Now it’s all about details.

These two articles from the archives have some ideas that might help.

A Movement Moment #8: Put on Your Audience Eyes by Cheryl Myers (2/17/2010) Everyone’s favorite movement chick has some advice for looking at your own show through the eyes of a spectator which just might help you identify issues you hadn’t realized before…

Finishing Touches by Darrick Betro (8/28/2007) Some great advice about tiny details that can help clean up your equipment work!

. . . is the primary role of every designer.

Have you ever heard the term “seamless” design on an EA tape and wondered what they meant? I’ll tell you. It means that there is a constant flow of events that lead from one to the next without any awkward breaks along the way. It’s one of the things that designers strive for and many struggle with.

In simple terms, function is the mechanics of making things happen and form is the “style.” So, you want to take all those ugly nuts and bolts and do something interesting with them, or disguise them so your audience won’t see them. We touched on this a little in the “transition” article, but I think it deserves a little more attention.

Once you’ve mapped out your show, made your count sheet and/or whatever other preparations you do,  (YOU ALL DO THOSE THINGS, RIGHT?) you have a pretty good idea of what’s going to happen at every moment of the show. The staging process is where you decide how you’re going to move through the program to make those events happen. LEADING THE VIEWER’S EYE is a critical consideration in the success of that process. With subtle (or not–so–subtle) clues you can tell your audience where to look next and create a comfortable flow through your program. If you neglect that aspect, you could inadvertently create a choppy, confusing and uncomfortable experience for the audience.

Let’s talk about some common mistakes:

1. You successfully draw focus to a soloist who then comes to the front of the floor and changes equipment. The audience doesn’t want to see the equipment change happen, but the use of the soloist gives the viewer no other option. A better option might be to use another performer(s) to introduce the new equipment. Make sure that the soloist visually guides us to the entrance of the new equipment, making for an easy flow of from one element to the next.

2. You’re featuring 8 rifles while setting up a big flag impact by bringing 12 bright red silks onto the floor. The viewer’s eye could be distracted by the flags due to their number, size and color. Some things to consider: 1. Make sure the flags are staged behind the rifles. 2. Minimize the visibility of the silks. 3. Stagger the flag entrances to reduce the impact of their motion. Or, instead of trying to hide the flags, draw attention by staging one flag in the rifle feature. You can gain from offering a coordinated moment by integrating 2 pieces of equipment. The single flag will give visual weight to the rifle feature and minimize the distraction of the other flags. You create a bridge from one event to the next, making them flow more comfortably.

3. As you introduce one set of flags from the back, you take the other set of flags off in the front of the floor. The eye will naturally follow the flags coming to the front, making the shift of emphasis to the back jarring and awkward. Instead, think about taking the first group off to the back and create a moment where the two groups interact with each other. In doing so your audience right where it need to go and eliminate that abrupt change of focus.

These are just a few examples to illustrate the concept. There are countless ways things can go wrong as well as options for fixing them. The thing I hope you take from this is how to create connections from one idea to the next. That’s what makes for seamless design.

Here are a few rules to remember about creating emphasis:

• The fastest moving element on the floor will draw attention.
• Keep in mind that horizontal (side–to–side) motion will APPEAR faster than vertical (front–to–back) motion.
• The largest mass on the floor will draw attention.
• The brightest color will draw attention.
• Things that move toward the viewer will draw more attention than things moving away.
• Compression of space will draw attention.
• Isolation of an element can be used to create emphasis, but this is a little trickier.

Sounds easy, but here’s where it gets complicated. In a typical guard show there are usually several of these concepts working on the floor at the same time. Your job, as the designer, is to know which will draw the viewers eye so you can direct them where YOU want them to look. You need to trust your eyes and make an honest judgement. Don’t talk yourself into something that doesn’t work because you don’t know how to fix it. Ask someone else to look at it and give their impression. Don’t be afraid to seek help. Your audience will appreciate your efforts to create a program that flows with logic, clarity and creativity.

Here are two of our past articles on showmanship if these are challenges you are facing.

Let’s Face It… by Chris Casteel (2/16/2010)

An Exercise in Expression by Catina Anderson (3/25/2009)

Just. Keep…

… smiling!

(or… well… not if you don’t have happy music…  )

Happy Spinning!

and Happy Valentines Day!!

When we move into Winter Guard, however, that completely changes. As judges, we transition into specific categories to provide feedback on your show.  This allows us to give more precise and detailed information to you and your guard broken down into four different areas: General Effect, Ensemble, Movement and Equipment.  Today we’re going to look at some terminology that would be commonly found within the equipment commentary.

INITIATION and ARTICULATION OF PHRASE

Initiation is the beginning of any phrase of equipment or body vocabulary within your show.  Typically, everyone usually starts the phrase at the same time; however, sometimes a performer or two may come in a count early or late.  When it happens frequently, it’s clear to the judge that there is a problem with initiation. (I’m not talking about A/B or split work or where it’s clear that performers are beginning at different times).  Generally, if the initiation of a phrase is not together, then the rest of the phrase is usually off as well, which ultimately affects your guard’s excellence.  Initiation issues are frequently easy to solve through cleaning phrases and making sure your performers understand where the downbeat is to start the phrase.

