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Inside Juxtaposition: Design, Health & The Journey to WGI 2026
277 Plays26 days ago
Winter guard takes center stage as Becca Anderson and Stephanie Furniss of Juxtaposition join Jackie Brown, Nicole Younger, and Joey Montes to explore how great design meets athlete care. From musical hooks and color theory to safety, mentorship, and inclusion, this conversation celebrates the art and heart of the activity.
✨ OAWB Journey to WGI 2026: Follow our exclusive coverage of Juxtaposition Winter Guard all season for weekly rehearsal updates and design insights as they prepare for WGI Finals.
Episode Highlights
• Juxta’s design and storytelling approach
• Injury prevention and health culture in elite programs
• Color psychology and creative decision-making
• Mentorship and generational collaboration
• Honest discussion on safety for under-18 performers
• Feel-good “Gush & Go” wins from the panel
News Stories
Chad Smith scholarship • Gladys Wright legacy • WGI DEI programs • Macy’s Parade bands • Vandegrift community response
Panelists: Jackie Brown (@spintronixguard), Nicole Younger (@o2bnpjs), José “Joey” Montes III (@marchingbymontes)
Guests: Becca Anderson (@becca.anderson23 | @becca.anderson2397) & Stephanie Furniss (@sfurn4) – @juxtapositionwinterguard
Sponsors: Peak Group Travel (@peak.group.travel) | Guard Closet (@guardcloset)
Listen Everywhere: Apple Podcasts • Spotify • YouTube • Amazon Music • iHeartRadio • onawaterbreakpodcast.com
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction & Podcast Overview
00:00:00
Speaker
Hey everyone, and welcome back to On A Water Break, the podcast where we talk about everything you and your friends are talking about at rehearsal on a water break.
Season Transition Stories
00:00:08
Speaker
This week, we are leaving fall behind as we prep winter.
00:00:14
Speaker
We'll also find out what made Nicole Okay, you know, we frown upon it. Well, maybe, i don't know, i maybe that should be in writing somewhere. And why Joey said, if you didn't woohoo,
00:00:28
Speaker
Why would the audience woohoo, you know? All this and more in this week's episode of On a Water Break. um ado the met and go book of youaana water bridge podcast where we thought
00:00:54
Speaker
Hey everyone, it's Jackie. We have a fun episode this week.
Guest Introductions & Contact Information
00:01:00
Speaker
Although Fall Band is very much still a presence for everyone here, we want to make sure you're all ready for the winter season, which is just around the corner.
00:01:08
Speaker
And we have some amazing people who are joining us this week to get you excited about it. But before we see who's on the sidelines this week, make sure you go and subscribe on your favorite listening app or write us a review, share this with a friend.
00:01:21
Speaker
If you have a question or a good topic to talk about, make sure you e email us at onawaterbreakpodcast at gmail.com or find us on social media and DM us if you want to be on the show. We even have a form you can fill out if you want to be a guest. That is at our link in bio. So
Spotlight on Stephanie & Becca
00:01:38
Speaker
who's on the sidelines this week?
00:01:39
Speaker
Nicole. Hey, girl. Hey, girl.
00:01:45
Speaker
We are getting our monthly check-in, huh? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think it's been since last month that I was on the show. so Yeah, pretty much. Yes. So and we are trying to leave Fall Behind. At the current moment, I still have three more two more days of marching man in front of me. Learn the dream, though. I tell you what.
00:02:08
Speaker
Trying. Trying. We're trying to get into those. and into those spaces working hard and Joey back back back again ah you're like our permanent host these days I swear I've seen you on every episode so we're like the opposites here yeah I mean uh the design time has kind of slowed down for the fall so I get a little bit of time to come and talk about band with my friends so here we are making it happen Before gets crazy again, of course. All right. So moving on to our special guests, both of them are part of one of the most intriguing guards in WGI. And I would dare to say one of my favorites, especially to see live
00:02:53
Speaker
juxtaposition. So today we are talking to director Stephanie Furness. Hello. Hello. And artistic director Becca Anderson. So hello both of you. Hello.
00:03:06
Speaker
Hello.
00:03:09
Speaker
And did I say that right? Is it is it furnace? It's furnace. Yes, that's correct. Okay. Okay. I always like to make sure. Well, before we dig super deep in with you guys, we have a little tradition we have to do on the show.
