Remember When....

[StarContra4-85]

NOBODY DANCED! and the color guard was in the back where they belonged.

Thanks for listening

I resent that statement! I understand your love for old school, but the guard does NOT ALWAYS belong in the BACK in a boring ARC! True today, they seem to "dance" more than they do equipment, but for the most part, they contribute to the "overall" drill design and not just a "backdrop."

So true. 27th Lancers certainly qualify as "old school," but they integrated the guard into the drill so that the guard was not a separate "throwaway" unit, but fully incorporated into the show. After all, they are every bit as much members of the corps as the horns and percussion. And when they're fully incorporated into the drill, they add so much to the visual impact. Constantly being stuck in the back in a blah arc shows no imagination. Drill made a huge leap forward when drill writers started using their imagination more and figuring out better ways to write the guard into the drill.

27's guard was not only clean, but expressive (in a good way) and they did make a huge impact into their shows. You've gotta love George Zingali ! There's a man who understood the importance of integrated design, heck he wrote the book!

R.I.P., George :angel:

[Cabssopprof]

Thanks for the memories Star-Contra. I am definitely old school, but now converted to new school. I marched as lead soprano in the late 50's through late 60's (Imperial Knights, Fair Lawn Cadets, Hawthorne Muchachos) and returned last year to march with the Hawthorne Cabs competing corps which won the DCA championships. I will continue to compete with the Cabs as long as I can.

The differences are dramatic between then and now, but it is difficult to compare and decide which styles are better. Things were definitely much more military in the old days, but not necessarily harder. The focus was different. In my opinion, todays corps have much more difficult shows to perform than corps from the 60's because today the tempos are so fast and the drill designs are much more free form than military. Also, in the 60's the music arrangements were not as complicated as today-a minimum of music training was adequate. Today, it seems that most players have had substantial music training and the instructors expect a high knowledge base. The then versus now comparisons will go on and on, but in my opinion, the old and new styles are both great, just for different reasons. Looking forward to another great summer and Cabs show -

Mike Risley

[byline]

27's guard was not only clean, but expressive (in a good way) and they did make a huge impact into their shows. You've gotta love George Zingali ! There's a man who understood the importance of integrated design, heck he wrote the book!

R.I.P., George :angel:

Amen.

[deftguy]

I am having a significant moment reading this thread....excuse me.....talk amoungst yourselves Some of this brings back some of the best memories of my life.

1. I remember this VERY well. My first instructor was the colorguard captain of the 1972 Kingsman, when she shouted the command "ten hut" it had such authority it was frightening.

2. I remember this

3. I remember the American flag being present, but none of the rest.

4. I was in guard, but I do remember the deafening volume the hornlines can make back then.

6. I used both the heavy ### guns, and the lighter weight ones for WGI

9. All I ever remember using was a 6 ft pole(we may have used smaller, I just can't remember)

11. I remember this

15. I remember this, as this was carried into the middle 80's

19 I remember this, but after my third year the pit came into place.

To all of my ole school guard friends(Sally, Nancy, Sandy, Geoff)

Remember head chops

legs chops

tossing equipment 10 yards

Double time

basics, basics, basics

Hitting the judges if they got in your way

Nancy, I remember the pennies, but we also taped our straps with electrical tape to get that slap sound.

That's one thing that gripes me today...the lost art of standing at attention. Once we marched onto the field and adjusted our position, we didn't move, we didn't adjust our uniform, our hair, our equipment...we FROZE.

Spins were our punishment if we didn't freeze too b**bs

You see that dot on the wall? That is your dot! You don't move you don't blink all you've got is that dot. If the building falls down you better pretend that dot is still there.

Do Not move! Got it?

Dont think about it DO IT!

Boy do I remember this!!!!!! b**bs

I can one up ya on that. At a show a couple years ago I watched in horror as right before the hornline warmed up on the field, the guard walked around giving "Huggies" and "Kissies" to each other before setting up! Bleeaaagh

ampssuck

remember being hard core and looking through people, not at them ???

Yo JOJO!!! I remember this, but we were told to look so arrogant that everyone felt like they were trash as we looked through them.

Great thread, great topic ^OO^

[SBrancheau]

Tossing Equipment 10 yards! Yep, yep, yep!

Head chops...almost knocked MYSELF out doing a head chop...didn't catch the pole at the base of my neck...WHAP! Saw stars...lots of stars!

[deftguy]

Head chops...almost knocked MYSELF out doing a head chop...didn't catch the pole at the base of my neck...WHAP! Saw stars...lots of stars!

LOLOLOL :lolhit: Dang it Sally, now you have to tell me how to get my lunch off of the computer screen!!!

[vintage rifle]

Definately old school

1. Black all-wool uniform with a "bucket" for the metal pole (with spearpoint)

2. It didn't matter if your flag was in your face, your hat being held by your teeth, your arm lying on the field - you did not move.

3. Never knowing there was a horn solo during that slow part until you listened to the RECORDS, because you were, yes, in the back.

4. Knowing if you were on the "starting line" or "finish line" side of the field.

5. Swiping traffic cones in construction zones.

It still makes me sick to see how corps set up: talking, stretching, moving all over the place.... tell me another performance art that warms up physically in front of the audience. Tacky tacky tacky.

[SBrancheau]

Head chops...almost knocked MYSELF out doing a head chop...didn't catch the pole at the base of my neck...WHAP! Saw stars...lots of stars!

LOLOLOL :lolhit: Dang it Sally, now you have to tell me how to get my lunch off of the computer screen!!!

I'd recommend some kind of monitor cleaner...don't spray it directly on the screen, like you did your lunch ^0^ ...use a paper towel... b**bs

I think I STILL have the goose egg at the base of my skull...

Yep, still there.

[Malibu]

.

It still makes me sick to see how corps set up: talking, stretching, moving all over the place.... tell me another performance art that warms up physically in front of the audience. Tacky tacky tacky.

yep.....and what's worse is when the hornline & drumline doesn't march in....just walk in!

I can understand the guard having to rush in to set up their "side-line yard sale" but don't start fixing your bra strap or fixing your hair!

[RobH]

Head chops - heck, I remember the CYMBAL players doing head chops - Racine Scouts in the 60's - the cymbal players wore berets so the cymbals could clear their heads!

I LOVE THIS THREAD!