Visual Design Impact on the Masses

[abercrombiedevon]

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.

At Surf in 2003, we had many sponsors...including Ron Jon Surf Shop, Columbia Shoes, and Rusty Clothing Company, just to name a few.

[deftguy]

I disagree with the ending of this statement, because I feel as though a very successful colorguard can pull this off. I mean, the guard may dance through the ballad but then lock in a solid six on rifle in the closer and be as aggressive as delicate to articulate the music.

This may be true, but only a few guards I have seen could really pull this off. With the costumes that guards wear today looking serious is a joke. What is the purpose of throwing a six when only one or two people can really catch it cleanly? I would rather see a clean four from everyone in the line, than a six where people are stepping out of form, or bobble the catch.

I think DCI has outgrown the name colorguard. Back in the day when the equipment book actually ruled rather than dance it made sense to call it colorguard. In this day where tires, 12ft metal poles, car doors, railway ties, giant chess pieces and everything but the kitchen sink is used, and the emphasis is on dance, I think it is more of an pagentry corps than a colorguard. It would be MUCH easier for me to get used to if it was renamed.

One of the things I really miss on the field are those huge impact moments like the Cavaliers huge flag toss over the corps in their 1991 show. When I saw that for the first time, I wanted to throw babies I thought we did juicy exchanges and tosses, but this blew my mind. I haven't seen anything like this in years.

[palladio]

This may be true, but only a few guards I have seen could really pull this off. With the costumes that guards wear today looking serious is a joke. What is the purpose of throwing a six when only one or two people can really catch it cleanly? I would rather see a clean four from everyone in the line, than a six where people are stepping out of form, or bobble the catch.

That is true. But like I said earlier in that post, the kids need to be able to accomplish what's written for them. If they can't, I don't understand why it's in their program. I've seen a lot of successful teams pull insane tricks off, but when it's written and they can't do it I just have to wonder what their staff was thinking.

Maybe colorguard as it is today has outgrown the actual name colorguard. Maybe auxillary does make more sense; I've seen it used more and more frequently in band circuits. I've called it that before, and I don't really have a problem thinking of it as such. But my question is: isn't colorguard's dance-like evolution similar to perhaps the drill becoming a-symmetrical with drum corps? Most things in the pagentry arts change, and wasn't that just another step along the way?

[deftguy]

.

Maybe colorguard as it is today has outgrown the actual name colorguard. Maybe auxillary does make more sense; I've seen it used more and more frequently in band circuits. I've called it that before, and I don't really have a problem thinking of it as such. But my question is: isn't colorguard's dance-like evolution similar to perhaps the drill becoming a-symmetrical with drum corps? Most things in the pagentry arts change, and wasn't that just another step along the way?

I would have to say no. I marched during the time shows went from boxes and moving patterns to asymmetrical drills. Fundamentally marching didn't change during that evolution. However since dance has taken over, guards do not pay as much attention to the details of equipment handling. Gone are the days where hand positions were extremely important. Gone are the days where precision is so tight that the rifles actually spin in unision during tosses. Gone are the days were guards actually marched like the corps. Gone are the days where you could actually see different styles amoung guards. Dance has fundamentally change guard where asymmetrical drill designs did not.

[ekleve]

Gone are the days where you could actually see different styles amoung guards.

Really? I am a horn player, and when I think about the gaurds from Cavies, BD, SCV, Cadets, Madison, Bluecoats, Phantom, etc, they are all very distinguishable from one another. In fact, if I saw them performing without the rest of the corps, I'll bet I could tell who they are.

[deftguy]

Really? I am a horn player, and when I think about the gaurds from Cavies, BD, SCV, Cadets, Madison, Bluecoats, Phantom, etc, they are all very distinguishable from one another. In fact, if I saw them performing without the rest of the corps, I'll bet I could tell who they are.

Maybe you can, but when they toss, they all toss with simular technique. That wasn't so when I marched. They all jazz run simularly(except the cavies), handle equipment simularly. They all incorporate various forms of modern dance with simular technique. If you put all of them in the same uniform, they would probably blend together well. That was not the case when I marched. Everyone pretty much had their own style of marching, tossing, and equipment handling. Not saying our way was better, just different.

[Matt_S]

That's something I've heard about the music, as well, that identities have been lost. And always, the author claims "that was not the case when I marched." It makes me wonder if the difference is truly in the activity, or whether the claim is simply due to the author changing perspective, moving from being a member on the inside of the activity to being a spectator outside looking in.

[palladio]

It makes me wonder if the difference is truly in the activity, or whether the claim is simply due to the author changing perspective, moving from being a member on the inside of the activity to being a spectator outside looking in.

That's a good point. As I still march, I definately disagree with him because I think of how the Cadets don't use free-arms as a standard rule. Blue Devils always incorporates a lot more body into their show than most other colorguards. I think of instances like that with most colorguards and in the style of which their show is designed (I can always tell when Joe Heininger is behind something). But maybe no longer being a performer, you just don't see it as well.

[visualjellyfish]

As someone who did a lot of this in their show this summer, I'm someone who tends to cringe at the thought! :P

My corps color guard was trained during nine-to-nines in our marching technique and we did have some old school positions as well. It simply wasn't enough for me. I relish in moments like that. :)

They can't. Because, as I've been able to tell, emoting wasn't the point when it was slams and double-time.

Oh, no, I know that. I was speaking about what color guard has become. It has evolved from the time color guards were performing slams into something more dramatically emotive...and in order to do this, I believe that more intricate movement vocabulary is necessary (dance.)

Have you ever encountered injuries to to insufficient dance training? I only ask because I've actually never really encountered them myself, and I've been actively involved since 99 (not long at all, I know), but I've actually never seen it.

Yes. I have. I chose to leave my corps last year, because of an injury. As a dance major, I think I have some understanding of how to move my body effeciently...and last summer was not it.

However, I do agree with you that colorguard dance has become it's own, in a way. It blends all kinds of styles and just kind of makes some things up. I can't even count how many times I've heard one of my instructors say something along the lines of how "This isn't real dance, it's guard-dance."

The problem is that "guard dance" isn't even firmly rooted in any existing dance techniques. It merely mimics them, and in doing so, leaves out very important guidelines for practicing and performing them correctly and safely.

EDIT: for clarification and typos

Edited October 18, 2005 by visualjellyfish

[visualjellyfish]

Back in the day, you couldn't and you didn't, at least in the manner of today's guard. But there were other ways that it was done -- less or more equipment usage, less or more field coverage or movement, etc. Plus you had the emotional response of the corps and the crowd when a difficult series of tosses or head chops was completed perfectly. There definitely was emotion involved, just a different level or type.

Great discussion here by the way, glad I started this thread, I am learning a lot about the hows/whys of where guard designs and performance are at today.

I stand corrected, friend. I didn't mean to imply that they didn't emote. In fact, I am very moved by what some of my older brothers and sisters have done...so much to the point where I WISH I could do that today. :)

NOTE: Many posts coming up...and many things I wish to discuss...sorry if I fill up the thread. :(