00:03:24
Speaker
ah it is our 32 count life story. So what we're going to do is do the, yeah we're going to have the Met, you know, everyone's favorite Dr. Beat, and they're going to give you eight counts.
00:03:40
Speaker
And then you get eight and then you just go and you tell your entire life story from the day you are born until today, this most illustrious time that you get to be on our podcast.
Juxtaposition's Creative Philosophy
00:03:53
Speaker
And who wants to go first? 32 counts. Eight counts in yours, Stephanie. Okay. All right. Let's make it happen.
00:04:07
Speaker
I started marching when I was five years old and I continued to march all the way through drum corps. I aged out. Then I started teaching drum corps and marching bands and winter guards and I've taught with several of those programs all the way through.
00:04:20
Speaker
I started juxtaposition in 1998 and we've been out every season since then um and continue to teach other winter guard programs and write some drill and all of those fun things.
00:04:31
Speaker
Look at you. She said it wasn't going to happen in 32 counts. There was a lot abbreviated though. i feel like that was a loaded, a loaded 32 counts right there. But wait a minute.
00:04:44
Speaker
Yeah. i want to take us back to the beginning. Yeah. Thank you, Joey. Five years old. What the heck? Yes.
00:04:54
Speaker
My mother out was a baton twirler and a guard instructor and she started me at five years old and I just continued to do those things. And then when I got into high school, I also started playing a trumpet and turns out I was pretty good at it. So when I went marched drum corps, I played lead trumpet.
00:05:11
Speaker
I didn't do color guard because it was something my mom couldn't tell me if I was doing right or wrong. But then, you know, after the fact, I still continued to teach color guard and all of those fun things. So it's kind of how it
Designing Entertaining & Competitive Shows
00:05:27
Speaker
all happened.
00:05:28
Speaker
Queen. Queen. Nothing better than your mother being your instructor. I can imagine. Wow, that's a lot. Yes. Which drum corps did you march at?
00:05:39
Speaker
I marched at a Division II Corps. Well, I started at Phantom Regiment. um And then I went, there was a Division II Corps in Columbus that was coming out called Limited Edition. Um, and I marched with them for a few years and then I went to Santa Clara. We learned so much in these 32 counts, Stephanie. That's why we get that out of the way.
00:05:56
Speaker
we're not just like, so tell me where you're from. but umm ah You know what I mean? So it's just like, yeah random come on. Yeah. It's, it's extensive. Yeah. yeah it's like it's extensive There's so much in there. I feel like every single time I'm around Stephanie, there's like some new story of some drum corps or, or, or color guard that she's taught.
00:06:16
Speaker
And all of these people, I'm like, you did that too. You did that. I mean, it's, it's crazy how much stuff has done. I could, i'm I'm really glad you, you spoke up on this, Becca. I love to do this. What's your favorite Stephanie story, Becca?
00:06:28
Speaker
Oh my gosh, my favorite Stephanie story. um
Emotional Impact in Performances
00:06:32
Speaker
It's probably when she talks about, um oh God, there there is ah this this guy from Japan that she taught with and there's always these crazy stories about him experiencing America with Stephanie.
00:06:50
Speaker
Um, and every single story that they have about this guy is hilarious. And that doesn't sound very funny, but when you're in the moment, there's always, what it what is his name? Stephanie? What was his name? Um, Junior Otani.
00:07:02
Speaker
Junior Otani. that Junior had a very good time with Stephanie. Let's just put it that way. He had a good experience of America.
00:07:14
Speaker
Well, Becca, are you ready to be put on the spot for your 32 count life story? I guess so. I have to follow Stephanie. This is tough. Okay.
00:07:25
Speaker
You said go first. Eight and I'm Eight and I'm in.
00:07:30
Speaker
There you go.
00:07:33
Speaker
I was born in Baltimore, Maryland. I started as a dancer. It led me to do color guard in high school at Tarpon Springs High School with the very first color guard Tarpon ever had. Same instructors that are there now were there as the first year instructors. I went on to march the company, Independent World, Carolina Crown, and the cadets from the Bugle Corps.
00:07:49
Speaker
Started teaching right out of high school, went all the way through different states, Washington State, Indianapolis, Idaho, Hawaii. um i'm I'm back in Idaho and Hawaii, and I've had my own independent guard.
00:08:02
Speaker
I had a Scholastic World team, and now I am a full-time designer for drum corps, winter guards, and marches.
