LancerFi Posted March 3, 2007 Share Posted March 3, 2007 As great as the guard work in "New Country" (drum solo) was, and yes, IMHO it was Jaw Dropping b**bs - the work in "Twentieth Century" was much more difficult. The rifles had some difficult catches and body movement, the flag AND rifle exchanges, and the above mentioned fast spinning. For its time, (yes, I know it doesn't compare with today's tempos, BUT) for its time, "Twentieth Century" had some very fast tempos. The flag toss at the end of the intro always floored me, and the rifle catches while bending over, whoooey!By the way, kudos to that contra line for coming up with those awesome - well, whimsical is the only word that fits - visuals!! Disclaimer: I neither taught nor marched 27th in 1980. I was teaching Avant Garde, and was "just a fan" like everybody else. :) Funny you mention our tempos. I was just reading some of Volume 2 of "A History of Drum Corps" and it mentions that the equipment work was fast and furious and most of our songs in our hey-day ended at a much faster pace than of lot of our peers. The endings were considered in your face type of endings that went on forever with cadences not slow by any means. Of course it was nothing compared to now a days! Wow, going into concert the contras do that flip up to their shoulder with those cloth gloves. I cannot believe my eyes everytime I see it!!! Also, I just noticed I'm on page 77 laying down and spinning. It's from 1976....It may not be as obvious to everyone else, but yep, there I am! I have the picture and have seen it many times. It was also on one of the boards at Zingali's 1rst Annual Scholarship bash! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
O.P. Posted March 18, 2007 Share Posted March 18, 2007 I am amazed with all these 27 Alums on this post nary a mention of one of DC's most famous visual moves, ie, "The Danny Boy Wheel." Seemingly simple by today's standards, but still, rotating an entire horn line on the axis 90 degrees from a demand standpoint, doess't get any higher. I believe that Ralph Pace taught George Zinagali a great deal about visual effect with that move. In fact, George and I had several conversations about the power of visual simplicity when making a statement. The "Z" pull is a variation of the wheel and the drama of the effect is the two fold: the obvious difficulty and suspense created from the anticpation of success (or failure), and the power of simplicity, ergo perfection. George Z better than anyone understood that DC visual shows were a temporary medium and that the intent was to be effective in only one or two viewings. Visual subtleties, while intellectually entertaining, were not as effective since the most anyone show a show was 2-5 times a year. George brilliantly wrote for his audience which he knew was short lived. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A27Lancer Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 (edited) I am amazed with all these 27 Alums on this post nary a mention of one of DC's most famous visual moves, ie, "The Danny Boy Wheel." Seemingly simple by today's standards, but still, rotating an entire horn line on the axis 90 degrees from a demand standpoint, doess't get any higher. I'm probably mistaken, but wasn't the DB Wheel a variation of what Ralph used at the end of "Requiem for the Masses" with Blue Rock? Credit to BR if due... p.s. Many Many hours were spent perfecting the wheel. The hours spent on perfecting a seemingly simple effect must pale in comparison to some of the moves being done today. Although hundreds of moves come to mind, I'm particularly in awe of the BAC opening of "Bolero" where the two straight lines meet at the fifty and explode into the files. ABSOLUTELY mind-blowing!! Edited March 19, 2007 by A27Lancer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCVAlumTofRGuy Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 1985 Vanguard. RUNNING into the tunnel with green pants, coming out with white ones. A hoot to watch for the fans, and an even bigger hoot to march, especially since I was the last guy in & out of the tunnel and had a great view of the uniform carnage taking place inside B) . The downside was having to rehearse that stuff in the Midwest summer heat! :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkyRyder_FMM Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 I'm probably mistaken, but wasn't the DB Wheel a variation of what Ralph used at the end of "Requiem for the Masses" with Blue Rock? Credit to BR if due...p.s. Many Many hours were spent perfecting the wheel. The hours spent on perfecting a seemingly simple effect must pale in comparison to some of the moves being done today. Although hundreds of moves come to mind, I'm particularly in awe of the BAC opening of "Bolero" where the two straight lines meet at the fifty and explode into the files. ABSOLUTELY mind-blowing!! Actually, I think the 27 Wheel is far more difficult than the BAC Bolero move. Remember, BAC was marching in files across the field, hitting yard lines in consistent step sizes - not really that challenging. Once they all hit the 50, it was just a lot of small lines gating outward in opposite directions. It was the magnitude of the change that looked amazing, but it's not that difficult to clean compared to a full line rotation. Watch them both in slow motion, pick a member, and follow their path - you will see. Brilliant design and effect by BAC, but not nearly as difficult to execute and clean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMichael1230 Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 I'm particularly in awe of the BAC opening of "Bolero" where the two straight lines meet at the fifty and explode into the files. ABSOLUTELY mind-blowing!! It was even nicer when Orlando Magic did it first.....way back in 1990 !! ~G~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielray Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 edit: Kind of subtle visual that few knew of and fewer would have caught. '92 Sky was the Brigadoon show--plaid, DM in a kilt, etc. Well, the Cadets DM--the girl who was really hot--started off the year with a nice white or cream clip-on bow in her hair. It apparently ended up clipped onto the little ribbons hanging down the back of OUR DM's beret during the season. How it got there I probably won't ever know--or at least the price paid for it! Umm... I think I might have an explanation for that one... but might ruin your fantasy on that one :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiltie2004 Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 And shoot himself?? My all time fav. was when the Mariners Drum Major (Captin Crunch) tosses the saber backward over the entire corps and sticks it in the ground between an members feet (at the fourth five degree reqired VFW rule). And he never looks back. Amazing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MKK Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 In 1989. George Zinagali wrote the drill for Blue Knights and in the first 20 seconds of the opener, Moorside March, there must have been 15-20 pass throughs in the hornline, many of them done blindly. You have to run the video in slow motion just to catch them all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiltie2004 Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 Sky Ryders rifles did many very hard things and rarely stopped doing them. We introduced a few moves and had a few jaw droppers. Main thing that comes to mind was the leap frog rifle toss at the end of the opener each year for about four years running. I first remember seeing that move in 1981 and the last time was in 1985, but it was changed/simplified. 1984 was the last year that I remember it being the full, traditional trick. The Kilties rifles under over toss including the drum major catching the last rifle . They finished the show with a forward handstand into the spilts complete with a salute. 1977 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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