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Hi, everyone! I know it's a little late to be asking this, but I need help and the way my corps explains it is not sinking in. I still cannot master the marching style, which is the straight-legged w/ roll step. I can play the music, but you, "hear feet in the music," to quote my brass head. I don't want that. Carolina Gold doesn't want that. If it's not an out of the way question, can I get a few pointers from the rest of my DCA family, through PM, if you will. Remember, real competition comes when everyone is playing and marching at their best. I hope no one thinks I'm trying to get ahead of another corps. I just want to march the way I'm supposed to. Please. Anyway, thanks, and look forward to seeing some of you in N.J., next week!!!

Elizabeth

Edited by Eaglesong
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Hi, everyone! I know it's a little late to be asking this, but I need help and the way my corps explains it is not sinking in. I still cannot master the marching style, which is the straight-legged w/ roll step. I can play the music, but you, "hear feet in the music," to quote my brass head. I don't want that. Carolina Gold doesn't want that. If it's not an out of the way question, can I get a few pointers from the rest of my DCA family, through PM, if you will. Remember, real competition comes when everyone is playing and marching at their best. I hope no one thinks I'm trying to get ahead of another corps. I just want to march the way I'm supposed to. Please. Anyway, thanks, and look forward to seeing some of you in N.J., next week!!!

Elizabeth

This isn't something you are going to master with only a couple of months of practice, especially for a "brand new" person like you are.

You just continue to do the things you are already doing (and believe me, we see your inprovement even if you do not) and it will come. You also don't need to "understand' everything right away. For some, it takes time. before you know it, a lightbulb will go off and you say, "Oh, so THAT is what they mean!".

Part of the fun of teaching is watching people go from zero to full-speed in a very short time.

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Not being an instructor but someone who was in your shoes a year ago, I echo what John said. We want so much to be constructive, contributing members to our corps and certainly not be what we perceive to be "competitive liabilities." Add to it that we're passionate artist types (why else would we do this) and we end up very concerned about our ability to do the job and hold up our end of the bargain. I say this because last year I was a rookie, and confidence in my abilities was hard for me to find -- it was very easy to get frustrated because this stuff is hard to pick up, and it was easy to get discouraged.

John's right -- the instructional staff notices the improvement and expects you to try your hardest to get better with each rep. For me, once I stopped expecting the grace of Barishnykov from the get-go and worked at being the best I could be every time, it fell into place and by the end of the summer I was confident in my ability to march and play the show reasonably well. You'll get there too!

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This isn't something you are going to master with only a couple of months of practice, especially for a "brand new" person like you are.

You just continue to do the things you are already doing (and believe me, we see your inprovement even if you do not) and it will come. You also don't need to "understand' everything right away. For some, it takes time. before you know it, a lightbulb will go off and you say, "Oh, so THAT is what they mean!".

Part of the fun of teaching is watching people go from zero to full-speed in a very short time.

Thanks, John and Tom,

That means A LOT. I just hope that lightbulb comes on, or at least gives promising flickers before our first show. At home, for instance, practicing at Sanderson Highschool today, I can play the music, until I start marching and than, well, like I said, feet in the music. It frustrates me a bit, because, newbie or not, Gold needs my third sop. voice as much as the leads. I don't want Gold to suffer because of my inexperience. But yes, I'll remember that it takes time, and I'll remember to make the most of the time, and find at least one thing to improve on everytime we repeat a set or the whole show.

Oh, and John, some bad news, for the next rehearsal, Friday, my boss demanded me to work, so I can't come, Saturday, I'm going to the lake with friends, Sunday, we have a cookout at Church, and Sunday night...No, put the phone down, I'M ONLY JOKING!!! Although, last rehearsal, my boss scheduled me that Saturday. Needless to say...Both jobs know about Carolina Gold. I talk about it all the time. And yes, practice a bit during the slow times, too...

Take care,

Elizabeth M.

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Hi, everyone! I know it's a little late to be asking this, but I need help and the way my corps explains it is not sinking in. I still cannot master the marching style, which is the straight-legged w/ roll step. I can play the music, but you, "hear feet in the music," to quote my brass head. I don't want that. Carolina Gold doesn't want that. If it's not an out of the way question, can I get a few pointers from the rest of my DCA family, through PM, if you will. Remember, real competition comes when everyone is playing and marching at their best. I hope no one thinks I'm trying to get ahead of another corps. I just want to march the way I'm supposed to. Please. Anyway, thanks, and look forward to seeing some of you in N.J., next week!!!