Articulation is how the performers define and achieve the individual aspects of the vocabulary. It shows judges that performers know their fundamentals. For example, where is the release point articulated for a single or double toss? Or while carving, what is the spatial pathway performers are carving through – is everyone carving on the 45 degree plane or are some performers dipping while they carve and moving through the horizontal plane?   If the basic techniques seem to be missing, a judge will talk about spending more time on defining (articulating) the phrase.  Again, cleaning and giving check points to phrases usually resolves this issue.

BREATH

When a judge uses the word ‘breath’ during their commentary, he or she is referring to how the breathing of your performers is contributing to the overall motion or fluidity of your show.  When breathing correctly through vocabulary phrases, performers seem more at ease and confident while performing which makes the sequences of vocabulary run together smoothly.  Sometimes performers seem to be holding their breath which impacts the quality of their equipment achievement and makes your phrases seem choppy.  A phrase without breath looks very stiff and mechanical and will usually affect the motion of the equipment.  For example, does your team exhale when they release their equipment (generating more momentum) or do they instead hold their breath (which will vary toss height consistency)?  A phrase performed with breath is controlled and flows well, whether it’s done fast or slow.  It may seem like a no-brainer, but proper breathing is a key part of your show and must be taught and practiced. 

MOVEMENT THROUGH SPACE

This refers to the performer’s awareness and attention to the space around them – the area their body is moving within – and the pathways their equipment follows.  When performers are in close proximity to one another and hit each other or each other’s equipment, there is a clear indication that they are not aware of their own kinesphere which impacts both the vocabulary and excellence.

RANGE AND VARIETY

There are so many different things that can be said about range and variety.  Remember though, your performers should only be doing what they have been trained to do and can achieve.  Basically it is equipment moves or vocabulary done with variations.  Range can be anything from a single toss being performed by the ensemble to a double toss being performed by small groups of individuals.  It can be hand to hand work, different release and catch points, manipulation of the equipment behind the back or on the body, with or without the use of hands, carving patterns, and multi-dimensional pathways.  Effort qualities and integration of body and equipment can lead to greater depth of range.  Variety is the way these moves are linked together or the assortment of equipment phrases within the program.

DYNAMIC EFFORT QUALITIES or EFFORT CHANGES

This seems to be the area that gives most new instructors much confusion.    Effort changes are usually discussed as Space, Time, Weight and Flow, and Rhythm (which is the combination of weight and time).  Effort changes exist in every move; the gradations within these efforts create or increase dynamic qualities.

Space: Space addresses direct or indirect changes in the quality of spatial focus or attention. It consists of up and down, high, middle, low and in place.

Time: Time has to do with the velocity or speed of the equipment movement or phrase.  Slower work is termed sustained or slow while fast phrasing is termed quick, fast or velocity driven. Varied use of time adds to the range and variety of the vocabulary.

Weight: Weight deals with the quality of the equipment weight. Not how much it actually weighs, but how the equipment is used to move from light or soft through strong moments or with force. It is controlled by the changes in the muscles of the forearm, changes in grip, rotation in the shoulder, flexibility of  the wrist and body position.

Flow: Flow is managed by the use of breath.  Breath impacts the flow of energy changes to both the equipment and the body.  Equipment can move from “free and open” (think moving or motion) to “bound” (think restricted or static).

Rhythm: Rhythm is the pulse or beat of motion which lends itself to creating dynamics through accents, pauses or the regular flow or beat of music.

Although there are sure to be additional comments from the equipment judge on your program, these are some of the terms that you may hear used more frequently.  A good understanding of these terms will definitely leave you better prepared to understand the judges dialog as well as explain it to your guard when questions arise while listening to the judges’ comments after the show.

When Teaching Guard Gets Hard by Darcie Gudger (11/03/2009)

When You Hit the Proverbial Block by Chris Casteel (9/25/2009)

If you’ve hit a rough patch we hope you push through it quickly and don’t let it get you discouraged.  Reach out for help.

and

Just. Keep. Spinning.

Music: 

Your music/sound selection/s can be the basis of the entire show design and concept. Select a piece that will provide highs and lows to shape your program.  By listening to your selection, you should also be able to hear impact points for design and resolutions of the points over time which will provide strong pacing opportunities for your show.  Finally, the elements of mood and character/persona are realized when listening to your selection.

Floor/set design:

Keep in mind that all the elements for production value must connect.  Considering this, it would be a bit of a stretch to use Copland’s Appalachian Spring as your music with a neon pink and green polka dotted floor and flaming red backdrops.  Not to say that art is not art and more power to you if you can pull this combination off: but I think the results might be a bit scary to say the least.  Again, go back to the original selection of music, close your eyes and you will see the floor and set design that emulates the sound.

