Blue Devils in the Details 2023

[NakedEye]

14 minutes ago, Cappybara said:

BD is quick with taking down the videos, hope most of the BD honks got to enjoy it atleast once! 

I missed everything! 😭

[dcsnare93]

2 hours ago, Rylan said:

Seriously. I look forward to these smartphone camera videos because it’s a more accurate representation of the live sound. That, and it also reminds me that the audience does, in fact, love BD. Because based off of social media and DCP, they’re (for the most part) vilified. 

I think people tend to forget there are a whole lot of fans that do not post on DCP or social media. Anyone that has attended shows the last few years, or listened to the audience talk about their favorites as they exit the stadium, would quickly know there are plenty of fans who do in fact enjoy BD -- last night was no different!

Edited July 30, 2023 by dcsnare93

[karuna]

Loved the show. Might be the best BD show in quite some time.  What struck me the most is how detailed every moment has become.   There's not a second in the show where they're not building to the next effect. While the guard book is not the most difficult of the top 4,  it is written exquisitely well to maximize GE (for example when entire guard is on rifle -- that's mostly A class work.  But it all looks great.  Will always love 👑  but this year I'm seeing  a  on the side

[Rylan]

3 minutes ago, karuna said:

Loved the show. Might be the best BD show in quite some time.  What struck me the most is how detailed every moment has become.   There's not a second in the show where they're not building to the next effect. While the guard book is not the most difficult of the top 4,  it is written exquisitely well to maximize GE (for example when entire guard is on rifle -- that's mostly A class work.  But it all looks great.  Will always love 👑  but this year I'm seeing  a  on the side

Guard got 1st in content last night and tonight so perhaps they do have a difficult book? 

But I agree, I love the lyricism in BDCG’s style. It’s not just being difficult for difficulty’s sake. BDCG dances very well. It’s clear that many of them have classical dance training.  

 

[karuna]

1 minute ago, Rylan said:

Guard got 1st in content last night and tonight so perhaps they do have a difficult book? 

But I agree, I love the lyricism in BDCG’s style. It’s not just being difficult for difficulty’s sake. BDCG dances very well. It’s clear that many of them have classical dance training.  

 

Content ≠ Difficulty.  It's literally just the "what".   The DCI Guard sheet is a combo of effect, ensemble, equipment and movement.    Maxing out on tricks and tosses does not mean you win the caption.  BD's staff know this very well.  

[Rylan]

3 minutes ago, karuna said:

Content ≠ Difficulty.  It's literally just the "what".   The DCI Guard sheet is a combo of effect, ensemble, equipment and movement.    Maxing out on tricks and tosses does not mean you win the caption.  BD's staff know this very well.  

Ah I see.

So their book isn’t difficult then? Which corp, in your opinion, right now has the most difficult book? And how close is BD to that difficulty? I’m not as familiar with color guard scoring. 

[karuna]

Just now, Rylan said:

Ah I see.

So their book isn’t difficult then? Which corp, in your opinion, right now has the most difficult book? And how close is BD to that difficulty? I’m not as familiar with color guard scoring. 

Didn't say there's not difficult stuff in the book.  I did say they manage to generate fantastic effect even when it's NOT super difficult.  You're looking for something you're not gonna find here.   

[Rylan]

Just now, karuna said:

Didn't say there's not difficult stuff in the book.  I did say they manage to generate fantastic effect even when it's NOT super difficult.  You're looking for something you're not gonna find here.   

Thanks!

I was genuinely trying to learn something from someone who knows more than I do about something. It seems you may have thought I was challenging you somehow which was not the case. I appreciate the info!

[karuna]

1 minute ago, Rylan said:

Thanks!

I was genuinely trying to learn something from someone who knows more than I do about something. It seems you may have thought I was challenging you somehow which was not the case. I appreciate the info!

FWIW the most difficult book is probably Blue Stars.  It's ridiculous almost every year just because M. Shapiro writes ridiculous stuff.  Watch their flag work.  It's just arbitrary hand switches, working both ends of the pole,  strange releases into tosses, it goes on and on.  Do Stars win guard?  Nope.  But their kids LOVE being challenged by his work.  Boston, Bloo, and Crown all have pretty challenging books as well.  

[saxfreq1128]

41 minutes ago, karuna said:

Loved the show. Might be the best BD show in quite some time.  What struck me the most is how detailed every moment has become.   There's not a second in the show where they're not building to the next effect. While the guard book is not the most difficult of the top 4,  it is written exquisitely well to maximize GE (for example when entire guard is on rifle -- that's mostly A class work.  But it all looks great.  Will always love 👑  but this year I'm seeing  a  on the side

It’s not the most aggressive or frenetic, but when you factor in body and exposure it’s definitely up there difficulty wise — this is also where we have to draw difference between something being hard to perform and something being hard to clean. The BD stuff that looks easy is always the latter.

for eg if you watch the saber feature during ballad, the stuff they do while balanced on one leg, extending those legs, making a saber feature double as a dance feature, all very hard, and in a block formation no less so you can spot every mistake. It’s one of the hardest guard features of the summer (not least because no other guard is risking full-guard rifle AND flag AND saber AND dance lines) but I def agree that it doesn’t look that way.