Visual Design Impact on the Masses

[Morgoth Bauglir]

And the classic, "Why are they twirling guns and swords?"

Lately, I find myself asking the same thing. And I have been in the activity for about 5 years now. I undetstand the roots of the equpiment guards use. BUt I think it may be nearing the time to phase that stuff out and go for things that fit the show or style a bit more. The same goes for WGI. Virtually no group does the type of work or style that was used when guards were actually "color-guards". The use of weapons really has no place anymore. They just don't fit with any of the styles or work that is done these days. Now I can see a group like Phantom or SCV wanting to use weapons for one of their Russian military-ish shows or movements. Then it actually fits. But to hold on to this stuff just for the sake of nostalgia is pretty pointless. I just can't help but wonder why every time I see a guard practicing or performing. To put it bluntly, here you have these hot chicks in tight costumes doing body movement but throwing weapons around? It clashes big time IMO.

[Malibu]

If you think about it, marching around in military-style unis while playing Gershwin, Carole King, etc...is really pretty odd. It was odd in my day and it's odd now.

Personally, I like what Surf did with their "School's Out" show....put the entire corps in costume. I think that over time we may see more of that. The needs of carrying instruments around and play them well, and the need to make readable forms, may keep marching pretty much as we know it, though with more "body work" to highlight the music.

Mike

Star did that too, but they had Bill Cook. I don't see that in the near future unless corps gets lucky to have sponsors to pay for different uniforms or "costumes" every year. It would be too expensive and could cause many corps to fold.

[Malibu]

Lately, I find myself asking the same thing. And I have been in the activity for about 5 years now. I undetstand the roots of the equpiment guards use. BUt I think it may be nearing the time to phase that stuff out and go for things that fit the show or style a bit more. The same goes for WGI. Virtually no group does the type of work or style that was used when guards were actually "color-guards". The use of weapons really has no place anymore. They just don't fit with any of the styles or work that is done these days. Now I can see a group like Phantom or SCV wanting to use weapons for one of their Russian military-ish shows or movements. Then it actually fits. But to hold on to this stuff just for the sake of nostalgia is pretty pointless. I just can't help but wonder why every time I see a guard practicing or performing. To put it bluntly, here you have these hot chicks in tight costumes doing body movement but throwing weapons around? It clashes big time IMO.

I strongly disagree. If you listen to certain passeges in music you will hear what should be done visually with guard.....but then again you have to know and understand guard to imagine it. :sshh:

[deftguy]

I strongly disagree. If you listen to certain passeges in music you will hear what should be done visually with guard.....but then again you have to know and understand guard to imagine it. :sshh:

You absolutely amaze me. Here you were in drum corps before I was, and you have made the transition from military to dance and movement without flinching. I am wondering why I am not faring so well with this. I dunno, maybe because I can't dance worth a dang B)

[PageantryVisGuy]

Lately, I find myself asking the same thing. And I have been in the activity for about 5 years now. I undetstand the roots of the equpiment guards use. BUt I think it may be nearing the time to phase that stuff out and go for things that fit the show or style a bit more. The same goes for WGI. Virtually no group does the type of work or style that was used when guards were actually "color-guards". The use of weapons really has no place anymore. They just don't fit with any of the styles or work that is done these days. Now I can see a group like Phantom or SCV wanting to use weapons for one of their Russian military-ish shows or movements. Then it actually fits. But to hold on to this stuff just for the sake of nostalgia is pretty pointless. I just can't help but wonder why every time I see a guard practicing or performing. To put it bluntly, here you have these hot chicks in tight costumes doing body movement but throwing weapons around? It clashes big time IMO.

Guards spin other stuff all the time...rifles and sabres are just a traditional "default." Hats, angles, PVC pipe, each other, umbrellas, saxophones (bluecoats '93), all kinds of stuff. Unless there's something else that really makes sense to "spin," then they just use the defaults

[ekleve]

People are always complaining that nobody respects tradition anymore. Well, we still have rifles and sabres, so hang on dearly to that last bit of tradition! :P

Seriously though, when I see guards using rifles and sabres, I don't see them as weapons. To me they're using a standard piece of equipment, just as a baseball player uses a bat. I think more about what they're actually doing with them than what the objects are.

[Malibu]

You absolutely amaze me. Here you were in drum corps before I was, and you have made the transition from military to dance and movement without flinching. I am wondering why I am not faring so well with this. I dunno, maybe because I can't dance worth a dang B)

I guess it's because I never stopped doing guard. I either, march, judge or teach and have been every year since 1975. NO, I wouldn't say I'm an accomplished dancer but I do try in order to "keep up with the Jones." Not only that, but being an indoor guard judge as well as a visual judge, I have to open my mind to many possibilities.

I know guys that marched with you in Cavies and they are still out on the floor.....doing what all the other guards are doing too. I bet you could do it too if you tried. B)

Edited October 14, 2005 by Malibu

[DrumCorpsFan27]

I think that the advances of visual design have been fantastic. I have appreciated the changes in drill design more than any other change in drum corps.

[Henson]

I am in the military. My next job will be teaching drill at boot camp in IL. I may have a somewhat unique perspective on this.

In my opinion corps style marching IS coreographed dance. The only thing military about it is the posture and body carriage, and that is necessary for proper air maintenance. Jazz running allows you to cover more ground than the classic step most hornlines use (as evidenced by the fact that a lot of groups have their hornlines jazz run when they really need to cover some yardage in a few counts). The guard, unconcerned with air management, generally seems to cover a lot more ground, which is justification for the way they march. It would look pretty silly to have a guard girl run through a line of contras with small stepsize and toelift. BUt jazzrunning works just fine, and fits in better with what they're doing.

The marching arts are special, and what is accomplished on the field is absolutely breathtaking at times, but it is military only in its roots. Military close order drill has nothing on a well choregraphed (excuse me...charted :P ) corps. The two don't even compare.

[Eggbert]

I don't see the military aspect in visual design so much a problem as how performers carry themselves and the attitude that goes along with it. It's that cold seriousness that a lot of people can't understand when associated with music. In some ways I find the corps of today even "stiffer" than the old days, perhaps trying to hang on to some sort of traditional drum corps feel. MikeD said it well regarding the military thing while playing non-military music. It's all a bit of a force fit and has been for ages.

When I first came into it (75) there was a strong movement AWAY from the military vibe. That was the thing I loved most about drum corps at the time. We were innovators and it felt like it. Shakos and cadet unis were on the way out and people were trying new things. While the guard has stretched into new areas and drill design is creating amazing stuff to look at, the corps proper seems to be stuck in a rut.

There also used to be a push for true integration of the guard and corps proper. That didn't last long. I guess it's easier to write the guard block over on the other side of the field or whatever. Looks like two different corps out there sometimes. Guard was more integrated in the 60's when everyone was still doing pinwheels!

Whenever I introduce people to drum corps there are a few questions I can always count on. Why are they so stiff? Why do they look so angry? Why is the guard "acting"? (it ain't working) What's with the saluting? It's really not very fan friendly or even sensible when you think about it.

To me drum corps is as simple as people on a field making people in the stands go nuts. Now if they could just do that without alienating huge demographics of the audience. It's a great performance form, maybe among the most powerful in the world. But, it won't enjoy any kind of acceptance in society until average people can look at it and go, "wow!" instead of "huh?"