00:08:10
Speaker
Had you spoken any slower, wouldn't have
Becca's TikTok Series & Social Engagement
00:08:13
Speaker
made it.
00:08:15
Speaker
believe
00:08:19
Speaker
That was fun. Started off as a dancer. What kind of dance you i did do? a tap, ballet, jazz, point, modern. I did all of it. And I was ah I was a competitive dancer. So like when you see, um, like dance moms and sometimes they compete at like showstopper. I did that when I was, when I was really little. Love.
00:08:40
Speaker
Yeah. was fun. Tap was probably one of my favorites. Wow. a missing art. I hope more people keep doing it. We, uh, I just did a, uh, Banksy show. And one of the things was the flower riot guy.
00:08:55
Speaker
And, uh, we did ah a bucket drumming and literal, we put a dumpster fire on the, on the floor. And we, uh, the big percussion thing was a tap dancer. And she's like a trained tap dancer, um, at this arts magnet school. It was so cool. I'll send you a video. I, I,
00:09:10
Speaker
you know critique it. Send me like, oh, this would have worked better if blah, blah, blah. I'll take all that too. um But the young performer just amazing. We came and we're like, here's the rhythms. And she was like, oh, I can do that.
00:09:22
Speaker
I can also accent this and we can make this groove here. And I go, you know what? You just take it. I'll just see it on Thursday. yeah So yeah, I like that. She said, I'm just to start writing this part here. Also, Becca and I, actually Becca was the reason I got a job in Texas, my first job in Texas.
00:09:43
Speaker
Yeah. Because I was like, I'm ready for something new. What's your something new? I'm going to move to Texas. Well, you should tell me. like And literally, but that's the way it went. And so, yeah, Becca was my capitalist into my ah Texas band era. That's so true. Good old Tomball High School.
00:10:06
Speaker
Nice. So how did you get on with Juxta then, Becca? And how did you and Stephanie meet? Oh, actually I love this story, actually. um So COVID had happened. Everything had was shut down.
00:10:23
Speaker
And um at the time, i was working with Byron Valentine. And he was doing costumes for me for some of my teams. And so we got on the phone because we were trying to figure out what was potentially the fall going to look like, you know, because none of us knew at that time.
00:10:38
Speaker
And we just got on a personal conversation about how I um was missing, I was judging a lot at the time. i was judging for WGI and all over the country. And um I was not, ah I was designing for some local high schools, but I'd removed myself as a color guard director for, at that time, like five years.
00:10:57
Speaker
And I was having that bug again of wanting to be a part of a world-class color guard again. I missed it. I missed that um the the competitiveness. I missed the creativity.
00:11:07
Speaker
And he, in the same token, told me at that time, he was considering you know not designing as much. He was thinking about going into judging more. And so it was kind of interesting that we had this reversal of roles of what we wanted out of our future.
00:11:22
Speaker
And he just happened to say, you know what, i I might know somebody that is looking for a change. And the very next day I got a text message from Stephanie Furness and I was, i was floored because when I said I wanted to get back into it, I was not expecting, um, a renowned color guard to be contacting me. Like, especially since I had never done an independent world guard, like what,
00:11:48
Speaker
really? You know? And so we got on the phone the very next day and easily spoke for a couple of hours and just hit it off right away. It was, it was a dream. I was, I was just so excited to be a part of it.
00:12:01
Speaker
the rest of being slowly is coasting yeah first stories
00:12:10
Speaker
It is. It's, it's awesome. Stephanie is, we, we've found something together. That's just really healthy and, and fun and, um, and crazy. Like we both are, we have to be crazy to do what we're doing. It's just, it's been so fun.
00:12:24
Speaker
So you you meet you meet Stephanie, you guys talk like, how how does Juxta happen? how do How do you become a part of it? what does Where does Juxta start? Like, what's the origin of juxtaposition? Oh, that's a Stephanie question. um The color guard actually originated because I was teaching a high school color guard at the time with a friend of mine from Drum Corps.
00:12:43
Speaker
And we had a group of high school kids that their school wasn't going to let them have a color guard. um And so we had this crazy idea that we were going to just start an independent guard, you know, cause it's so easy and all, um, you know, so we were going to start an independent color guard so these kids could march. Um, and essentially it just kept going from there, you know, um, you know, we've had different designers, but we've always tried to kind of keep our identity similar.
