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OAWB From The Stands WGI 2024 Regional Recap 2
238 Plays10 months ago
Join Cindy aka @leandermomma and her panel as they discuss the first regionals of the WGI 2024 colorguard season. Her panelists include:
Ricardo Robinson-Shinall - @ricardorrobinson
Cynthia Bernard - @cynthiabern
Bill Woodward - @remoking100
Jonathan Lischack - @jmlischak1212
Alicia Sharp - @aliciasharp215
Lead Anderson - @_la731 & @usfwinterguard
Listen to the main episode to keep up on everything going on in the marching arts with our hosts:
Meet our Hosts
Jackie Brown - @spintronixguard
Stephen McCarrick - @stephenmccarick
Cindy Barry - @leandermomma
Nicole Younger - @o2bnpjs & @thecookoutcg
Trevor Bailey - @t_pain151
Trish O’Shea - @trishdish1002
Beth Beccone - @bether7189
Chris Rutt - @wildhornbrass1
Cynthia Bernard - @cynthiabern
Ashlee Amos - @famousamossss_
Theo Harrison - @harrisontheo07
Stephanie Click - @stephanieclick
Whitney Stone - @dancerwhit
Justin Surface - @J_dex07
Ashley Tran - @itsashleytran
Jack Goudreau - @goudreau_
Bill Woodward - @remoking100
Emily Nee - @tch.makes.art
Music provided by leydamusic.com Follow him @josh.leyda
Avatars provided by @tch.makes.art
Featuring
Lexi Duda - Host for On A Water Break In Rhinestones - The Stories of the Twirlers @lexi_duda
Thank you also to @guardcloset
#marchingband #colorguard #dci #podcast #onawaterbreak #wgi #drumline
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Panel Setup
00:00:02
Speaker
Hey everyone, it's your host Cindy, otherwise known as Leander Mama, back again for another installment of On A Water Breaks From The Stands. And as always, we have a great panel lined up for you to talk about another incredible weekend of WGI Color Guard.
00:00:28
Speaker
Welcome back to another recap episode of On A Water Break from the stands. Evidently, you guys are really enjoying these recap episodes and we love bringing them to you. I mean, who doesn't love talking about Winter Garden? So let's get started. First of all, let's meet the members of today's panel. We have one of our regular On A Water Break hosts joining us straight from Canada, Ms. Cynthia Bernard. Hey, Cynthia. Hi.
00:00:57
Speaker
Hi, how are you? Good, how are you guys? Thank God. We're also excited to have Jonathan Liszczyk joining us again. Welcome back, Jonathan. Hey, everybody. We have another returning guest host today who is a person much like myself, a rabid superfan, Ms. Alicia Sharp. Welcome back to the podcast, Alicia. Hey, happy to be back.
00:01:26
Speaker
We're also happy to have one of our brand new on a water break hosts joining us, Mr. Ricardo Robinson Chanal. Welcome to the recap, Ricardo. Bonjour. A backpack. Lastly, we are extremely excited to have an independent World Guard performer with us today, Ms. Leah Anderson from the University of South Florida Winter Guard. Hey, Leah.
00:01:57
Speaker
Leah, we would love to have you give us your life story in 32 counts if you're OK with that. I'm ready. OK. All right. Here we go.
00:02:12
Speaker
Okay, so I was born in Florida, born and raised. I was taught by the Ricardo Robinson Chanel. Loved being on dance line, got promoted to flagline, and decided that I wanted to keep winning afterwards. And yeah, that's kind of how I ended up here. I didn't realize how to get out, so I'm stuck for now. That's awesome.
00:02:42
Speaker
Well, okay, now that you all have met our amazing host and are settled into the stands, let's talk about some of the incredible guards from this past weekend. Just like last time, we each have some of our own favorites to talk about, and we will let Leah chime in whenever she wants. So let's get started.
Regional Highlights and Performances
00:03:01
Speaker
Jonathan, let's start with you. Tell us what regional you were watching this weekend and something about one of your favorite groups there.
00:03:09
Speaker
Uh, sure. I had the chance to check out the Pittsburgh regional last weekend here and, um, really enjoyed the a-class out there. And there's a lot of really strong groups and it was really cool to see, uh, one of our teams here at Kettering Fairmont take version Scholastic A and we really just demonstrate a tremendous level of that a-class training and that professionalism on the floor that, you know, that class looks for in the performers while still mixing it up with some really sophisticated and smart design and color choices and like the whole package out there.
00:03:38
Speaker
Yeah, I know I said that last time, but those scholastic A groups just get better and better every year. I have to remind myself, that's scholastic A. Are we sure we're not watching open? Yeah. Well, how about you, Cynthia?
00:03:53
Speaker
I tried to, I have so many, but I watched on, we had a show here on Saturday, so I couldn't watch anything. But on Sunday, I jumped back and forth between the Austin and, was it Manhattan? Is that right? And there's a couple groups, there's one that really I was happy to see, which is China Hills.
00:04:16
Speaker
But the A class, the Scholastic A, because everyone knows China Hills the world, right? But Scholastic A, China Hills was very, very impressive. And on the last episode of Onward or Break, Nicole and I and the panel kind of talked a little bit about regional aid, just a snippet. And I think that China Hills Scholastic A, if you have a chance to go see, is kind of
00:04:37
Speaker
step-by-step on how to write a good design, like really attainable, good design for any designer that starts or wants to know what you need to do now, but to be successful and not to try to do too much, they're pushing, they're really good. But it was a very just well done, yeah, great Scholastic A design and the members of course, I mean, they're trained like the world class. So yeah, but yeah, it was really cool to see.
00:05:06
Speaker
That's awesome. Well, how about you, Ricardo? What you got? Well, I had the pleasure of being at the Orlando Regional this weekend with my students. But I did get to sit back and watch most of the open class and the world class. And then I got to watch some of the top A guards. And I'm telling you, the talent level that these students are being asked to do in the A class now, I was like, back in my day, back when I marched,
00:05:34
Speaker
Back in the 1900s, the stuff that A-Class students are doing now is stuff that open class and world guards weren't even attempting to do. It's just insane. I had two favorite scholastic A-Guards that I saw this weekend and one was Timber Creek High School from Orlando. They did a scarecrow show and they used this music
00:06:00
Speaker
if I only had a brain. I mean, just magnificent design from Randy Nelson with the floor looking like the yellow brick road going through a cornfield. The costuming was just stunning. It looked great on all the kids. And just the twirls, honey, the twirls were ridiculous. And my second favorite A class color guard of the day was Bartram Trail High School from up in the Jacksonville Regional.
