byline Posted February 11, 2006 Author Share Posted February 11, 2006 (edited) Yeah me too! I couldn't get over how much "American" music was used, especially for the parade of nations. "I Will Survive" was the one that stood out to me. Good song--and certainly an anthem of empowerment in many circles--but I had to wonder about the symbolism. "I Will Survive" . . . or I will thrive? Anyway, you're right; the use of American music at that point in the ceremony was interesting. But maybe these themes are even more universal worldwide than we realize. And thanks for the background on the Italian Flag Hurlers, mobrien and Malibu. My color guard brain immediately went to our own activity, and I didn't consider the larger history. Which makes me wonder: In largely abandoning such exchanges (though a few guards still do them; somebody mentioned Cadets, for example), are we abandoning a truly distinctive part of our own heritage, just for the sake of riding a new wave of trends? I tend to think so. Edited February 11, 2006 by byline Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byline Posted February 11, 2006 Author Share Posted February 11, 2006 She is talking about the flag exchange that the flag hurlers did with their white flags. Each member had two flags. Yup, I really liked the double-flag work, too! Yes, I was surprised how the group with the Olympic flag were out of step and couldn't swing their arms together....not a pretty site! I will have to say when LancerFi and the rest of the 2-7 guard carried in the Olympic flag in Lake Placid 1980, it was the best I have ever seen! Of course it helps when you ask the best guard in DCI to handle it too! B) Me, too! That was a bit of a shock. I didn't mind the women walking, not marching. I understood that they were not a military unit, and so I didn't have that expectation of them; they were symbolic, and I appreciated the symbolism. But the unit who took the flag from them . . . man, they looked rough! Though it seemed to me that it was one individual who really stood out as being out of it, but I didn't review that part of my tape today, so I'm not sure it was only one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom&Phitch Posted February 11, 2006 Share Posted February 11, 2006 She is talking about the flag exchange that the flag hurlers did with their white flags. Each member had two flags. Yes, I was surprised how the group with the Olympic flag were out of step and couldn't swing their arms together....not a pretty site! I will have to say when LancerFi and the rest of the 2-7 guard carried in the Olympic flag in Lake Placid 1980, it was the best I have ever seen! Of course it helps when you ask the best guard in DCI to handle it too! B) haha thanks Malibu, i missed most of the opening, but did catch those horrible out of step marchers... eek! but at least nessun dorma made up for it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byline Posted February 11, 2006 Author Share Posted February 11, 2006 haha thanks Malibu, i missed most of the opening, but did catch those horrible out of step marchers... eek! but at least nessun dorma made up for it! Yup, "Nessun Dorma" is Pavarotti's signature aria, and he made the most of it. It just seemed so perfect for this ceremony. And, of course, it would have special appeal to Phantom folks! Didn't Phantom play that in 1991? And did you march that year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom&Phitch Posted February 11, 2006 Share Posted February 11, 2006 Yup, "Nessun Dorma" is Pavarotti's signature aria, and he made the most of it. It just seemed so perfect for this ceremony. And, of course, it would have special appeal to Phantom folks! Didn't Phantom play that in 1991? And did you march that year? haha, i was 5 in 1991, but i wish i marched that year! ... but yea, they did, and the soloist i remember off hand was JD Shaw? that piece has always been a favorite of mine, if you really like it and arent a huge fan of the operatic sound, i would suggest finding the Aretha Franklin version of it... her voice was like rich flowing dark chocolate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knightsbari Posted February 11, 2006 Share Posted February 11, 2006 I missed it :-( I was too busy last night singing Carmina Burana .... sounds like I missed a great performance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byline Posted February 11, 2006 Author Share Posted February 11, 2006 haha, i was 5 in 1991, but i wish i marched that year! LOL! Whoops, sorry 'bout that! :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byline Posted February 11, 2006 Author Share Posted February 11, 2006 I missed it :-( I was too busy last night singing Carmina Burana .... sounds like I missed a great performance You know, I'd become so disenchanted with these Opening and Closing Ceremonies that I really didn't think I'd watch. They've become so plastic and commercialized in recent years. Atlanta (the Cadets' performance aside) was when it started becominig really obvious to me. So I've become pretty cynical about these things, but this one changed my mind. Yes, it was produced; it had to be. But it didn't feel produced . . . if that makes any sense. I felt genuine emotion from the performers; they seemed to be really into what they were doing, and happy to be there. And the choreography and costumes maintained a good balance between tradition and creativity. Sometimes I find these things too traditional, other times they're just waay out there. This program covered all the bases in some pretty ingenious ways. This Opening Ceremony changed my attitude about whether such programs really have a place in the Olympics. I have a feeling that the athletes who were there in the stadium had an absolute blast, and now, no matter how they do in their respective events, they have an irreplaceable memory of this gift to them, a performance that no one else got to experience quite the way they did. And that, IMO, is how it should be. The athletes are the reason we have an Olympics at all, and all too often, that gets lost in the hype. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aroura Posted February 11, 2006 Share Posted February 11, 2006 is there a video of it floating around on the internet somewhere ... that's not owned by NBC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byline Posted February 11, 2006 Author Share Posted February 11, 2006 is there a video of it floating around on the internet somewhere ... that's not owned by NBC. There are plenty of networks worldwide carrying the Olympics besides just NBC. I taped the CBC's coverage in Canada, but I don't have any way of linking to it on-line, and I don't see any video links on CBC's website. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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