00:13:09
Speaker
Um, and it just so happened that Becca kind of used things in the exact same way that I do as far as, you know, it, it's gotta still be about some entertainment as well as competitive. Um, you know, and,
00:13:21
Speaker
people pay to sit the seats and we want to make sure that they're, they're having a good time watching what we're doing. Um, so, and then it just kind of, like she said, we just hit it off and it went from there.
00:13:34
Speaker
how do you how you go to How do you go about designing these fun shows? Because, I mean, like, yeah we we look at the entire idiom, and, I mean, like, we look at A-Class, and we see how how hard it is to separate yourself from people when you're around.
00:13:46
Speaker
And then you look at World Class, and everybody has their own identity. Everybody has their own flavor. i mean, obviously, it has to do with attitude reflects leadership. So it's you all at the top really making this, you know, breeding this culture.
00:13:59
Speaker
how does how do you How does one do that? How do you how do you make it fun, entertaining, but also taken serious to the point where you are a serious world-class competitor? I think that at least for us, and and this was a question that um my husband, Mike, had posed to us um probably about four years ago. I think it was right after our first year together. And you know we were in this place of, do you want to be entertaining?
00:14:27
Speaker
do is that Is that all it's about? do you want Do you want to shift? Do you want to be more artistic? And we we both simultaneously looked at each other and said, well, we want to be both. We want to be both artistic and entertainment. And I think how that relays down to like your A guards, I have to be honest, I I don't treat conceptually the the idea of what an A-class color guard is going to do much differently than what a world-class color guard is going to do. And what I mean by that is like you you have to have a hook.
00:14:59
Speaker
Like you have to have something that we can grab onto and there is no class to us. that that that changes that idea. Now, do the does the concept and the idea and the hook have to be a little bit more um grandiose maybe for for world-class? Sure. you know there' there's There's definitely a much larger intellectual and emotional and aesthetic concept to, I think, the world-classes, but ah that that's how you separate yourself in the eight classes. In my opinion is that you have that you can have the best idea for an A guard and it's, and, and it's more than just, I like this Taylor Swift song, you know?
00:15:37
Speaker
um I think how we choose, the entertainment versus art. Hey, we love Taylor Swift. Don't get me wrong. We would do Taylor Swift. We would wear that type of color. um But I don't know, Steph, like, what do you think about the entertainment part? of it Because I know that that's really important. And I think that you're a huge part of the entertainment because of the music that we pick.
00:15:57
Speaker
I don't know. I've always believed that, you know, kids, Kids want audience response. that's That's what they love. That's why they're they're doing this activity because they love it, but they want feedback from the audience that it's it's working or they're doing a good job. um And it doesn't matter how old they are. It could be little tiny kids all the way up to...
00:16:17
Speaker
30 some year olds, you know, but they're, they're all craving the same thing. They all want that audience to scream and yell for them or clap and appreciate everything that they do. Um, and so we've just always tried to make it a priority to make sure that the kids enjoy what they're doing.
00:16:35
Speaker
You know, um, we know if we enjoy the music and we enjoy the concept that the kids that we take on are going to, are going to do that as well. Um, but it's always in the forefront of our mind.
00:16:49
Speaker
My favorite thing that Steph says when we're listening to music is, i don't want to listen to that all season. And it's so true. like we have to We have to react to those things sometimes and be honest. like Do we really like this or are we just buying into our own press clippings? Am I gaslighting myself in it? Yes, you are. Yes.
00:17:07
Speaker
Yes, you are. Yes. i am I'm so emotional about this piece. Yes, you are. Nobody else is. I'm not the best one. ah
00:17:19
Speaker
I took a, oh, sorry. I'll just say my little piece real quick. I took a Michael Gray judging seminar, which I mean, all he did, he brought out his easel and just, you know, made a painting for us.
00:17:31
Speaker
And he talked about, you know, removing your bias as he created this beautiful piece of art, which is a very Michael Gray way of explaining anything, but something that like really rang true and kind of resounds with what we're saying is um he said something along the lines of like, trust your first emotional instinct.
00:17:46
Speaker
If you didn't woohoo, why would the audience woohoo? You know? And I think it it ties in very well with what y'all are saying. I like if, if our listeners are looking like, Oh, but I always feel like I have these really cool concepts, but nothing, you know, I never get what I want at the end of the season.