00:06:30
Speaker
They are Jacksonville Legion. They are beautiful. They're doing this song, Thought and Lost, that I also happen to be doing with my JB team. Completely different take on it than what I was doing with it. But those kids have hands, and they are just fantastic performers. And we are floor buddies, so we kind of get to hang out with them a little bit. And they're just amazingly sweet kids.
00:06:58
Speaker
So yeah, it was a great regional. I'll talk about world class later, but that's my A class favorites. That was them. That's so interesting that you mentioned that Timber Creek show because Hebron is doing the exact same show. I don't know, of course, if the choreo is the same, but the same song sounds like the same. I mean, Hebron's doing an incredible job.
00:07:23
Speaker
with it. And you guys need to watch it. But I'm now I'm just so curious. I'll have to look for Timber Creek because I have to see that's interesting. Do you think it's possible that groups would perform the same shows or is that not something? I mean, it's not something that's supposed to be done or should be done. But I mean, it's possible. I do know that this timber show was their covid year show to bring it back.
00:07:51
Speaker
so you never know somebody maybe somebody stole it i don't know i'm not accusing anyone of anything so do not come for me in the comments everyone oh well alicia what was one that who did you watch this weekend and what was one of your favorites
00:08:14
Speaker
I was teaching camp this weekend, getting another group ready for a regional this coming weekend, but the weekend before that, I was really dug in on the Chicago regional. And I feel, I'm really, really loving open class this year. I think we're witnessing a huge shift in open class right now, as far as what the shows look like and the type of shows that those guards are doing. So I want to talk about that eventually, but I want to give a shout out
00:08:44
Speaker
to a group that competed at the Chicago Regional. They are Muhammad Seymour High School and they're a very young program. None of them had ever been to WGI before. Their director had never been to WGI before. Wow. And they compete in the Illinois Drill Team Association and the regional, the Chicago Regional was like the very last competitive thing for them this year. So they ended their season there.
00:09:09
Speaker
Um walked into the regional and sra class super nervous and just killed it. I mean they they were champions of the regional and That's that really stuck out to me I love seeing young performers come in and have a great first time and you know, they were my they're my really big um kind of shout out that I wanted to bring to the table and then in a class i'm really watching mount juliet this year
00:09:33
Speaker
They're local to me, they're right down the road and they're like the fourth seed in A-Class right now and this will be their third year if they make finals. So we know what happens. Oh my God. Yeah, so I'm really excited for that program and as a performer, so I'm keeping my eye on that too. Well, we have to give a shout out to Woody who just showed up. I don't know if there's any words left for you to say, Woody.
00:09:59
Speaker
Well,
Personal Experiences and Reflections
00:10:01
Speaker
we're talking, of course, our favorite picks from the last weekend or two in Winter Guard. And Leah, we got to give you an opportunity. I don't know if you've seen other guards, but you're welcome to give us your pick or you can tell me what your favorite part of you guys show.
00:10:18
Speaker
little difficult because I tend to rush to competitions to see my own kids. This is the first time that I've seen my kids perform because usually we have a ton of practice in the mornings and we're driving over. So I was really proud of them this year because our show is not easy. I don't know why we keep doing this to our kids, but they love it that they eat it up.
00:10:43
Speaker
But my show- Who are your kids? Yeah, who are your kids? It's the same one as Ricardo's. It's Brayden Ever from Braytonton, Florida. Love them. Okay. So, I guess a little bit of what I see normally is
00:11:00
Speaker
Even though I'm like rushing around the place trying to make sure that I'm okay and that my face looks okay and I pass inspection, I see other like a-class, open-class kids next to me and I don't know, I've noticed that they look
00:11:14
Speaker
at me with like, Oh, she's walking, she needs to get somewhere very fast. And they try to run out of my way. But I'm like, No, baby, you were here first. Like, take your time. I'm gonna wait in line. I'm not special. Like, you should have this. I try to make sure that they feel really calm and comfortable wherever they are. Because
00:11:32
Speaker
That's how I would want to feel when I was younger. Yeah. And so it's just a lot of that at the beginning of competitions, making sure that I'm smiling at everyone, making sure that everyone gets some kind of compliment from me just because I know that as soon as I see the shoulders like drop and they're a little bit more relaxed, I'm like, okay. Yeah.
00:11:49
Speaker
I did something nice for someone, which then in turn makes me feel a little bit more comfortable because I've already spoken to a lot more people at the show, so I don't think, oh, I'm performing to a bunch of people that I have no idea. It's more of like, oh, I've spoken to a few of you guys. I'm not as nervous.
00:12:06
Speaker
So that's kind of like my, Leah, I love to hear that from a world-class performer. I love that you understand and value the role you play in being a role model for like the younger performers. It's really awesome to hear, to hear that. Thank you.
00:12:24
Speaker
at Liverpool. Well I have to give a shout out to my favorite Scholastic Agard in Austin this weekend and I don't know if y'all saw Pearland but their show is called Blue Moon and I like what they did was they took their props from the marching show last fall which they were hugely successful with in San Antonio and they cut them in half and so we've got these sort of crescent moons and they they made them to where like they could swing back and forth
00:12:53
Speaker
and they were using them like to not I hate to say launch but launch guard members off you know while they're doing their solos they just it was so cool how they used effectively these props to highlight their soloist and
00:13:08
Speaker
and you know a lot of times you miss what the soloists are doing because you don't really know where to look and kudos to the designer of that show because I really don't feel like I missed any of the solos because it was just so well written and I love that they reused those props because all the dads had to do was in this case was cut them in half and in fact they probably were already in two pieces honestly and so
00:13:34
Speaker
Way to save some money there, Pearland. Reuse, reuse, and recycle. Recycle. See, that was one of the things that after this weekend, I was like, I think that's a theme this year, reuse. Even the music that you hear way back 90s music throughout all categories and props in. Yep.
00:13:54
Speaker
Well, speaking of the music, they used the song Blue Moon, but it's by a group called Pink Martini. And it was such a beautiful version. Y'all need to look that up. That was really a cool, cool, beautiful music and a beautiful show. Well, Woody, did you happen to see any guards that you wanted to talk about from the last weekend?
00:14:17
Speaker
I was at a drumline show this weekend and the high school that sponsored it, the Color Guard did an exhibition. It was Unionville. And they did Jack and the Beanstalk. And I have to tell you, it was very entertaining, very well done. The kids were fabulous and they spent well, they danced very well. The show, you know,
00:14:46
Speaker
Sometimes in the local area, you see collapses in design and things like that. Man, they were on point. Their main guard, which probably explains a lot because to keep up with those other guards, you have to have a little something. But it's been so long since I've seen a local guard. I was truly impressed. Obviously, it being a drum show, a lot of people didn't really pay attention.
