The direction of show design: will all follow Bloo?

[saxfreq1128]

I'm beginning to see an onslaught of PEE's...the marching version of the athletic world's PED's. <b> I just feel that Performance Enhancing Electronics is lending an artificial nature to what is supposed to be a "live" activity.</b>

Say more? People perform electronic music live -- Electronic Dance Music (edm), e.g., is frequently performed live at festivals and was at one point an almost $7B industry for that reason. And live electronic performance can be as susceptible to human error (or expression) as any other live music, just with modern instruments.

Are electronic instruments really so much less expressive than, say, harpsichords? Isn't the key factor the person playing it?

[kdaddy]

One, I think you're right. I think it was Dean Westman. And when he said that, my mind immediately went back to one of the concluding scenes in "Hellbent for Victory." He was addressing the Troopers on the morning of semi-finals (I believe). His message (and I'm paraphrasing) was "We do this simply because we love doing it. Go out and spread that love to the audience. If we do that, we win. Put us in 20th...we win. Put us in 16th...we win. It doesn't matter what we score, or where we end up. If we go out and share our love for this activity...we win."

Not sure if this makes any sense. But if I interpret what you're saying (and I totally agree with your point of view), it seems that there has been a certain change of heart even within the directorial community.

I'm not so sure. I bet he'd give the same message to Bluecoats during finals week, and I bet he gave the same message to SCV during finals week when he worked with them. I think there's a difference between (i) designing a show to be competitive in modern drum corps and (ii) telling individuals in the corps to share their excitement for the show to the audience.

And, as crowd reactions have dictated the last couple years, the Bluecoats have demonstrated that a competitive modern drum corps design and audience sharing love with the members are not mutually exclusive.

[HornTeacher]

. . .I am anxious to see how far they can push this "drum corps wise", though, to get it away from the WGI stigma.

There's a chance to play with the dimensions; having a few of the slides and ramps the same color as the field (roughly, or in the case of Indy, you know what color to approximate) complete with "upside-down" yard markers and numbers would make for some interesting visuals.

Hell, borrow from the Cavaliers tenors a few years ago . . .get some folks to sufficiently camouflage themselves to hold the soloist upside down while on said ramps.

Or, make people disappear from one slide and reappear on another . . .

Lots to play with here.

Just as long as someone doesn't go and pull a Vinko Bogataj on us.

[corps8294]

The involvement and/or interaction with video and projection screens.

[xandandl]

This Cadet alum thinks it would have been cool had they put the entire corps in what is now the guard costume, and maybe the guard in something else even further "out there".

every flock has one black sheep...

poor pun

Edited June 25, 2016 by xandandl

[xandandl]

With the exception of 2 posters, this has been a great discussion of thought and perspectives. Some great ideas have also been given by several which the Blucoats may want to consider or copy. It will be interesting to see where the re-writes of many corps' programs go this summer and what they feel the judges are recognizing and rewarding. How creative the corps become, how strong they maintain their individuality, and how entertaining their efforts are for both audience and adjudicators will reveal whether they are "leaders or lemmings." (Hey, that's a potential show title or Michael Boo article.)

Thanks everyone for your comments so far, particularly those who spent some time thinking compared to the 2 reacting.

Edited June 25, 2016 by xandandl

[Forevergreen]

Well obviously a lot of corps incorporated props-in response to BD doing them/ well might I add., In the competitive nature of things, it is only a matter of time before someone does something to beat you at your own game.

[Cappybara]

does something to beat you at your own game.

That has yet to be seen

[Forevergreen]

Already happens-corps adapts a new approach/some reinvention. Blue Devils have been masterful at it.

[xandandl]

But as Corpsband pointed out previously, The Cadets were the ones to initiate sliding in the most recent years with the color guard members sliding down the props of the Christmas show as if they were kids sliding down a snow covered hill

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NLBkOjpoW8&feature=youtu.be&t=8m30s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NLBkOjpoW8 Bluecoats took the image several levels further with Tilt, last year, and especially this year.

It's interesting that Bluecoats visual impact on the activity corresponds to when they hired Mike Fanning away from Cadets and he took with him several techs and a number of recent Cadet age-outs to work as visual techs including a a couple who made a short pit stop on the staff of Oregon Crusaders.

For a while Dean Westman was also on Cadets staff, but Hopkins let him go too, just like all those creative visual guys who have staffed Crown for the past decade in addition to Michael Klesch on the music side.

Yup, he's been beaten at his own game.

Edited June 25, 2016 by xandandl