Costumes, Color and Props:

I’m going to go back to the kitchen sink idea for a moment; because often the elements of costume, color and props are designed separately and when put together they may be a bit much or not enough.  This is where it is very important to be flexible and story board in your show process. As you progress into the season, be flexible to take away and add to costuming, color and even props.  Look at the season as a progression of art.  An artist rarely paints a masterpiece in one day and calls it done.  Instead, he/she constantly goes back to add, tweak, or remove elements to create their vision over time.  Again, always remember to go back to that initial concept of sound to check that costume, color and props are the visual reproduction of the audio.

Just one last tidbit: For some reason there seems to be a bit of a myth out there that suggests programs that are monetarily well off have an advantage over programs that may not have as many resources in this area.  This is untrue.   There are very viable ways to create high production value in a show without throwing buckets of money onto the gym floor.  Sure, you need to be a bit more creative and think out of the box, but it can be done.

This week’s featured articles are:

Collaboration by Catina Anderson (10/12/2011) This one is a newer one – written just this past fall.  In case you missed it the first time around here are some reflections on collaboration and how it can elevate your coaching experience (and even your time in judges critique!).

Transitions by Lorraine Kohagen (9/15/2011) We’ve been featuring articles about transitions over and over here at CGE lately – it’s because they’re maybe the MOST difficult part of show design for many instructors.  So we know there are some out there who probably just heard this weekend that a transition isn’t working – perhaps some of Lorraine’s ideas will help this week!

Sail Away by Catina Anderson (06/29/2008) This is a link out of CGE to a short article Catina wrote for Halftime Magazine in 2008.  This one is one to share with your performers – with easy tips for avoiding frustrating fabric sails.

For many of our readers this may have been your first competitive weekend of the season, so this quote jumped out at me today as timely and appropriate to fill the void.

“Be of good cheer. Do not think of today’s failures, but of the success that may come tomorrow. You have set yourselves a difficult task, but you will succeed if you persevere; and you will find a joy in overcoming obstacles. Remember, no effort that we make to attain something beautiful is ever lost.”  -Helen Keller

Here are a few articles we’re featuring this week from our archives.  We hope that you find something useful to make the transition into the competition season a smooth one!

A Movement Moment #7: Spotting by Cheryl Myers (2/11/2010)

It’s Show Time! by Meghan McCourt (2/12/2009) – 10 tips for performers from USSBA and AIA judge (and long-time instructor) Meghan McCourt

Reflections on a Webinar: Transitions vs. Moments of Development by Chris Casteel (1/19/2010) Chris Casteel reflects on lessons learned during her 2010 webinar with Karl Lowe.

Equipment Transitions: Four Problems to Avoid by Catina Anderson (2/5/2007) This article describes four of the most common equipment transition problems, why they are problems and ideas for alternatives/solutions.

Until next Tuesday – Happy Spinning!!

First and foremost, as judges, we are tasked with ranking and rating the given groups in a particular class as well as providing educational and articulate commentary on their show.  In the A Classes (both Regional A and Scholastic A), the focus is on training; therefore, I am looking for how your guard has been trained to handle the show and the vocabulary you have given them.  Are they utilizing the equipment principles of position sense, timing, spatial pathways, balance, moving through space and articulation? Are developing effort qualities (space, time, weight and flow) being shown? My attention is on the vocabulary the guard is demonstrating – which is referred to as the “what” and on the excellence they display while demonstrating those skills – which is referred to as the “how,” based on the criteria reference for that specific class.  (Class specific score sheets with the criteria reference can be found at www.wgi.org or through your local circuit association).   I am not contemplating your music selection, your costumes or your show (the “Upstairs Judges” address that); however, if there is a glaring problem that affects your guards’ equipment performance, I may make a comment regarding that.

As you work on your program, think about the following questions:  Does their training support what you are asking them to do? Are you showcasing your performer’s skills?  Have you given your guard vocabulary that is compatible with their level of training? Is there range and variety within that vocabulary? Are you utilizing effort qualities to vary the skills you have to provide greater depth and dimensionality to the vocabulary?  Are you beginning to combine equipment phrases with movement or staging? Do the equipment principles vary from member to member or are they displayed in a more uniform and consistent basis?  Does your team demonstrate that they understand muscle memory?  Do they have proper muscle development & strength to manipulate the equipment vocabulary?  Are they breathing correctly while performing?  Can they recover quickly after a drop or a break in the vocabulary? Do they show that they possess the mental and physical development necessary to perform the program?

These questions also run through my head as I view your program.  The answers to these questions determine which boxes and numbers I use to rank and rate your guard to determine placement score.  Hopefully, you are able to answer these questions with a resounding Yes!  If you can’t yet, then you may want to spend a little more time examining your program to ensure you’re setting yourself and your guard up for success.  Remember, a well-trained guard is usually a successful guard whose performers not only thrive but also have a willingness to attempt new things in order to develop skill sets that allow them to move on to the next level.