00:15:18
Speaker
Well, I hear those kids are taught by the AMP Winter Guard kids, so that's nothing to sneeze at. They took third at the Philadelphia Regional a couple of weeks ago.
00:15:34
Speaker
Yes, they did. Okay, I can see that because, I mean, they were on the money. They had a couple things that, you know, like from a design standpoint that I probably would just take a look, just seemed a little bit repetitive with some of the kinds of tosses that they did.
00:15:53
Speaker
I got it. But, you know, that's one of those things as you develop as a designer, you say, you know what, we've done this three times. Maybe we should probably try to get that same effect a different way. You're at that point now, which is- Come on, D.A. Judge Woody. Huh? Come on, D.A. Judge Woody. Oh, you know what? That's my goal in life. I'm a general effect judge. If you're a general effect judge, you got to be able to do music
Creative Themes and Shows
00:16:21
Speaker
and visual.
00:16:23
Speaker
All right, well, let's move on to some of our second picks from the weekend. How about you, Ricardo? Give us another one. OK, so I'm just going to go up class by class. How about that?
00:16:34
Speaker
John is doing that too, that's fine. Yeah, I'm gonna talk about open class now. Okay. And the open class is such a weird world to be in because that in between world, but I feel like open class gets to be so cool and creative. And my favorite open class guard at the Orlando Regional, favorite scholastic open class color guard is definitely Boone High School. Yeah.
00:17:01
Speaker
So good. You know, Jonathan is doing some Joshua side. Joshua is doing some amazing stuff with those kids. They're very like in the style of Onyx is kind of what they do with their shows. But this year it's bright and colorful. It's all about rhythms. They even have at one point the Dr. Beat counting off stuff using the Dr. Beat voice.
00:17:26
Speaker
I mean, it is so well put together. The kids are having fun. It is just, it is a hoot and a half in the gym.
00:17:33
Speaker
Ovido High School also is doing a fantastic job. Their show has a wonderful message about, you know, coloring the world and making, you know, making your voice and your part like making the world a colorful place. And they just move so well. Their movements go, obviously they're taught by Michael James. So, you know, when you are taught by a mover of that level on a daily basis, you know, you're going to be fantastic.
00:18:03
Speaker
So those are my open card cards. Pegasus Open, also fantastic. They're doing a place for us where they mix together Imagine and Somewhere from West Side Story. And it's just beautiful. I love shows where we're talking about uplifting people and people being happy in the world together, because that is all my brand.
00:18:25
Speaker
That's what I love about Winter Guard anyway. Yeah, there's some dark shows out there and there's a place for that. But you just can't watch Winter Guard and not just feel happy. I don't know. I don't know how you are in a gym listening to dark music for six months. Let's be happy.
00:18:47
Speaker
Well, how about you, Alicia? Give us your second rundown. Oh, gosh. I'm glad I'm going after you, Ricardo, because I feel like I can just follow up everything you were saying with like, man, open class is such a... I feel like we're on two very ends of a spectrum. We're either doing these really beautiful shows or these absolutely unhinged off the wall.
00:19:12
Speaker
like crazy shows that I like. Yeah. And I love it. I'm here for it. I love the cheesy shows. I love the over at the top. Jonathan, I'm so glad you're here on this one because like, Oh my God, last year's show with Hamilton was
00:19:28
Speaker
Loved it, lived for it, and drove out of my way to make sure I saw your semifinals run in WGI because I wanted to witness that. I'm a big fan of those shows, so I have to shout out Allegiance, which they're doing a Looney Tunes Roadrunner show, and if you've not seen the pictures of the costumes these kids are wearing, I want a tail on my costume.
00:19:50
Speaker
They're so good. I haven't even seen it. I haven't seen it yet, but if I see them in Dayton, I'm going to ask for a tail. I just, so look at the pictures, like go on Facebook, that color guard corner group, they have pictures. I can't wait to see them in Dayton. And then MBI. Oh yes. They're doing, have you seen the clips of them on TikTok? They're doing like their crash test dummies. I don't know what the music is. I am all about that show.
00:20:20
Speaker
gosh, I'm just I love the things I love. I love seeing color guard get fun and silly because I feel like for a solid decade we were so serious and so dare I say it pretentious and I was like color guard off the wall is my favorite kind of color guard.
00:20:39
Speaker
Yeah, they did the clown show last year. So more people keep doing it. Yeah, well, and I mean, who wants to sit in the arena for, you know, 12 hours on Friday and watch sad after sad after sad. And then I almost brought it up earlier, Cindy, when you asked about doing like the same shows, I love the all around.
00:21:00
Speaker
in 2008 when there were like four world-class guards back to back to back to back that did the same song that hide-and-seek. No. Oh, oh, seven. Oh, seven. Was it a seven? I'm triggered every time. I was performing one of them. Were you? That song. Oh, sorry. No offense, Cynthia. No, no. I didn't take it. It was a year. Oh, yeah, it was. So you're thinking much was very popular back then, wasn't it? Yeah. Last year was, it was golden hour. I just, I love seeing groups like really just go outside of the bar.
00:21:29
Speaker
So I'm really allegiance and NBI looking forward to seeing them live when I can. I'm just going to say I'm glad Beyonce's Texas song didn't come out a few months ago because I think we'd be, I'm so tired. You know, we'll be adding it to the chant. The Texas chant is getting louder every year. The St. Texas. Yeah, it'll be late for it.
00:21:53
Speaker
We'll hear it over and over again. I hear it in my sleep. I have seen less Taylor Swift than I expected to, though. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You're right. I've seen a few Exile. That song's real popular for the shows this year. But dude, she's a global superstar right now. If I had kids that were into it, shoot.
00:22:15
Speaker
Absolutely. I've seen some Barbie. And actually I was judging out in North Carolina this past weekend and Cleveland's middle school did a Barbie show and like, it was like you were sitting in the movie during their first minute. Like they had the voiceovers played up right, the music, the kids coming down the slides and on the props, like they nailed it. Wow, that's exciting. Well, Jonathan, while you're at it, give us your next pick.
00:22:38
Speaker
I think, let's think, oh, Chicago Regional, going back to like the open-class teams, just making that jump. Both Noblesville and Mason High School came out first and second in that class, and even Northmont and third just leading up there very recently, like, you see all these brand new teams in that paradigm, like, stepping right up and doing the thing is really cool to see, you
Impressive Performances and Innovations
00:22:59
Speaker
know, that process of trying to move the A-Class forward in the open classes is starting to catch.
