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rifles as props?


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I've watched the evolution of drum corps for 60 years and no where does it resemble the military orientation of my marching days...which is great IMO...So, with what seems to be a great artistic aesthetic, why the need for rifles in an activity that has progressed so far..BTW.. this is not a gun vs. no gun issue for me, just an artistic one..I realize that some corps don.t  and that a themed show might require them..but the activity has become so grandiose that throwing rifles as opposed to something else seems to me a bit "old fashioned" ironically..I look forward to your educated observations..peace

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7 minutes ago, waliman4444 said:

I've watched the evolution of drum corps for 60 years and no where does it resemble the military orientation of my marching days...which is great IMO...So, with what seems to be a great artistic aesthetic, why the need for rifles in an activity that has progressed so far..BTW.. this is not a gun vs. no gun issue for me, just an artistic one..I realize that some corps don.t  and that a themed show might require them..but the activity has become so grandiose that throwing rifles as opposed to something else seems to me a bit "old fashioned" ironically..I look forward to your educated observations..peace

Interesting question. I would think it's more of a "better the devil you know" type of thing than anything else. Since it's a common implement which is still taught, I would think it will just take time for design to fall in line with functionality. 

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14 minutes ago, waliman4444 said:

I've watched the evolution of drum corps for 60 years and no where does it resemble the military orientation of my marching days...which is great IMO...So, with what seems to be a great artistic aesthetic, why the need for rifles in an activity that has progressed so far..BTW.. this is not a gun vs. no gun issue for me, just an artistic one..I realize that some corps don.t  and that a themed show might require them..but the activity has become so grandiose that throwing rifles as opposed to something else seems to me a bit "old fashioned" ironically..I look forward to your educated observations..peace

Some corps have used alternatives.  Some were effective, others not so much. 

Cadets used those s-shaped props in '91 in Short Ride in a Fast Machine and they were amazing.  I think they were one of the most effective alternatives. 

Remember the air blades?  That seemed to have died quickly. 

Remember the Vanguard bedposts with the tassle on the end?  I wasn't a fan. 

Edited by Continental
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Not sure that I'm a fan of the blades. In fact, I had forgotten about them until you posted that one Continental. See...here's the thing with "implements" in my opinion. My general nature as a percussionist to go "Ohhhh shiny squirrel!!" If you change one to something "cool and different" I watch MUCH harder...which means that I pick up on timing/phasing and drops. It's like when we tried the complete flat tenors (quints.) When I went back to watch the tapes, all I saw was legs...which led to looking at feet...which led to seeing phasing. 

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11 minutes ago, Continental said:

2001 Cadets used those curved colon things which weren't as effective.  Hard to get the ports aligned on tosses with that curve.

Ports?  Wut-dat?

Oh I remember seeing those used with Blast! as well. I think on the small stage, they were really pretty effective. Not as much on the field. 

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1 hour ago, Weaklefthand4ever said:

Not sure that I'm a fan of the blades. In fact, I had forgotten about them until you posted that one Continental. See...here's the thing with "implements" in my opinion. My general nature as a percussionist to go "Ohhhh shiny squirrel!!" If you change one to something "cool and different" I watch MUCH harder...which means that I pick up on timing/phasing and drops. It's like when we tried the complete flat tenors (quints.) When I went back to watch the tapes, all I saw was legs...which led to looking at feet...which led to seeing phasing. 

For those who may not know - this is an air blade.

 

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Airblade isn't far from a Klingon Bat'leth.  Which is kinda cool to me.  

SVC used lighting bolts for Force of Nature, which looked pretty well when they hit the storm.  

 

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3 minutes ago, Continental said:

For those who may not know what they are, this is an air blade.

 

Very neat. And it's GOT to be lighter and easier on the wrists than a traditional implement I would think. You would think they would be utilized more. Is there is a tremendous cost difference?

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