their visual package as of late has been, in my opinion, their weakest area,

Phantom finished 8th in Percussion from both Percussion judges at Finals last August. Their Brass perf. finished 7th.

Phantom's Visuals, including Guard, ( at 7th and 6th respectively ) outperformed their 7th, and 8th, in Brass, and Percussion. It was primarily the Brass and Percussion playing that put them in 7th overall. That said, some upgrade in Show Design could be a boost to their chances to move up, ( and not fall further ), imo

Edited by BRASSO
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So, what could they do with their visual package to unstick it? Should they go in the direction of any particular corps?

I know Cadets are going towards changing their visuals to match other corps. So, does that now mean that all corps have to follow?

I mean, I keep that corps should be able to do what THEY do and if they do that well, they should score high, but it seems that corps have little compulsories they have to follow to be competitive. This is a problem for a bunch of corps.

So, should they do more pods and "staging"? Should they demonstrate a bunch of different skills, instead of just being Phantom? I'm just curious about that. I am generally [leased with their drill, but a couple of years recently haven't struck me as visually as effective. Last year seemed decent to me, but Swan Lake visually didn't do as much for me. Turandot, Juliet, and Into the Light were all good. I don't remember Triumphant Journey. So for me, it's been the last 3 years where I think they've gone backwards visually.

Anyway, I am not attacking, and I hope it doesn't come across that way, I am just a little sad that some corps seem to need to change to get more points.

It's not just Phantom, or Cadets... Plenty of other corps are going to be changing their approach this year. Homogenization, yea...

I definitely get where you are coming from. I think a huge part of it is just the limitation of their movement. Cool, creative drill will always play a huge part in show design (for Phantom anyways), but I feel like they've hit a rut. While they don't necessarily have to move like other corps or try to be like them, what they have lacked is anything past flawless technique and straight white lines (their staple.) Other corps have gone about expanding their visual package in the corps proper to incorporate a larger variety of movement based rather than just marching and playing. I feel like it's completely possible for them to work in a direction like this without losing their individuality and identify. Take 2014 for example; Swan Lake is full of visual language and movement taken from the ballet that was used by only the guard, save for a few hornline soloists. Incorporating these visual ideals into the corps proper could add another layer to their design.

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Is it that the creative team is resistant to moving forward or so afraid of loosing their identity that they are not willing.

Times change and so should they. To relinquish creative control does not mean becoming irrelevant to the program.

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let us be clear in what we discuss.

While there are MMs who join a particular corps or move to another particular corps in order to heighten competitive ranking success, there are as many MMs from my experience who join particular corps because they like that specific corps' identity. Sometimes they prefer it even over competitive ranking success. I use for an example from a few season back Charlie, the outstanding baritone from the Boston Crusaders. It is said even on the BAC thread that he was offered contracts with corps or two who scored much higher than Boston but he liked Boston's identity and his experience there over several seasons. He aged out with them.

If a design/creative team shifts an identity, it is not only the judges to be considered, or the legacy of the alumni to be considered, or the sources of the corps' funding to be considered. Another facet is considering what drew the membership to this particular corps and how do they feel about discarding that identity for "modernity" as outsiders view it.

Whether it be Regiment, Cadets, Spirit, Troopers or Boston Crusaders, what outsiders view and what insiders feel about a corps may not and often is not identical.

Edited by xandandl
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Is it that the creative team is resistant to moving forward or so afraid of loosing their identity that they are not willing.

Times change and so should they. To relinquish creative control does not mean becoming irrelevant to the program.

What creative team? It doesn't stay the same from year to year save one person (who is neither creative nor a team player). lol

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Is it that the creative team is resistant to moving forward or so afraid of loosing their identity that they are not willing.

Times change and so should they. To relinquish creative control does not mean becoming irrelevant to the program.

I don't think they're afraid to lose their identity; they've already changed their sound.

I always felt that playing classical music and that Phantom sound was their identity.

Visual was always secondary to them. So they've already lost that identity.

They seem to be fine with where they are, so I'm not sure where they go.

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I don't think they're afraid to lose their identity; they've already changed their sound.

I always felt that playing classical music and that Phantom sound was their identity.

Visual was always secondary to them. So they've already lost that identity.

They seem to be fine with where they are, so I'm not sure where they go.

Agreed, I don't watch/listen to Phantom Regiment shows for their visual. I honestly couldn't care less, I just want their sound preserved

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What creative team? It doesn't stay the same from year to year save one person (who is neither creative nor a team player). lol

you said it not me.

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Agreed, I don't watch/listen to Phantom Regiment shows for their visual. I honestly couldn't care less, I just want their sound preserved

then they shouldn't be a marching organization but rather perform seated in a concert hall

but they don't - and a 3rd of the members are just for visual - so the visual matters greatly. JMO

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I may be wrong, but what a corps is and/or does is not about what the fans want or think they should be. While the support of a corps' fans is very important, the fans should be supportive regardless of what direction the corps chooses to take stylistically. IIMHO a corps that does not move forward design wise will soon become irrelevant to the activity, which could be very detrimental to it's existence. One's identity can change and not be lost.

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