Cadets

[GMichael1230]

Yeah. You keep telling yourself that.

In the late 90s, Regiment and Blue Knights were FAMOUS for their skimpy guard attire.. some of it was VERY inappropriate and girls were falling out of it.. but so few made comments about it.. the comments made were more along the lines of.. "that guard is HOT" -- and they were BEAUTIFUL girls.. very fit.. the uniforms looked lovely when they stood still..

I just think you're devising excuses for what you really object to.

That uniform is no more skimpy than anything else we've seen elsewhere in the activity over the years.

This isnt a uniform. Its a costume, a poorly devised costume thats supposed to portray a character that many are familiar with in literary arenas.

Phantom Regiments colorguard "uniforms" have been nothing but classy and nothing but flattering on all types of figures of their colorguard. Wether it be 1990, 1992, 1996...etc....Nothing they have ever worn was as tight and ill-fitted as what this "costume" is.

A corps like the Cadets, who offer th best in marching and music shouldnt settle for anything but the best as far as "costuming" goes. They miss the mark entirely in this area.

It doesnt help to inform the audience that she is the "queen of hearts: it is more like what its being called by most people in their reviews and impressions...I'll leave it at that, but in no way, in my opinion, can you even draw a comparison what Phantom Regiment or Blue Knights (?) wore to what this girl is wearing.

And to stay on topic, its indeed one of the reasons whythey arent third: poor follow through on a concept from a design standpoint, and the inability to communicate with the audience.

~G~

[GMichael1230]

You know.. I can understand why some people think it's funny. It's a sophomoric humor -- and particularly telling about that person's mental maturity when something in them says, "it's okay to laugh at someone because of their {insert physical attribute here}."

It doesn't make you bad. It just makes you immature. Maybe if you had to live with {insert physical attribute here} for a year or two and try to go out and do the things you dream of doing in spite of the immature jerks who think it's funny to make fun of you, you might see things differently.

Or better yet.. Maybe one day you'll have a daughter with that same issue and desire to live her dreams.. and someone will poke fun at her and you'll get a glimpse of how it feels to be subject to it.

Unless that happens and until then, I guess I can only shake my head and wish better for you than you've offered to her.

Do you ever come down off of your high horse ?? Talk about getting your wrists slapped. YOu hate it when AudioDB and Dan do it, but its ok when you do it ??

You calling someone immature, wether warranted or not, is apersonal attack and against the guidelines in this forum. WHat happened to the "high road" you always take, or taking it to PM, if you have a problem with someone ?? It works both ways.

Quite frankly, that costume is in poor taste, and it has ntohing to do with the girl, and you know that, you just want to rake someone over the coals. How are comments about a poor costume choice regarded as attacks on a human being. ? Maybe the designer huh ?

Its not appropriate and when I have a daugfhter , if I do someday, she wont be on the field for thousands to see in a poorly designed costume.

~G~

[bawker]

Agreed Bawk. In one of the other many Cadets threads I tried saying the same exact thing, but I didn't articulate it as well.

Right now, I'd rework the end of "White Rabbit" to a more definitive, bombastic ending... take the ballad and switch it to the second number, and then put the "Tea Party" stuff as a third number...with little to no break in between the drum feature and the start of the closer.

IMO, that would seem to give the audience and upstairs a little more motion and energy to feed off of.

Of course, I'm not in the design business. :P

[GMichael1230]

Amen! Stefanie, I'm not sure if anybody on this thread mentioned "physical attributes" until you did; it's just a bad costume no matter who it's on. Do you really think it represents the character of the "Red Queen" well? Other than being red, and maybe queen-size (yes, I said it, sue me!), would you know that's what the character was if you weren't familiar with the storyline of the Cadets' production and/or Alice in Wonderland? If you just randomly saw her walking in the parking lot of a drum corps show as you were driving by, and you had no idea what drum corps was, what would her outfit say to you?

The banner isn't making fun of her, it's only poking a little fun at the poor costume choice (and just its skimpiness at that), and the overall design of the show. It's tamer than a lot of reviews as far as commenting on that costume or the show itself! I don't think anybody has any ill will toward the performer, or has been mean to her -- the criticism and fun-poking (I think I just coined a phrase!) is directed at the show's designers.

Brilliant ! Nobody made any personal comments about the girl, and why would anyone ?? Nobody here is perfect, and nobody I ever came across has the desire to be evil and rude to another human being on a personal level. It - is - the - poor - costume - choice - that people are commenting on, but theres gotta be one in every bunch to make more out of it than it is.