00:23:04
Speaker
Well, my pick was since we're talking about open class guards and I had not had the chance to see Westlake and I love Westlake. They've gone to Dayton a few times. I've always loved them, but I wasn't sure how they were going to do with an open show and they their show.
00:23:23
Speaker
They come out behind these props. It starts out with nothing but props. That's all you can see. Then they come running out with these hot... I don't know if it's pink or red, super bright, but these jumpsuits. That show is so high energy. I don't know.
00:23:41
Speaker
I just love a jumpsuit. I don't know what it is. And I'm not talking about a unitard. I'm talking about with the flowy pants and, you know, and they just hit the ground running and we're just doing all the things. And I just, that show was just wild. It wowed me, everybody. You could just tell that we were just mesmerized by how amazing they were. And like I said, I hadn't seen them before this season and I always loved their shows, but
00:24:09
Speaker
They kind of blew me away this year, and I'm excited to see how they do with that. Let's see, did I miss somebody? Cynthia? Yeah, I didn't get a chance to look at any scholastic aid because I was jumping, because I'm teaching independent A, independent open, so I'm trying to see the other competitors. And you know what's interesting also is when you sit in the stands the entire day, you can look at an organization as a whole also. And I think that's very interesting. But anyways,
00:24:37
Speaker
a friend of mine, so it's going to look like I'm biased, but I am a little bit, I'm not going to say the opposite, but Origins with Open, with the show Evolve. I think, and I'm never really, I don't think I've ever said that. I don't think we invent nothing. I think even the shows that we're laughing right now and the shows that we're crying, it's been done. We're just doing it a little bit.
00:25:01
Speaker
to your new era type of way. They're doing a show about the evolution of the marching arts. And I think it's the first time I'm seeing push that far. They're starting in a block.
00:25:22
Speaker
marching times, like in, and I know that they went through like March technique, like walk through the four eights and all that. And, and I was talking to one, uh, the drill writer. I didn't want to name anyone because I'm Chris McCarthy is one of my friends, but, um,
00:25:38
Speaker
I know directors are very important there, but I don't know their names. But Chris was talking on how hard the beginning drill was to write, which is like the the drill of the back 80s, 70s, like the lines turning and all that. And while they're wearing shakos with plumes, too.
00:25:53
Speaker
they're really shake us with plumes or taking off the plumes or moving on. And they have little things that they want to add on still. Okay. And they really jumped really high on the scores right now. So it kind of all changed the same thing for them. So yeah, if you have a chance to look at, like I'm saying all the organizations as a whole, so they have a guard open class in a world, it's interesting. But the open classes here, I think is a show that you can connect whether you've been doing this forever, that you stop watching that or that your current like it's very,
00:26:21
Speaker
It's going to touch anyone that's been in the marching arts, I think. Yeah, I thought all the Origins shows were great, but I have to say that open one, that one, the whole crowd was just going crazy. And when they did that thing, when they lined up in the center, and I don't know if it was feathers or plumes or what they threw up in the air, and while the flags were, that was such a cool effect. And the crowd was just screaming. It was great. Was the name of that guard again? Origins Open.
00:26:49
Speaker
Oh, okay. Yeah, it's great. Well, okay, y'all it's time for a quick commercial break. So go grab a snack, but don't lose your seat because we've got more winter guard recaps to cover and you won't want to miss it.
00:27:19
Speaker
Hey everyone, it's Jeremy the producer from on a water break the main show and while you're enjoying this great bonus content from some amazing hosts, there's a whole other show happening with guests news and plenty of other fun things that you and your friends are talking about on a water break.
00:27:35
Speaker
So take a moment, go subscribe so that you can get your notifications every week for the main episode of On A Water Break. If you have news or know of somebody that would be a great guest or maybe you would be a great guest, email us at On A Water Break podcast at gmail.com. And don't forget to follow us on social media at On A Water Break. And now back to this fantastic bonus content. And we'll see you at the show.
00:28:12
Speaker
And we're back. Now that we've settled back into our seats in the stands with our favorite snack and sodas, let's talk more about some of our favorite guards. Ricardo, give us another one or two of your favorite shows from the weekend. You know, it's hard to just pick one. So I just go with a plethora of people. So now I'm moving on into the world class and I'm going to start this conversation off by saying,
00:28:40
Speaker
Tarpon Frickin' Springs World Color Guard. Oh my God.
00:28:52
Speaker
Like there are not enough words in the English language to describe the amazing things that these kids are doing. And it's great being in a circuit with them and seeing them, you know, up close and personal, you know, as they progress through the season and how the show develops. I mean, this idea, if anyone saw them last year and saw how amazing they were, this year is not a disappointment. It is even better than it was last year.
00:29:20
Speaker
We have live horns on the floor with them. The show is about the news not being old and everything happens all over again. And they have this awesome kid that plays a newscaster and there's a camera that's recording and showing parts of the show as it's happening live. I mean, it is just... It's got everything. It's got everything. And they're so good.
00:29:48
Speaker
Like, they're so good. I have no idea what Janine puts in the water up there or what she puts in their Wheaties, but I need some of it. It is just ridiculous. Oh my goodness. Okay, so that's the Scholastic World side of things.
00:30:05
Speaker
So I got to give a shout out to two color guards in the independent world class from Orlando Regional. And I'm excited because I have babies in both of them. One of them happens to be on this on this podcast right now with this. But the first is University of South Florida, the opening
00:30:28
Speaker
The opening movement solo is Tiana. It is just amazing. Amazing. I can't wait for people in Dayton to see this. When I tell you that this girl goes back to her roots, to her ancestors with this movement that Michael James wrote, I mean, it's a solid 45 seconds to a minute worth of her just on the floor. Leah, am I right? How long is she out there by herself?
00:30:54
Speaker
I kid you not she's there probably for like a minute and some change when it's funny because learning about this solo we all like sat down and Michael James is sitting in front of us and he's like okay so we're gonna do something really different this year and we're gonna have a minute-long soloist and everyone looked between me and Tiana and I said this is not a me kind of choreography.