00:18:03
Speaker
Maybe, maybe we're missing that hook. Maybe we're missing that, that emotional factor, you know, that makes the audience go woohoo. And maybe your kids aren't getting a ah moment to shine for those woohoo. So you're looking for a way to spice up your shows and move to the next level, this may be the piece of information you're missing.
00:18:19
Speaker
um I think it's really important. Yes. Yes. Having that, um, um, those highs and lows in that variety. Like if you're, if your music produces that for you, it's, you're naturally going to be able to produce more highs and lows visually, you know, cause we are, I mean, as long as you're trying to be musical, I don't know.
00:18:40
Speaker
Um, uh, but like Stephanie and I, Stephanie, Mike and I were having a, um, we'll call it a disagreement, Stephanie and I against Mike, about um one of our pieces for this year.
00:18:53
Speaker
And um Stephanie and I were on the phone and she's like, well, why do you why did you want to do this? why did Why do you think it's perfect? Or why do you think it's right? And I listed right off the top of my head, like immediately,
00:19:05
Speaker
eight different reasons why I thought it was right, right then. And we had never asked that question. And she was like, what did what did you say to me, Stephanie? but As soon as I finished listing my reasons right away, do you remember? Well, I asked you, um then what is the reason why we shouldn't do it?
00:19:19
Speaker
And your answer was Mike Anderson. And I said, that's not good enough. you know Sorry, sorry, hubs. um So he got, he got vetoed and we're very glad that we we vetoed him because when we played it for the, when we played it for the guard, their reaction was spectacular. So we were like, okay, this is, this is it.
00:19:41
Speaker
That's perfect. Yeah. Yeah. So, Becca, um our producer Jeremy um saw that you're TikTok and we're talking about like an upcoming camp at Juxta that you're having and reached out and said, hey, you should bring this to on walk break. So I want you to tell us a little bit about what your plans were with starting the TikTok series and what you may have this evolve into.
00:20:09
Speaker
And, you know, that now that we scooped you up. Yeah. So I've had ah so many people in, I mean, the last couple of years ask if I would do something like this, whether it be a podcast or a video series or whatever, just because they wanted to, they just, they just want to know, like, I'm sure everybody, I would love to know what other color guards do on the weekend um to prepare for rehearsals. Like, I love that stuff. I love just going and watching, you know, and being a spectator.
00:20:37
Speaker
Um, and, and I had this final conversation with another designer friend of mine and they're like, well you should just do it it. It would be fun to let people in on the process, even if you don't want to give away all the the secrets before the competition season. Plus I think,
00:20:52
Speaker
juxtaposition is just a really fun place to be the the members the staff we all get along so well and it's just such a great environment but that i think it's it's worth sharing with people so i started it as just like a a little you know look into it, I couldn't believe how how quickly it took off in three little videos, especially when I got just... I was just messing around at rehearsal.
00:21:18
Speaker
Now it's like, okay, let's get the cast to be to be known better so that when people see them at a show, they might recognize them because they deserve that. They're they're the ones that put in all this crazy hard work, ah you know? And and then too, like, yeah, I mean, they're so great.
00:21:35
Speaker
And then too, for people that are on our side of it, you know, the directors and the designers, um what are we doing? You know, what are we doing each weekend to, whether it be prepare or, you know, what are we, how long did it take us to work through 15 seconds of the show?
00:21:50
Speaker
I mean, I don't know. I just, I figured it would be cool to just get information out there. the The hard part is going to be, honestly hiding what we do in the beginning um as much as possible so that nobody sees it before the first show.
00:22:04
Speaker
So, you know. You should just turn the camera on and just like your reaction to everything that's happening. we Yeah, yeah. so So we'll figure it out, but it was exciting. i i'm I'm excited just ah just to kind of test it out. Plus I'm a new TikToker. I mean, I've been on TikTok, but i'm I'm more of just a scroller.
00:22:25
Speaker
than I am. Yeah. Do I'm taller than a filmer? Can I do that after we're done? ah That was always one of the biggest challenges because we did this on YouTube. We did this series that was like a vlog of our season for several years in a row. And it was like, how do we do this without showing the same And if you want some hints, I will, I'll tell you after, after the show, I can, yes can give you some of our secrets that we did. Cause I would love that. I mean, we were nowhere near the level, but it, it was, it was very popular and it took off so quickly. Like you guys are going to see some amazing, amazing growth and following on social media from this. Even, even just like, seriously, you come up in my, in my for you page every time I get on Tik TOK now. So.
