cadets 83 question

[thePerfectbuzz]

It was 1982 and I had a hard time getting to the first few sets in Rocky Point Holiday (I was on the very end and got whipped around the field a lot in that opener) and George Zingali from the top of the scaffolding says, "Eric Sabach, what do you have to do to make your sets?" and I replied, "Zingy, if I could do it all on my platform, I could make it..." and Zingali screams, "Platform? WTF is a Platform?" So I said, "If I could stay on my platform, my tippy toes, and not put my heels down, I could make it." Zingali screams, "NO!" So we go back to the last few euphoniums not making the sets. After about three more reps and George talking to Marc, he yells, "Everybody backing up, get on your platforms!" and then Marc clearly defined the technique.

Big John... oops.. John J. Miliauskas, http://www.towson.edu/bands/MB/staffInfo.asp reminded me of the story after about 20 years when we caught up at DCI in Allentown and said he tells that story at his marching band clinics. I laughed.

Were we the first? I don't know. Who does?

As for Star, Sara was right. In 1985, most of the corps was band kids and we had a hard enough time showing them where the practice field and buses were. In 1986, we really started to define the marching technique.

thats actually a really cool story

[Russellrks]

Suncoast defined it's backward marching technique in 1983.

It was noticed by one of my assistants, Randy Blackburn, that we didn't have a uniform technique/style of marching backwards. Some were pushing off the toe and some were rolling the toe up and pushing from the heel. I quickly tried both ways myself and decided that there was more control pushing off the toe and decided to make that our standard, although we did allow the heel to touch the ground first before pushing off the toe. This technique as well as others was probably changed in '85 as there were different people running the marching program.

Garfield's general technique from what I remember at that time and for years after was to roll the toe up and push off the heel.

Edited November 22, 2007 by Russellrks

[njthundrrd]

Garfield's general technique from what I remember at that time and for years after was to roll the toe up and push off the heel.

This (above) was the slow tempo technique. Platform or releve was for quicker tempos. If you watch 1984 in Maria, we went from platform to toe/heel roll in the rallentando.

[Russellrks]

This (above) was the slow tempo technique. Platform or releve was for quicker tempos. If you watch 1984 in Maria, we went from platform to toe/heel roll in the rallentando.

Obviously you would know since you were there, that's why I went back and added the word "general."

Interesting that speed is what dictated the change. I would have thought that larger step size would've been the determining factor.

Edited November 22, 2007 by Russellrks

[George82]

Obviously you would know since you were there, that's why I went back and added the word "general."

Interesting that speed is what dictated the change. I would have thought that larger step size would've been the determining factor.

it's not the speed...it's the velocity!

[masbklyn]

It was 1982 and I had a hard time getting to the first few sets in Rocky Point Holiday (I was on the very end and got whipped around the field a lot in that opener) and George Zingali from the top of the scaffolding says, "Eric Sabach, what do you have to do to make your sets?" and I replied, "Zingy, if I could do it all on my platform, I could make it..." and Zingali screams, "Platform? WTF is a Platform?" So I said, "If I could stay on my platform, my tippy toes, and not put my heels down, I could make it." Zingali screams, "NO!" So we go back to the last few euphoniums not making the sets. After about three more reps and George talking to Marc, he yells, "Everybody backing up, get on your platforms!" and then Marc clearly defined the technique.

Big John... oops.. John J. Miliauskas, http://www.towson.edu/bands/MB/staffInfo.asp reminded me of the story after about 20 years when we caught up at DCI in Allentown and said he tells that story at his marching band clinics. I laughed.

Were we the first? I don't know. Who does?

As for Star, Sara was right. In 1985, most of the corps was band kids and we had a hard enough time showing them where the practice field and buses were. In 1986, we really started to define the marching technique.

The only part of this I remember is you getting yelled at.

[84Cadet]

The only part of this I remember is you getting yelled at.

What? I'm shocked! The staff would NEVER yell at the members. LOL!

I don't remember squat about the platform, but I do remember two things:

1) the day you poured water on your feet in front of us on an obscenely hot day. And then said something about how we "could drink all we wanted in September."

and

2) Eric Sabach was the only member allowed to wear sunglasses during rehearsal.

Those were the days!

[A27Lancer]

What? I'm shocked! The staff would NEVER yell at the members. LOL!

I don't remember squat about the platform, but I do remember two things:

1) the day you poured water on your feet in front of us on an obscenely hot day. And then said something about how we "could drink all we wanted in September."

and

2) Eric Sabach was the only member allowed to wear sunglasses during rehearsal.

Those were the days!

Marc,

Not sure if it happened while you were marching. We were behind Northgate. It was ridiculously hot, and Ralph wouldn't give us a water break. Finally, Hymie runs over to his car and pulls a cold beer out of a cooler. He opens it, raises his middle finger, and chugs the whole beer. He then gets back in line. Ralph did the only thing he could possibly do - he laughed along with the rest of us. Priceless moment.

[masbklyn]

What? I'm shocked! The staff would NEVER yell at the members. LOL!

I don't remember squat about the platform, but I do remember two things:

1) the day you poured water on your feet in front of us on an obscenely hot day. And then said something about how we "could drink all we wanted in September."

and

2) Eric Sabach was the only member allowed to wear sunglasses during rehearsal.

Those were the days!

Ya I don't remember refering to the platform til a few years later. The tech back then was get up on your toes, str8t legs, lead from the center of your back and GOOOOOO.

The wash my feet story is probably the one I'm most reminded of.

I remember beiing pized off about you guys not having the charts to a change Zingali made right before we left for tour. Although I may have been a bit tough at times .... : > ) there were a couple things that made me lose my mind. One of those was bad dot books/big charts.

I think Eric had some eye disease where he couldn't be in the sun without sunglasses ...... or so he said.

[masbklyn]

Marc,

Not sure if it happened while you were marching. We were behind Northgate. It was ridiculously hot, and Ralph wouldn't give us a water break. Finally, Hymie runs over to his car and pulls a cold beer out of a cooler. He opens it, raises his middle finger, and chugs the whole beer. He then gets back in line. Ralph did the only thing he could possibly do - he laughed along with the rest of us. Priceless moment.

Ya, Hymie has to be the funniest Drum corps person I've ever known !!!!!!!!