00:31:19
Speaker
I know what I was made for and that was not it. And I am so, so glad that my twin got it because she's such a beautiful dancer. Like I could brag about her all day, all night. Like it's just so like she sets up the entire tone of our show just by dancing. There's nothing in her hands. There's no extra gold costume. It's just a bed and her and it's so
00:31:48
Speaker
At a nightgown. At a nightgown. And I mean, it is Alvin Ailey-inspired movement. Like, I just wanted to weigh it in the water. I wanted some revelation. I mean, it is absolutely stunning. And then the kids, the rest of the kids come out from behind the backdrops, and they're all just matching that energy that she sets to show up with. It is fantastic. I love it. I'm going to go ahead and put it out there in the world. I think the judges are not giving high enough numbers on that show, so I'm going
00:32:17
Speaker
Coming for you judges, give them the points they deserve. Now I have to see it. You have to see the show. It's so good. You have to see it live because you need to feel that energy in person. It's not a show that you need to watch on a video. You got to be in the room where it happens. Seems like I'm dropping the ball, huh?
00:32:37
Speaker
We need plane tickets for Florida. Okay. My second independent world guard that I have got to give a big shout out to is Tampa Independent. I know there's just amazingly beautiful show with beautiful kids performing.
00:32:56
Speaker
just, you know, not a complicated idea. It's nothing that you need a dissertation to enjoy. You can literally just sit back, listen to an amazing soundtrack and see kids do fantastic things very well to beautiful music. It's just, it's like color guard, like
00:33:17
Speaker
lane gap. It's just like a little something extra for you, you know, like to cleanse your palate, which is beauty. I love it. I agree. I love Tampa Independent, like my best friends on the team, but it's something so nice to have every for the past three years. We've had shows that are so completely different that watching it go against each other. It's honestly just like super nice and calming, like
00:33:45
Speaker
This year, we have super intricate intrusive thoughts happening on the floor, coming back behind the drops. If you haven't seen it, I don't want to say too much, but coming back behind the backdrops and getting you in your feels. If I could call it a production, because I feel like it's more of a production rather than a color guard show.
00:34:06
Speaker
Because I feel like that's how we're kind of breaking the boundaries of what we're used to in world class versus Tampa independent. That is so beautiful. They move so well. They toss so well. Everything is in their hands. Everything is so like, it kind of just puts you on your edge of the seat, like two different ways of putting you on the edge of your sheets that sheets seats. It's just calming and I love it. I love how
00:34:35
Speaker
I love how they create their show to work well with the people on their team, because I don't know. USF and TI should be like, oh, we don't like you. This is better, blah, blah, blah. But we're all in the same area. We all go to the same clubs. We all go to the same movie theaters. We see you 24-7. Why would I hate you? Truly, I love both of them. And he's so right. If you see them in person, it's a show.
00:35:05
Speaker
They're definitely shows that you are going to lean into as you watch. Just lean forward into it. I love hearing y'all describe these shows. Leah, it makes me wonder what your favorite part of being in the guard is. Is it the dance? Is it the equipment? What's your favorite part?
00:35:26
Speaker
Oh, if you were to ask me that in high school, I would say yes. Right. Because I hated weapon, didn't want to get through weapon block. I hated flag. I just wanted to be on dance and that was it. And then this past season, I had like a little
00:35:42
Speaker
I think I want to be on Flagline. I think I want to do everything I can. And I worked my butt off to get on Flagline this year. And then I didn't make it. And I'm laughing about it now because I was really upset. But they're like, no, we just really need you as like this second soloist. Like we need you as like this dance part. And they're like, it's not because you can't spend, it's just because we need you to dance. But I think truly,
00:36:12
Speaker
you
00:36:13
Speaker
It's so satisfying being able to spin flag with someone else next to you. And I guess spinning isn't really the right word. Dancing with it is more of a better word, in my opinion. So. It's like the flag feature. I mean, what is it about a good flag feature that gets the crowd. And it's probably not the simplest part of a show. I'm sure it's not, but they take something
00:36:44
Speaker
And that could be simple and just make it magnificent. I don't know what it is, but the flight features, they're always my favorite. The bread and butter of yourself. You always move to that moment to get to it because that's what the audience wants to see. You gotta have it. And I noticed some groups will do their flight feature first and I'm like, no, wait, no, you can't do that first. It has to be the buildup. But that was like what I was going to say. Like when I'm saying that the nineties are back, like now we see like,
00:37:11
Speaker
when we march, and I don't know who we march, but when I march, where we had one flag feature after 45 seconds, and a second flag feature after two minutes, and then the ending flag feature.
Emotional Impact and Storytelling
00:37:21
Speaker
And I think that's kind of back also. We see more than one flag feature per production now. You're right. Bringing it back. More flag features. I'm here for it. Yep. More flag features in 2024.
00:37:34
Speaker
Long, fun features, please. Long phrases and yes. Well, Cynthia, go ahead and give us your next one. Who? Cynthia, go ahead and give us your next one, yeah. All right, so like Ricardo said, just anyone is kind of impossible.
00:37:57
Speaker
It was on the past two weekends, but I kind of talked a bit about it on the last, on a water break. And when you, when I start about those shows, I don't stop. So you need to stop me, but the two productions right now, and I love to use my brain. I'm like, I love to sit back and just watch and enjoy, but using my brain is like the thing that goes into like, I go so deep, but I'm so blessed sacrament. I don't think they've been on slow marching yet.
00:38:23
Speaker
So I don't think there's a lot of people up in the South that saw them.
00:38:28
Speaker
But their show is, I was doing, I'm gonna repeat myself if you, I'm sorry if you, listen, watch whatever, the other episode, but I was doing a judge trial tape, and I ended up with tears in my eyes, which I'm not an emotional person whatsoever, especially in Color Guard. I've been doing this for too long, and to the person that I'm a best cat hoon in the heart, that sometimes I'll go to, no, I'm not gonna stop and play on my phone, but sometimes I'm like, okay, like,
00:38:58
Speaker
I, this show is brilliant, amazing, incredible in so many ways. And that first, they start with a flag feature. That flag feature brings musicality to a new level that I've never seen. It's not just two, three phrases that the intro relationship makes sense.
00:39:19
Speaker
Some of the phrases, you can see the higher notes. You know what I'm trying to say. I don't know how I can say this, but it's not just the two or three metal leads. You can see the notes going higher and lower and deeper. The musicality is completely great. I was going to say, I'm listening to everyone talk about the flag feature. And the members are really good. Coming from percussionists, I started the indoor drum line because of Color Guard.
00:39:47
Speaker
And I think what the flag feature is because you can see the music a lot clearer than with a weapon. A weapon is more intricate and you have to understand the dialogue. My mother can sit back as she can see the music.
00:40:02
Speaker
in the flag. And I'm listening to you describe the black plus the sacrament. You know, you talk about the musicality and everything. You can't always see that in the weapons unless you're watching the body in a line with the weapon. But when you watch a flag feature, even if there's nobody underneath it, if you're just watching the block of flag, you can, if it's written well, you can see the music. I think that's what people got away from. You miss that entertainment. Yeah.
