jjeffeory Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 Completely agree with you. Every year the Cadets have the raw talent and sheer power to win a title. However, the design team has not consistently kept up with the corps and their placements have suffered. For some reason recently, Cadets' design has especially flawed on even years which I find really interesting and wonder why that is. I'll remain hopeful that the Cadets' design teams pulls through and delivers a show that is more nuanced than hitting someone over the head with the number 10 over and over again. If they can design a show like BD, they'll win this year. I've got to agree with you on this Cappy. I really like the music that I've heard from them this year ( brass and percussion), so it's going to come down to the visual design ( guard and drill/staging). I know they're going to be technically proficient. This year is going to be an interesting year for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjeffeory Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 I find this talk of "the Cadets needing a fresh new visual design because it's been holding them back" stuff to be a bit odd -- as if they looked around as the season went on and after it ended and just knew that they NEEDED to make these drastic changes. Does anyone in their right mind think that had Jeff Sacktic not had the deeply personal ordeal going on with his wife's health (of which I'm extremely sympathetic) that he wouldn't still be writing the drill and putting the visual package together for the Cadets right now at this very moment? Of course he would, and people would be foolish to think otherwise IMO. ("Hey, Jeff, congrats on being inducted into the DCI Hall of Fame. Long overdue and well deserved! You're fired...") Now obviously, real life takes center stage over drum corps any day of the week, and nobody can fault Jeff for taking a step away at this time. At the same time, I don't blame anyone for being excited at an infusion of fresh talent on the visual design and instruction side of things because of it. I can understand and appreciate that. But it seems as if people keep making this leap of logic that they lost last year because of visual and decided that they needed to make all these massive changes, and that the role of what was happening in Jeff's life at the time didn't play an enormous role in those decisions. That's how I interpret those posts, anyway. Jeff Sacktic, as main visual design voice for this corps for so many years, was the least of their problems IMO, and had those unfortunate personal issues not come about (as they tend to do in all of our lives, whether we want them to or not), I can't envision any situation (given that he still wished to return) where they were looking to dump him in favor of a newer fresher visual design voice. I agree with you, and I love their drill. I also acknowledge that visual is now about more than just drill. Visual also encompasses guard ( to an absurd level, imho) and personal visual ( aka body movement). Look to Blue Devils, Crown, and WGI to see where that influence came from... Cadets are one of the best at pure drill though. As we know though, so many people here have been talking about "freshness" regarding their visual and all of that. I don't agree, as I love drill and I don't think they have an issue there. So I agree with you totally, but it's obvious that they're being pushed closer to the herd if they want to be rewarded with higher placements. I feel for Sacktig as well; I know how family issues can utterly disrupt life, so I wish him well, and hopefully he can get through whatever he is going through, and maybe come back later? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cappybara Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 I agree with you, and I love their drill. I also acknowledge that visual is now about more than just drill. Visual also encompasses guard ( to an absurd level, imho) and personal visual ( aka body movement). Look to Blue Devils, Crown, and WGI to see where that influence came from... Cadets are one of the best at pure drill though. As we know though, so many people here have been talking about "freshness" regarding their visual and all of that. I don't agree, as I love drill and I don't think they have an issue there. So I agree with you totally, but it's obvious that they're being pushed closer to the herd if they want to be rewarded with higher placements. I feel for Sacktig as well; I know how family issues can utterly disrupt life, so I wish him well, and hopefully he can get through whatever he is going through, and maybe come back later? I like this approach to look at it. It's not that the Cadets are designing bad shows, it's just that they're not designing the right kind of shows. Today's DCI demands much more depth to the concept behind the show in order to garner GE points (which is why I am still puzzled over GE scores for 2014 Bluecoats). Simple and well-executed drill is not good enough, and when it comes to integrating guard with the corps and show concept, Crown and BD are king. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 I like this approach to look at it. It's not that the Cadets are designing bad shows, it's just that they're not designing the right kind of shows. Today's DCI demands much more depth to the concept behind the show in order to garner GE points (which is why I am still puzzled over GE scores for 2014 Bluecoats). Simple and well-executed drill is not good enough, and when it comes to integrating guard with the corps and show concept, Crown and BD are king. GH was saying as much at the April camp. He certainly acknowledged that they need to integrate more performance art into their trademark high powered drills in order to be competitive today. He said it in sort of a wistful tone of voice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Dixon Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 I like this approach to look at it. It's not that the Cadets are designing bad shows, it's just that they're not designing the right kind of shows. Today's DCI demands much more depth to the concept behind the show in order to garner GE points (which is why I am still puzzled over GE scores for 2014 Bluecoats). Simple and well-executed drill is not good enough, and when it comes to integrating guard with the corps and show concept, Crown and BD are king. Crown isn't king at anything. They've won once and put a poorly designed program on the field in 2014 and last year's had major issues as well. Their stellar guard got them in 2nd. Guard is EVERYTHING these days. Corps with the top guard got 1st. Corps with the second placed guard got second. 2 years ago Cadets had the 3rd placed guard and got 3rd. So let's not get ahead of ourselves anointing Crown "King" of something Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrumManTx Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 (edited) I like this approach to look at it. It's not that the Cadets are designing bad shows, it's just that they're not designing the right kind of shows. Today's DCI demands much more depth to the concept behind the show in order to garner GE points (which is why I am still puzzled over GE scores for 2014 Bluecoats). Simple and well-executed drill is not good enough, and when it comes to integrating guard with the corps and show concept, Crown and BD are king. Bluecoats have garnered extremely high GE scores with low depth programs in terms of THEME. I think the depth from Bluecoats comes with how much layering they have going on musically and even visually IMO. There is never just one thing going on. You don't have to read Shakespeare or be familiar with Dantes Inferno to get it but I'd be shocked if anyone catches every single little thing they do in one sitting. If that thematic depth argument was true they wouldn't have done so well, especially in GE the past two years. I really don't think thematic depth is necessary, if you don't have it there, you better make sure your drill and music are not also face value and have tons of layer and effect built in or it doesn't work. I think simple concept can still work, you just sure as hell better make sure you have no weakness and flesh the crap out of it. To tie it back to this thread......IMO, seems like Cadets are doing a little of both this year with their guard and choice of music. I think that's a great thing. Edited May 22, 2016 by DrumManTx 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjeffeory Posted May 23, 2016 Share Posted May 23, 2016 GH was saying as much at the April camp. He certainly acknowledged that they need to integrate more performance art into their trademark high powered drills in order to be competitive today. He said it in sort of a wistful tone of voice. I certainly believe that The Cadets can do both, BUT they need to incorporate more of the BD/Crown type visual stuff. I believe that they're going to do that, and it's going to be VERY impressive in combination to their whiplash drill. Crossing fingers for it at any rate. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tobias Posted May 23, 2016 Author Share Posted May 23, 2016 I like this approach to look at it. It's not that the Cadets are designing bad shows, it's just that they're not designing the right kind of shows. Today's DCI demands much more depth to the concept behind the show in order to garner GE points (which is why I am still puzzled over GE scores for 2014 Bluecoats). Simple and well-executed drill is not good enough, and when it comes to integrating guard with the corps and show concept, Crown and BD are king. Well I would say BD is King. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjeffeory Posted May 23, 2016 Share Posted May 23, 2016 (edited) Crown isn't king at anything. They've won once and put a poorly designed program on the field in 2014 and last year's had major issues as well. Their stellar guard got them in 2nd. Guard is EVERYTHING these days. Corps with the top guard got 1st. Corps with the second placed guard got second. 2 years ago Cadets had the 3rd placed guard and got 3rd. So let's not get ahead of ourselves anointing Crown "King" of something I can feel the love... Crown does personal body movement like no other corps, including The Blue Devils and certainly the Cadets. That "poorly designed program" from Crown is one of my favorites shows of the last 5 years. I love both corps, but this came across as over the top. Amusing to see things heating up so early in the season already. Edited May 23, 2016 by jjeffeory 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Dixon Posted May 23, 2016 Share Posted May 23, 2016 Well I would say BD is King. exactly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.