~G~

[GMichael1230]

It's just that there are people who would rather point and laugh because of a girl her size wearing that outfit than just letting her do what she does (and by all accounts, what she does quite well.. you don't get into Cadets guard just because they like you. You gotta have the stuff.).

your opinion, not fact, and a rather sad one at that,but hey, you are entitled to it.

~G~

[momoblooo]

Her being a young woman of size and stature in that outfit isn't the shame.. "adults" making fun of her for it, that's a shame.

You're the only person who's even making comments about her like that! Do you think for a second the Cadets didn't choose her because of her size? There were a million smaller girls who were just as talented who could have played the part, I'm sure. The red queen is usually portrayed as being somewhat zaftig (see this illustration). There are no other guard members her size; the only person in the guard or cast of characters of a similar build and body type is the singer (and no one has complained about or commented on how she LOOKS). I think they wanted a "queenly" sized girl since she's playing a character who tends to be portrayed as a large person in Alice in Wonderland books/videos -- and then they basically make fun of her by putting her in that outfit! I have no problem with her size (I'm an extra-large woman myself, and have been for more years than I care to admit!), I just have a problem with her, or any girl, being exploited for some designer's weird interpretation of a classic story. If she's happy with it and feels empowered, I'm okay with that for her sake -- it's still a bad choice from a design standpoint, as is evidenced from the general dislike of it here and at shows.

Again, I am not now and have not in any post made fun of the GIRL wearing the costume -- I do not, however, and will not, support that costume choice for her.

/end fight, but standing my ground on the COSTUME...

[Athensdawg22]

I think its a shame that people are so rabid when it comes to their dislike for the Cadets program this year. For those of you who dislike the Cadets so strongly this year, it seems you are overshadowing those of us (including myself) that enjoy what the Cadets are putting forth.

It bewilders me when I read that "there is too much going on" in the Cadets show. In my opinion, that can only be a good thing. Perhaps the problem could be that there isn't enough going on in other groups shows? Who knows? I enjoy all of the action in the Cadets show this year and applaud their efforts.

It really all comes down to what you like and what you don't like. I preferred Phantom in '89 to SCV in '89. Who won is of no consequence to me. It's is an unenviable task that the DCI judges must undertake. Personal preference must come into account. If you don't like the Cadets, that's fine. Just be a little more reserved in your criticism. The Cadets are putting on a great show. If you don't like the singing and characters, that's great. The complaining is getting a little ridiculous.

[gellio]

I think its a shame that people are so rabid when it comes to their dislike for the Cadets program this year. For those of you who dislike the Cadets so strongly this year, it seems you are overshadowing those of us (including myself) that enjoy what the Cadets are putting forth.

It bewilders me when I read that "there is too much going on" in the Cadets show. In my opinion, that can only be a good thing. Perhaps the problem could be that there isn't enough going on in other groups shows? Who knows? I enjoy all of the action in the Cadets show this year and applaud their efforts.

It really all comes down to what you like and what you don't like. I preferred Phantom in '89 to SCV in '89. Who won is of no consequence to me. It's is an unenviable task that the DCI judges must undertake. Personal preference must come into account. If you don't like the Cadets, that's fine. Just be a little more reserved in your criticism. The Cadets are putting on a great show. If you don't like the singing and characters, that's great. The complaining is getting a little ridiculous.

You know, I understand where you are coming from, but this show is wretched! Absolutely wretched! And why are we shouting so loud about it? Because it isn't drum corps. It's a 3rd rate high school musical slash play slash I don't know what. If you going to try to change the activity, you run this risk. So, bravo to them for taking it, but I'm certainly going to rip it a new one in my reviews during finals week. I will balance it out with I'm sure raves about their marching technique, their colorguard, their percussion, and their hornline (which are all wonderful). But, to be frank, the design of this show just flat out sucks. And that's really unfortunate for the talent members. I admit it, I'll likely laugh (to myself) at the singing, because it isn't good, it's cheesey, and it has no place in drum corps.

Edited July 24, 2006 by gellio

[dans]

This drum corps season is one for the record books. Apparently all top 5 corps, minus the Cadets, have seemless, flawless works of brilliance this season. Little did the Cadets realize going in to this season that they would be competing against 4 perfectly designed shows with no flaws at all. Sarcasm off!

[bawker]

It bewilders me when I read that "there is too much going on" in the Cadets show.

Everything and the kitchen sink is a good idea in concept, but when you muddle the emotional involvement to the folks upstairs/in the audience... due to it being lost amongst your "bag of tricks", it can be too much.

Not to say that anyone is looking for "Mary Had A Little Lamb" here, but streamlining your design in order to communicate it effectively is a good thing, IMO. :)