00:40:36
Speaker
And the show is called Feel the Bernstein, so it's all music from Bernstein repertoire. And when you know a little bit about the history of Bernstein, of where he started to write music, for what genre, for symphonies, and then for circus, and when you know all this, there's a lot of things that you can see in that show.
00:40:57
Speaker
And to chime on the flag thing and what Leah said, you dance with a flag. And that's kind of a, I don't want to say a new thing, but maybe from the 90s. And now we see, yet again, people dancing with a flag, but remembering that you can be hard and linear. And I don't want to say hard, staccato more type of movement, because we've seen lyrical movement with flags for a while now that we're dancing with our equipment.
00:41:23
Speaker
But now we're kind of seeing both come back. Like you can be hard and harsh and strong and more on rhythm with flag too. You don't have to always use the silk as your inspiration. I don't know if that kind of makes sense and it's very visual. And the other shows and people are gonna be like, blah, blah, blah, but people that know me, but Onyx. Oh yeah. One day if I could.
00:41:50
Speaker
When I grow up, I want to be the baby of, now that's going to sound so wrong, but Rick Subo and Michael Lance and I want to be that baby. I want to be that designer and it's never going to happen.
00:42:02
Speaker
But yeah, his show is they're bringing a chartreuse, chartreuse, chartreuse, the color, tarp this weekend. So I can't wait to see that because chartreuse is a color and the class is big floors, big, big floors. So it's a color. It's going to be out there. And compared to last year's program where I knew everything and anything about
00:42:26
Speaker
Tarantula. I don't know about this show. I don't know about the story behind all that. And usually Michael Ence at some point on his Facebook brings like a full big story of what it is. And I cannot wait for that post to come out. So if anyone knows Michael Ence, I'm waiting for that post. Please, please write about that. Because Onyx is really, really good. And they're doing that show with just one note.
00:42:52
Speaker
And now we're having Woody. Woody, you need to see that show. I think the note goes faster. It's just one note. And I think it goes faster. And then some people are saying it's not. So is it them creating visual effect that makes me think that the note is faster or is it really the same note on tempo? I don't know, but yeah, it's really cool.
00:43:11
Speaker
Wow. What a great description. Well, how about Miss Alicia? Give us some more of your picks. Yeah. Um, I have to say, Cynthia, my Facebook feed like exploded after Onyx, they viewed their show and I'm not typically like, I love them, appreciate what they do, but again, it's not my style. I've already kind of my style. Oh, this is the first year I'm like, Oh my gosh, I cannot wait to see this show. So I'm looking forward to it. But.
00:43:41
Speaker
Um, with my style though, let's juxtaposition is really catching my eye this year in, you know, world-class. They are, I think last year was the first time in that program's history that they made finals. I could be wrong. And if I am in world-class
00:44:04
Speaker
Yeah, as I say, if I'm wrong, I apologize. But I think that's the first time they've made finals since, you know, being in world class. And they, I think they really found something that worked really well for them last year. Yeah. So this year they're doing something called, it's called Off the Chain. I haven't seen it yet. I've seen Clips. I saw like an opening clip of their, you know, their pre-show.
00:44:30
Speaker
They've got these large chain link props that I'm really curious to see how they use them. So, and they're seated super high in world class right now. I think they're seated in like fourth place or maybe third place. So I just, it's an exciting time. Yeah, it's an exciting time for that organization. And at the end, I have no ties to them. I just, I'm just, you know, I'm looking forward to it.
00:44:53
Speaker
I have to shout out the home team for me, Etude. Oh, yeah. It's, again, just every single year, it gets better and better. And Brian is doing some great things with the organization. It's their 20th anniversary. And the show is just stunningly beautiful. It's called Those Days Are Gone. And they've got these really interesting props, if you're into that.
00:45:20
Speaker
They're like rocking chair inspired, but they don't rock as much as they glide back and forth. So it's really interesting how they're using those with their bodies. And then just the overall, you know, fire in Valentine, you know, does their artistic design. The costumes are so stunning. I mean, I would wear the costume to prom.
00:45:44
Speaker
Yeah, I'll take a tail, too. But yeah, I think world class this year is, I think it's very interesting. We're seeing, it is not the world class of 10 years ago, in the sense that like, we've got new names and new groups and
00:46:05
Speaker
a disperse of talent in so many different areas of the country where I think it used to be very central to one area. It's exciting. It's exciting to see. So I'm really, and I'm really into seeing, you know, what, when you go to Dayton and you watch, like, there's a style from Texas and there's a style from Florida and, you know, the West Coast. It's cool. I'm excited to see
Talent and Potential in Texas Guards
00:46:28
Speaker
it and watch it. And I like seeing some styles, development areas of the country that we've not really seen in the past 10 years.
00:46:35
Speaker
Yeah, that's a good point. And talking about Texas, as big as the state is, I do feel like it's kind of a small amount of guards that
00:46:47
Speaker
are incredibly gifted, whereas in other parts of like in Florida and Indiana and there's just seemed to be other parts of California, the country where they just so gifted with so many incredible guards. And I don't understand why Texas can't get there. We've got the woodlands and oh my goodness, those girls are astonishing. I'm like, why can't we get more of these guards to that level? Because, and watching them is just,
00:47:12
Speaker
It has to be motivating. I'm thinking, you know, every kid that's in the stands watching has to be just so motivated to say, oh, I want to do that. I want to do that. And it's sad to me that we just have so few groups in Texas achieving that level. And then it just seems like other states are just leaps and bounds ahead. And it shouldn't be that way.
00:47:36
Speaker
That leads me into my pick. Of course, the Woodlands was the only world class. I think maybe the only world currently. Flower Mound may be world class now. I can't remember now. Flower Mound is on the cusp. I'm so close.
00:47:51
Speaker
But the Woodlands, I can't wait to see how they do against Tarpon Springs, because Tarpon's incredible. Avon is killing it this year. I mean, absolutely astonishing this year. I just can't wait to see them at Dayton. Let's see how these groups from different parts of the country, the Tarpon, you know, how's their style going to compare to Carmel and Avon? I always love it when it's one thing to watch them separated at different competitions, but you get them all together. Same with the independent guards. It's like,
00:48:19
Speaker
Oh, they're going to win. They're going to win. And then you see them against the other guards and you're like, Oh my word. How do you pick? How do you pick a winner? I don't know. For the judges, they're making it real hard for the judges. Is it all the GE woody? Is that what it is? You know, once you get to that point, it's really what it's about. It's about, uh,
00:48:45
Speaker
Who did I like better? Because most people, you know, when you talk to that last block of people, they all have a dialogue. They all have the performance. Now, who do I like? It usually comes to the preference of the judge, you know, like some people may dig the flag features, some people may not.
