Bluecoats 2024

[ContraFart]

2 minutes ago, scheherazadesghost said:

There's a happy medium here. Don't join Devs on this loss of form to form drill. That's legacy lost.

Increase the elements as Fart said.

That's more easily done when movement designers and instructors learn movement from outside the insular colorguard world's biggest wink ever.

I love how I am just referred to as "fart"

I warms my heart. 

[scheherazadesghost]

1 minute ago, ContraFart said:

I love how I am just referred to as "fart"

I warms my heart. 

We haven't always seen fart to fart, but your name literally makes me laugh every time.

[arabica]

8 minutes ago, scheherazadesghost said:

There's a happy medium here. Don't join Devs on this loss of form to form drill. That's legacy lost.

Increase the elements as Fart said.

That's more easily done when movement designers and instructors learn movement from outside the insular colorguard echo chamber world's biggest wink ever.

Sounds like Bloo is already onto something here. Given the activity is indeed quite insular, do you think guard judges are currently prepared to assess and reward increased diversity of movement techniques/styles if outside that studio jazz norm [assuming most corps derive movement from that -- I honestly don't know?]?

[scheherazadesghost]

4 minutes ago, arabica said:

Sounds like Bloo is already onto something here. Given the activity is indeed quite insular, do you think guard judges are currently prepared to assess and reward increased diversity of movement techniques/styles if outside that studio jazz norm [assuming most corps derive movement from that -- I honestly don't know?]?

There would need to be some re education involved for judges I think but hopefully not much.

Michael James, at one point in our shared drum corps history, was providing incredibly rich and diverse movement palettes. SCV 03 closer choreo is lost forever but #### it was rich, for example. There are probably more examples but I've been gone for a few decades. In that time, it seems vocabularies have homogenized quite a bit.

That said, you don't have to depart from studio jazz too much. Post modern and contemporary aesthetics use the same principles, just allow for safer movement and more richness generally IMHO. Should be totally recognizable to judges and audiences. Just a bit fresher.

And again, my favorite, safer, if taught well.

Yes, Bloo is already doing this. Their inversions and floor work are notable examples. Arguably as difficult as BD's ensemble arial to do well, but the wow factor of an arial is undeniable. (Arial is a cartwheel with no hands.) It's a trick. But so is a twisty, one handed, spiral inversion like what I saw from Bloo. They simply aren't being rewarded like they're the same.

[saxfreq1128]

54 minutes ago, scheherazadesghost said:

BD could be very easy to out-innovate on the choreo side of things, especially for Bloo.

Two of their movement techs are Vanguard alum. Sweet people. Maybe one of them studied dance outside of colorguard but maybe not, unsure. Either way, they've got great eyes and are producing the cleanest movers in the activity outside of BD.

BD's choreo is standard and conventional. High demand and achievement, but all firmly within the studio jazz aesthetic.

A design staff that can use literally any other aesthetic and teach it well will give Devs a run for their money. Bloo is the closest to that even if they aren't getting rewarded fully for it just yet. If they keep their current trajectory, they will. I'm rooting for them.

Studio jazz is boring and decades old, even when beautifully executed.

LOL it’s studio jazz for sure. Which is corny! Okay but I love that little rifle line/hornline jazz square moment BD had during Jojo, not gonna lie. Reminded me of my favorite auntie.

I think the jazz aesthetic works for BD because it suits their love of theater. Probably stereotypically I associate studio jazz with Broadway-ish dance studios, which, given BD’s range of thematic interests, makes sense to me. And ya it helps that it’s teachable and you can get a hornline to look good and consistent and legible doing it. 

But I’m all for giving BD a run for their money. I think Bloo’s movement was really strong this year; my only complaint was that the choreo for the poem didn’t feel very natural to me, I think I craved something more layered and admittedly less hornline-friendly. But they looked strong and all the body built into the guard book was especially great IMHO. 

[scheherazadesghost]

26 minutes ago, saxfreq1128 said:

LOL it’s studio jazz for sure. Which is corny! Okay but I love that little rifle line/hornline jazz square moment BD had during Jojo, not gonna lie. Reminded me of my favorite auntie.

I think the jazz aesthetic works for BD because it suits their love of theater. Probably stereotypically I associate studio jazz with Broadway-ish dance studios, which, given BD’s range of thematic interests, makes sense to me. And ya it helps that it’s teachable and you can get a hornline to look good and consistent and legible doing it. 

But I’m all for giving BD a run for their money. I think Bloo’s movement was really strong this year; my only complaint was that the choreo for the poem didn’t feel very natural to me, I think I craved something more layered and admittedly less hornline-friendly. But they looked strong and all the body built into the guard book was especially great IMHO. 

I have a mental block against BD which I tried to deny this evening but can no longer. Nothing wrong with their aesthetic and yes, agreed, it makes perfect sense for them. They've done it well for years and it's an important part of their legacy they shouldn't change! Totally yes about being teachable AND broadly accessible to audiences and judges. Any of those kids could easily learn Fosse choreo and excel. 

Totally feel you on the Bloo critique. Their weirdo aesthetic should give them free reign to color outside all of the lines but again, difficult to do this effectively when all guard staffs are handcuffed to the same aesthetics from lack of exposure and training. 

Gimme some contact improv, some post modern, Bloo. Both of those aesthetics were founded and nurtured, in large part, by queer folks who rejected pointed feet, balletic lines, and pageantry. And yet, they're totally malleable and work well on the stage. Have for decades. That's the layering you're looking for. 🫠

Here's a good example of yummy that I'm talking about. Some of the best happening in the country rn:

 

Edited August 13, 2023 by scheherazadesghost
sorry, degendered to be more accurate

[Ashontheinternet]

i will be auditioning for bloo24 on trumpet this year, for real. no take backs. i hope to be on that field next year. savings account has been slowly filling since i pulled out of last years audition process. i regret not auditioning last year with every fiber of my being. 

[Dmlkmen]

There are several things I think are key in identifying a Bluecoats show. The obvious are props, body movement, and electronics. 
 

But the one thing I really admire and find to be incredibly cool each year is their use of polyrhythms in their brass and percussion  arrangements. The piece they play this year, right before the “Bloo” shout from the corps members, is you just pure groove. It reminded me of the ending of  2015’s piece, Shaker Loops. Specifically before  the Bloo shout with the trumpet echoes….This is becoming like a trademark for the corps, and I am there for it. 

This said and being on topic, unique time signatures from “prog” bands like Rush, Tool, or Zappa come to mind as possible material for a show. King Crimson and possibly Mars Volta as well. There could be a mix they try from the jazz, hip hop, or R&B as well. 

 

 

[Super Don-O]

I've said it before, I love Bloo for all the same reasons I love Zappa. They are original. They take things in an unexpected direction. They are both cerebral and insanely talented. They play with rhythms and styles no one else would think of. They do what they want without worrying who will like it, but they do it so well you can't help but go for the ride.

Edited August 13, 2023 by Super Don-O

[IllianaLancerContra]

8 hours ago, KVG_DC said:

Let's do a Yeats poem next.  

And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,   

Slouches from Canton to be born?

 

Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland / Through the Looking Glass could be on-brand.   White Rabbit could be the next The Boxer.