SBrancheau Posted January 21, 2003 Share Posted January 21, 2003 Okay everyone! I'm ready for rotten fruit and flaming posts for expressing my opinion...but here goes: I think there's too much CRAP on the field...drum corps, high school bands, etc., are guilty of fielding too much stuff. If the drill, and equipment work by the guard can't convey the message of the music, then simplify the show...clean the equipment work, clean the drill. Looking at corps back in the early to mid 80's, the visual enhancements were sparse...the corps painted the picture and the auxiliaries enhanced and colored the picture. Thinking about Phantom ("Journey through the Snow") in 88, very little in the way of props conveyed the "white ballets". The flags, color guard uniforms, capes for the corps, enhanced the music without detracting from it. Understand what I mean? One could interpret without being hit over the head with a large sign that says, "we're interepreting the 'white ballets' here!" I know I'm being as eloquent as I want to be...I am very tired of seeing the clutter of "stuff"...I want to see clean equipment work and clean drill. If both are present, why is the other stuff needed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byline Posted January 21, 2003 Share Posted January 21, 2003 (edited) You'll get no argument from me. I've believed for a long time now that things are getting too "busy" to work visually. There's a reason why simplicity works so well in design, and I think many drum corps/color guard designers have lost sight of that. It seems like the more frantic the visual image, the more cluttered with elements, the "better" it is. (After all, it works for MTV, so it must work eveywhere else. Right?) I think that when it fits the music, that manic interpretation works, but not throughout an entire show. I see a whole lotta stuff that just ain't musical, in my opinion. Edited January 21, 2003 by byline Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galen Posted January 22, 2003 Share Posted January 22, 2003 One could interpret without being hit over the head with a large sign that says, "we're interepreting the 'white ballets' here!" Maybe you could hit the judges over the head with one of those signs :P My dad likes to say, in regards to props, that if it can't walk/march on and off the field, it doesn't belong in the show (pit instruments are excepted from this) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBrancheau Posted January 22, 2003 Author Share Posted January 22, 2003 Geez, I expected to get clobbered on this...I certainly did in the IndianaMarching.com forum! Just looking at the high school bands that are using all the props and stuff...if it takes you an ATV with 6 "trailers" (and this was my own high school), it's too much stuff! Winter guards are guilty of this, also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffsjetta Posted January 22, 2003 Share Posted January 22, 2003 i stopped doing indoor drumline when it became more on the props and story than how you played. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
masterles Posted January 22, 2003 Share Posted January 22, 2003 Geez, I expected to get clobbered on this...I certainly did in the IndianaMarching.com forum! Just looking at the high school bands that are using all the props and stuff...if it takes you an ATV with 6 "trailers" (and this was my own high school), it's too much stuff!Winter guards are guilty of this, also. I think winterguard has a place for props and sets. It is theatrics, dance, and colorguard all in one. If it was reduced to just colorguard, it'd be similar to drum corps. Winterguard is a different style vs. drum corps, so I am all for the extras, not that they should take the place for GE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LancerFi Posted January 23, 2003 Share Posted January 23, 2003 Waaaaaaaaaaayy toooooooooooooooooo maaaaaaaaaaaaannyyyyyyy!!!! I don't want to get into this one because I will run off on a tangent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBrancheau Posted January 23, 2003 Author Share Posted January 23, 2003 No LancerFi...speak your mind here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malibu Posted January 23, 2003 Share Posted January 23, 2003 I agree with many above, the props that are used on the field nowadays have really gotten out of hand. I can see it's use for winter guard shows, but even then some go way over board. Sometimes I wonder if the designers do it intentionally to hide the fact that their guard can't use the equipment that well...sort of relying on the "props" to hide them? Just my 2¢ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deftguy Posted January 23, 2003 Share Posted January 23, 2003 Nancy, Go ahead and let loose. Your tangents are so funny and enjoyable I just love reading your posts when your dander is up Anything done in moderation can be enjoyable(except dancing on the field) . There is only one problem, no one is doing anything in moderation. There is too much dance and props, and not enough solid equipment work. The most discouraging thing is that is looks like things are going to get worse :( The first guard I see that does five times as much equipment work than dance will be my new favorite guard. Since that's not happening soon it looks like 27th lancers 79-80 guard, Phantoms 79-80 guard, and the Cavies 80-86 guards won't be dethroned soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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