00:49:09
Speaker
So guess what? I put a tent between Avon and Tarpon Springs because Avon did more weapons. I like that better. That's really what it comes down to at the end.
00:49:21
Speaker
And the performance of the night, like when you go to WGI, your prelims and your finals, if you care about your, cause sometimes when you're at finals, you're just like, well finals, but unless you're going to medal, but prelims is probably your most important run. Cause that's going to set the part of the, of the entire week. And.
00:49:39
Speaker
And at that point in the season, judges are judging the performance, like what is produced, the performance art that they see tonight. It's not the potential. It's not where they are in the schedule. It's not their recovery efforts. They need to nail it at prelims and then hopefully at finals, if they're going for a medal or if you care. But most of us, when we get to finals, if you're 14th or 13th, you're like, meh. But medals, I guess, count.
Dark and Dramatic Shows
00:50:09
Speaker
Well, speaking of preferences and likes, Jonathan, we didn't get a chance to get your third pick. Oh, yeah. I really enjoyed, and in the world class, uh, Norwin High School out in Pennsylvania, they're doing the Lizzie Borden show. Oh, yeah. They've got like, like, it's not happy, obviously, but it's like a really cool, dark energy. And there's some cool, like, allusions to that, you know, that storyline of that lore there.
00:50:33
Speaker
It'll be really even some ends to tie up there for sure as they work through the last couple of weeks. It'll be really cool to see where that story gets to. They're out there spinning axes and stuff like that. Just like they're not afraid of that storyline and they're, they're bringing it to the audience. And I judged first flight out in North Carolina last week and they're doing a sleepy hollow show. And they have this really cool flag statement where the performers have flags in one hands and severed heads in the other. Oh, wow.
00:51:00
Speaker
Talk about dark. We really went dark there. Do you want us to get a severed head? Yeah. They're like these mannequin heads, like they're holding them by their hair and then they're whipping the flag down and tossing them under and passing them hand to hand. So it's all kinds of like really hard stuff. Just like staring at these like mannequin heads in their hand and probably missing half the flag work because of it. But no, they were really cool. Wow. I would love to clean some flag and severed head.
00:51:31
Speaker
Well, I know we've already discussed some great shows, but I'd love to finish up the podcast today with maybe some of your honorable mentions or just some thoughts you all might have from the competitions you watched the last few weeks. Jonathan, you want to start us off with maybe some of those? Sure.
00:51:52
Speaker
I think it's interesting watching as you judge all these different classes or watch these different classes, seeing how much overlap there is between the top of one and the bottom of the next. Sometimes, even as a judge, I sit there and I'm like, why are you in this class and this group is in this class?
00:52:08
Speaker
There's so much talent in these younger classes and so much. It's obviously when you cross captions, you can see on a recap maybe where the answer comes in, but it's just crazy the way these groups are progressing and these classes are progressing. Even in regional A, I remember when I first started teaching thousands of years ago in 2005.
00:52:25
Speaker
like regional A guards were like, they were out there doing like the fight song or something basically. And now, like these regional A color guards, they're out there like ensemble tosses, angle tosses, multi-plane stuff, spinning on the move. And it's like, I mean, when I was in high school, that was like A classical. And now your regional A guards are doing that like in the middle of the regional A paradigm. It's just like, I don't know what we're going to be doing in 2050. These world-class kids are going to have to grow like a third arm or something to make all this stuff happen. I don't know.
00:52:56
Speaker
with their severed hand. Yeah, that's right. I think to touch on what Jonathan, what you were just saying, I talked about this a lot last year with, you know, friends of mine, but I think we're seeing a significant shift in the activity right now where
00:53:16
Speaker
The ability level, the skill level is growing so fast that WGI can no longer keep up with policies that stick to what those levels. I think there's a big push right now to redefine what is beginner. SRA is supposed to be that beginner class right now. That used to be A-Class.
00:53:37
Speaker
When we introduced regional A, we never redefined A. So now people are very confused. What is A class? And then what is open class? We know what world class is. We got it. But the other classes are so undefined. And last year we saw more people promote into open class or get re-classified into open class than we have ever seen before. Now suddenly open class is a pretty large class. Sometimes mid-season or towards the end of the season, those poor kids were like thrown into the science.
00:54:07
Speaker
There's this significant effort I think to really define the classes and define what skill sets belong in what classes and it's scary for me personally because I'm like I don't want us to get into like the Figure skating world where we define like you have to do this skill and this skill and you know I don't I don't want our activities to get that sterile
00:54:28
Speaker
But, you know, like my local circuit cut out novice class this year. We only, we have regional A, A open. We're like, that's it. And then we have a middle school class.
00:54:40
Speaker
But I think we're trying to align with what WGI is doing. It's what you said, Ricardo, at the beginning of the podcast. Like when you were, I don't know when you marched, but when I was marching, a single turn flag ensemble release turned catch was an open class skill. That was an open class skill.
00:54:58
Speaker
And now I'm seeing regional A guards do that. And I watched an A class guard do a full ensemble, you know, 45 toss with a double turn underneath it. That's an A class skill. I'm sorry. It's not, it's not, it is not. So we need to define that. Yeah. Alisa, I'm from the era of a 45 toss with a new and cool thing. So that's how old I am.
00:55:21
Speaker
Yeah, I remember being taught to do a 45 toss and I was like, what is this? This is Shanee. Why? Why? Why? Yeah. Yeah. Well, Ricardo, do you have any honorable mentions up your sleeve or some final thoughts?
00:55:41
Speaker
Lord, I want to praise everybody. It's such a hard thing to do. And I think that people forget this a lot, is that for these designers and instructors, they are putting art on the floor and they're expecting, they have to get a number and be judged on art. And there's no real way to do that. And sometimes I feel that there are groups that get overlooked in the numbers game that are making some beautiful art in this world.
00:56:11
Speaker
I'm going to shout out to everybody that's out there creating, to myself include, I'm going to pat my own self on the back because this isn't easy. If you keep doing it for the love of what it is, and that is to create more of this beautiful art form that we all love, it's fine. Whatever number happens, that's fine. Just keep creating, keep making that magic, keep going and doing. For all the performers that are out there that are
00:56:41
Speaker
literally breaking their backs to do all these crazy tricks and things that they're doing. Thank you for putting in your hard work and your effort, and thank you for trusting people like me who are instructors and others to bring these visions that we have, you know, sometimes sitting on our back porch going, oh, that would be a cool idea, and you are sticking yourself out there to do that.
