Evolution in Guard Judging?

[Guardguy89]

16 hours ago, tommynev said:

There's definitely been some kind of shift in judging. BD was absolutely dominant until 2016.. which makes a streak of four years they haven't won guard. I'm wondering if their tendency to perform all of their features without moving underneath them is a fad that is on the way out. 

BD definitely upped their game this year - and I attribute it to Boston.  I loved Boston's guard this year - there equipment skills are beyond human.....but I thought BD had a slight edge at finals due to the fact that they performed their show - I never got the same sense from Boston - they nailed everything - but I didn't see the performance qualities that BD had.

 

I also think BD's dominance is over as more guards have started to figure it out - I'm looking at you Vanguard. Bluecoats and Cavies !!!!

Later,

    Mike

Edited August 16, 2019 by Guardguy89

[N.E. Brigand]

On 8/14/2019 at 10:43 AM, Guardguy89 said:

My big concern - and its the same concern I have with WGI - is that guards now are all about the number of tosses that get incorporated into a show.  It's gotten to a point where I sometimes question the musicality because all it is is a series of tosses.  I miss the the more nuanced approach you could have where you could actually see an entire sequence done without a toss (or 16 tosses!!!).  

Boston (and previously Crown) has now pushed DCI guards to new levels of difficulty - BD had to up their game their year (Never saw them attempt a 720 before this year) and it showed.  And let's not forget what SCV, Bluecoats and Cavies are bringing to the field in terms of guard work - simply astounding.

But I also love how BD can program intricate nuances that are so musical and beautiful to watch - and I hope they (and other guards don't lose this).  I also feel that BD has a much more evolved dance / movement program - and felt that they might have won guard this year because of that extra element.

I just hope it doesn't become an arms race as to who can toss the most in a 16 count phrase (I'm looking at you WGI guards !!!!)

Seems like a similar problem can occur on the music side: notes for notes sake rather than for musicality's sake.

[N.E. Brigand]

On 8/14/2019 at 9:43 PM, Poppycock said:

Additional judge and performance clarifications would provide better leveling. 

As would having two brass judges or two percussion judges.

[Jeff Ream]

On 8/14/2019 at 10:43 AM, Guardguy89 said:

My big concern - and its the same concern I have with WGI - is that guards now are all about the number of tosses that get incorporated into a show.  It's gotten to a point where I sometimes question the musicality because all it is is a series of tosses.  I miss the the more nuanced approach you could have where you could actually see an entire sequence done without a toss (or 16 tosses!!!).  

Boston (and previously Crown) has now pushed DCI guards to new levels of difficulty - BD had to up their game their year (Never saw them attempt a 720 before this year) and it showed.  And let's not forget what SCV, Bluecoats and Cavies are bringing to the field in terms of guard work - simply astounding.

But I also love how BD can program intricate nuances that are so musical and beautiful to watch - and I hope they (and other guards don't lose this).  I also feel that BD has a much more evolved dance / movement program - and felt that they might have won guard this year because of that extra element.

I just hope it doesn't become an arms race as to who can toss the most in a 16 count phrase (I'm looking at you WGI guards !!!!)

 

Later,

      Mike

I'll never claim to be an expert in guard, and never want to be, but like anything else, things come and go as trends, and always works its way from the top down before it course corrects.

[Jeff Ream]

1 hour ago, CorpwithanS said:

Toss rifles and heads, not hair.

who doesnt love a well timed hair whip!

[xandandl]

13 minutes ago, Guardguy89 said:

BD definitely upped their game this year - and I attribute it to Boston.  I loved Boston's guard this year - there equipment skills are beyond human.....but I thought BD had a slight edge at finals due to the fact that they performed their show - I never got the same sense from Boston - they are nailed everything - but I didn't see the performance qualities that BD had.

 

I also think BD's dominance is over as more guards have started to figure it out - I'm looking at you Vanguard. Bluecoats and Cavies !!!!

Later,

    Mike

You have proven my point exactly why there must be more than one guard judge.  While all captions/judging including tick execution includes a subjective element, guard evaluation when evaluating performance (compared to execution) is strictly subjective.  No one judge's feelings should determine outcome. Have two, add both, divide by two.

[Ghost]

1 hour ago, Jeff Ream said:

who doesnt love a well timed hair whip!

Moi.

[CorpwithanS]

2 hours ago, Jeff Ream said:

who doesnt love a well timed hair whip!

....or a good  Coup- Contre-coup  brain injury....coup-contrecoup-brain-injuries

[chris ncsu]

20 hours ago, Jeff Ream said:

who doesnt love a well timed hair whip!

Calling Cadets 1990

[Tim K]

It’s interesting, it was not too long ago many saw the manipulation of sabers, rifles, and flags as a lost art. Corps would include a few classic moves, no question, but it seemed other things took their place. There was also complaining about too many dance moves. I feel there is better integration today and in some shows I was reminded of the moves of the classic 27th, PR, and Cavies guards, at least as far as skills are concerned, while still being current and contemporary and practically death defying. 

I am sure the judges are competent as far as guard skills are concerned, but what about the dance moves, body movement, etc. Do they have the qualifications and credibility from the point of view of the dance world? Many of us have probably heard dance instructors claim what they see on the field is amazing, and others question the skills involved.