Elizabeth

Elizabeth,

Think of this...

1) Everything from your hips down remains straight.

2) Then try to create more space between the top of your hips and the bottom of your rib cage, by trying to pull your torso higher in the air

3) Try to move your mouthpiece about an inch higher than it is now and just don't raise your head, but try to lift your whole torso up to it.

The reason why "your feet come through your horn" is because you are probably striking the surface of the ground too hard (a lot of bands do this) with you feet. Think of pulling your weight into the air. Always lifting the body away from the ground.... Then just place enough weight in your feet to transfer your body weight to the next foot.

This also works backing up and keeps you from squatting down and sticking your rear-end out when moving backwards.

Too many people think of their body center being where it is, but if you lengthen your torso (by not compressing it) you will both look taller and also get the "feet out of the horn."

Good Luck

Eric

04-?? Phantom Regiment Visual Staff Member

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Elizabeth,

Think of this...

1) Everything from your hips down remains straight.

2) Then try to create more space between the top of your hips and the bottom of your rib cage, by trying to pull your torso higher in the air

3) Try to move your mouthpiece about an inch higher than it is now and just don't raise your head, but try to lift your whole torso up to it.

The reason why "your feet come through your horn" is because you are probably striking the surface of the ground too hard (a lot of bands do this) with you feet. Think of pulling your weight into the air. Always lifting the body away from the ground.... Then just place enough weight in your feet to transfer your body weight to the next foot.

This also works backing up and keeps you from squatting down and sticking your rear-end out when moving backwards.

Too many people think of their body center being where it is, but if you lengthen your torso (by not compressing it) you will both look taller and also get the "feet out of the horn."

Good Luck

Eric

04-?? Phantom Regiment Visual Staff Member

And if all else fails, go outside first thing in the morning, lay down on the wet grass with your cell phone and have Eric guide you through a relaxation meditation designed to help you control each body paprt seperately. It kind worked for a bunch-o-bandos in Indiana in 1985. ^0^ ^0^ Sure was a heck of a lot more cool than just those boring old stretches.

I always thought of my lower extremities as shock absorbers for the upper body. The trick was to keep the upper body from moving at all. I got pretty good at it - especially with the Big Ten style "chair step" my college marching band did.

And then I quit organized marching from 1988 until last year and had to relearn a whole different type technique when I did come back. On a surgically repaired ankle, a left knee with 0 cartlidge and, well, basically a body that was 17 years older, chemically and radiologically enhanced and had 4 years of rugby playing damage on top of that. I've had Donnie Van Doren look at me at an alumni corps rehearsal, shake his head and say that I wouldn't make it past the weekend. I did. I've had fellow corps members last year say I wouldn't last the season. But guess what - I did. So don't let anyone tell you that you can't do it. Good luck and stick with it! Your light bulb moment will come on when you least expect it.

Edited by SaraNYC
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Another thing to think about:

This style of marching is a push-catch style where you push off the ground with your back toes and catch the ground with your front heel (or vice versa if marching backward). Make sure you do not lead with your front foot as that will throw your balance off.

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Elizabeth:

I've been in your shoes. It ain't easy.

You'll get it. Just relax and be patient. If you stress yourself out about this, you'll just all worked up and won't help.

Trust me. :) I know what I'm talking about too...just ask the Cabs marching staff from 2003. b**bs

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The reason why "your feet come through your horn" is because you are probably striking the surface of the ground too hard (a lot of bands do this) with you feet. Think of pulling your weight into the air. Always lifting the body away from the ground.... Then just place enough weight in your feet to transfer your body weight to the next foot.

This is probably a lot of it. It is what I always tried to think about when marching, and what I try to teach to students. Pull your weight up so that the concussion of your foot to the ground is lessened. Whenever I feel there is trouble with this, I have marchers stand still at attention and pull up as high as they can on their toes. Then lower down to where you're still on your toes, but balanced well. Feel where your head is - how tall you are. Then let your heels lower, but feel as if you are staying the same height, remaining taller as you rebalance your weight. Then remember that feeling and keep it intact while on the move.

I hope this helps.

And, oh yeah, the best thing is reps. It will get better and better as you keep marching! Good luck to you and the rest of Gold!

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