00:57:05
Speaker
I'm praising everybody. That's what I'm doing tonight. That's my honorable mention is everybody involved.
00:57:12
Speaker
What about you? I'm sorry. So distracted sometimes by the competitive piece, like with the fact that this is really just a performance art thing. Like I was probably the first one in line to roll my eyes when we rolled out that rating system post COVID, but like there was something cool about that where you just sort of, you got the competitive recognition, but you took all the pressure off to get a 91.2 instead of a 90.1 or whatever. And like,
00:57:36
Speaker
you could just sort of make art there and do your thing and there was so much different stuff that came out then like people who didn't different tech different things to make it and we weren't all bogged down whether I was going to beat you or you were going to be me and we could just perform. Yeah well said. Well Miss Cynthia do you have any honorable mentions or final thoughts? I think
00:58:00
Speaker
bringing back the 90s is a great thing. And that's my thing. Like I think probably about 10 years ago, I was talking to Carlo. I was like, I just want more tempo. I just want the 90s back. And we all know, like I'm a geek of time, but we had fan, was it fan network when we were able to see shows and shows from the back. And so we are, and yet again, I don't know who's we, but the,
00:58:26
Speaker
35 to 50 something. We were able to see product of the from all the way the first WGI where the now designers and now younger designers because we're still designing don't have that. So
00:58:42
Speaker
I'm sure that there are a lot of fan favorite VHS that ran around because you can see musics that were from the 90s and styles that are back from that time and with a mix of what's happening now and ballads and all that. So the plethora of genre that we have I think is very, very interesting. And also to bring it back to the 90s, clean drill. I saw a lot of clean drill.
00:59:08
Speaker
and we need to keep cleaning our drill people. We need to keep cleaning our drill because that's one thing that maybe in the past five years we didn't do it because we're organic and I am too but you can still clean the drill. If you have a straight line make sure that your flag line is tight and together because they're in a straight line and all that and you're going to see one of the groups that I'm teaching me in a straight line and I'm like oh my god is that going to happen but
00:59:32
Speaker
Good for you if you're exposing yourself, but keep cleaning because I saw a lot cleaner drill this weekend that I've seen in the past couple of years. All right. Well, Ms. Leah, tell us who you are most excited to see live when you get to Dayton.
00:59:51
Speaker
Honestly, I think it's Avon High School. Yeah, me too. I saw a snippet of their show and I cried a little because I'm obsessed with that song right now. I want my kids to do it. I want everything. I need to see it over and over and over again. Like it's something that put a smile on my face and I'm so excited to see it. I'm really hoping that we even get to see it because
01:00:19
Speaker
I don't know. I feel like the timing is always so difficult to force yourself in there when you're with all of your other teammates. But that's who I'm super excited to see in Dayton. And also, I agree with what she said. I really wish we had a lot more clean line than organic. If she was a clump, it would make us feel a little better.
01:00:43
Speaker
Let's have it all. Please, have a mix of both, a nice little mix of both. And I don't know, I think, who else do I really want to see live in Dayton? I really want to see, this is going to sound kind of weird because they're our team, but if you've seen USF's A show, I think I like their show a little bit more than I like my own show.
01:01:10
Speaker
It's a very, like, nice, cute, jazzy little number. And I guess we're both doing a jazz show, but I don't know. The way that their flag feature eats at the end, it really... It does eat. It just definitely eats. Like, our flag feature, I believe, is about 16 counts, maybe 24. And their flag feature is a solid minute. Like, I love it. It's so beautiful.
01:01:37
Speaker
I guess beautiful is not the right word because it has a little bit of edge to it, but it's just so spunky. So I really want to see them perform. They didn't get to go last year, so I'm super excited that they're even coming this year. Awesome.
01:01:49
Speaker
Yeah, and I want to see last thing, I'm sorry, but I want to see TI again, because TI last year was amazing, amazing, amazing. Is that Tampa? Is that who you mean? Yeah, Tampa. OK, OK. Just clarifying. I really, really want to see them this year in finals, because they did such an amazing job last year. So yeah. Great. Well, Woody, I know you're a percussion person, but do you have any final thoughts for us, for Winter Guard?
01:02:17
Speaker
Believe it or not, I am also a Winter Guard junkie also. As I said before, it's because of Winter Guard. I used to teach at Winter Guard. And that's how I incorporated it into the whole percussion thing. So I love Winter Guard. And just to hear Cynthia talk about going backwards, I'm like, thank goodness, because
01:02:42
Speaker
He kind of lost me with the ballot, the ballot error, you know? And I'm from, I'm an 80s guy in the 90s. I need to see stuff up in the air. I need to see people spinning and having a good time. Enough with the, you love me to the end of the earth. I know it sounds kind of macho or whatever, but no.
01:03:10
Speaker
And I really believe what she's saying is it's not just color guard. It's happening all over the entire act because we back ourselves into a hole where we're so intellectually entertaining that you've become boring to the person who's most important, the person who's paying.
01:03:32
Speaker
Now, you know, you put it out there as a designer, you put your heart on the line. I get that. But I think there needs to be a balance. And I'm very happy to see that balance coming back to the activity.
01:03:57
Speaker
Absolutely. It's getting expensive. You mentioned paying and I, I forked out some money in Austin over the weekend. I was like, man, these post COVID prices are killing me. You want to feel like you got your money's worth, right? You don't feel like, uh, I don't know if I'm going to go next year. I've heard from sitting in the stands.
01:04:20
Speaker
Right? Well, speaking of honorable mentions and percussion and Woody, we have another recap that you guys need to be sure you're listening to. Every other week, Steven and Woody do a percussion recap. So listeners, if you aren't really paying attention to the percussion world, you need to listen to these recaps and watch some of that and wins as well. We don't really talk about wins enough, but the whole WGI
01:04:49
Speaker
scene. It's just amazing. And these kids are amazing. And if we didn't talk about your group today, that does not mean that your group is not amazing. And I want you to know that. We know how hard all of you work. And I know I can speak for everyone here on this panel when I say that we understand that you are really
01:05:12
Speaker
giving a lot of your life to this activity, a lot of your time, and we appreciate and admire every single one of you. Well, that winds up this week's recap. Thanks everyone for another great run, and thank you in particular to our host Ricardo, Jonathan, Alicia, Leah, Woody, and Cynthia.
01:05:39
Speaker
Now y'all know what to do. Go subscribe, write us a review, share this podcast with a friend and follow us on social media at On A Water Break. And we will see you at the next performance on a water break from the stands.