00:23:11
Speaker
Okay. That's good to know. and We want to go ahead and take this time to preview some awesome weekly episodes and bonus content that we have going on. Joey and Trish just had the Peters family on who their entire family did the Boston Crusaders rifle choreography.
00:23:32
Speaker
They're an amazing marching arts family. They blew up over on TikTok. We're just talking about TikTok. They are huge over there. So if you haven't seen that yet, with you if you're TikTok, you've probably seen it. But you haven't, go watch that.
00:23:44
Speaker
um Stevens State Band Championships wrap up with Neil and Art Grossman. um And the interview with Rowan University's Megan Cooney is a really great one. So make sure go and listen to that episode.
00:23:56
Speaker
And then... Of course, I can't go on without mentioning the bonus episode that Jeremy and Ricardo did with the Latrice Royale.
00:24:08
Speaker
So go check that one out. ah it's It is live now. And for those of you who are wondering where Jeremy is, he's generally producing our show, but he's not always on. He is on that episode. So you can go and see what he's got.
00:24:25
Speaker
So, Anyway, ah we are going to get back out on the floor in just a minute.
00:24:42
Speaker
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00:24:57
Speaker
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Speaker
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Speaker
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00:25:35
Speaker
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00:25:48
Speaker
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00:26:03
Speaker
All right, everybody, grab your water bottles and come on over to the bleachers. Let's get to the news.
00:26:25
Speaker
Who's starting us off today? Joey, you're starting us off. I got some news. I got some news. I got some good news. Okay. Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers launches a music scholarship through the University of Michigan.
00:26:37
Speaker
He also played with them this weekend, which was really fun. um So imagine you're a freshman in college and you're going for your music education classes and go, oh, by the way, you're gonna play with the Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer this this weekend. No big deal.
00:26:51
Speaker
And then he announces he's doing this that's called the Chad Smith Foundation. He's naming it after his parents, Joan and Curtis, um which I think is really lovely. Yeah. And the biggest craziness of it all is that ah one incoming freshman for the School of Music, Theater, and Dance in the fall of 2026 is going to get a $40,000 scholarship from Child Smith, which is insane.
00:27:14
Speaker
I mean, that'll help out a lot. Yeah.
00:27:19
Speaker
That's amazing. We all need money. yeah think I think it's really fun when Pharrell does all his things. We saw what he did at the World Series where he kind of involved a little bit of marching band making the American flag turn to the Canadian flag.
00:27:33
Speaker
He does ah a bunch of stuff at Princess Anne here in Virginia. It's really cool to see. This isn't the first time that Chad Smith has done something with marching bands and given back to the music community. um I just think it's amazing that they just continue to find avenues um for marching band, for music education, because we know how crazy um these times are with cutting funds and stuff.
00:27:52
Speaker
It's great to see that there's still support. um And I just, it makes me giddy. I wish, wish I could have $40,000.
00:28:04
Speaker
Well, here you need to do, you need to make your bank and then you got to go back and give it scholarship to somebody else. That's what I, my favorite things to do through Spintronics is offer those scholarships every year because it's just like,
00:28:18
Speaker
i know when I was marching and there was no like scholarships just they weren't well known if they did exist and now it's like okay we need to go back and and give back to somebody you know help somebody out the way we wish we could have been helped oh yeah It's all about the but giving back. You know you you receive we you received so much, not just like support, but information. and I think it's really important to every chance you get.
00:28:44
Speaker
you know like Oh, well, I learned this thing, or I learned this thing. or here's here's some like i have i give about summer um out because ah you know i don't and't got a bag like that. crazy.
00:28:55
Speaker
um but if i could i'd you know i'd pay a whole core you know like no charge no kid no fees one day you know when i hit the lottery It's be like star 2.0. Yeah.
00:29:07
Speaker
yeah I was going to say star. Yeah. i'm a big You don't got to pay. Just come and play. Don't you worry.
00:29:18
Speaker
yeah And you got to realize these kids that are incoming freshmen were like not born whenever the red hot chili peppers were like hitting their stride. So that's also got to be something. like What's Will Ferrell doing on the stand? Yeah.
00:29:37
Speaker
Mind you, all of these like you know youngsters, young dipper snappers are all walking around Red Hot Chili Peppers t-shirts on, not knowing a thing. Oh my gosh, yeah. yeah ah but This fall has been crazy for band gear, and they really have no idea. im like, so what's your favorite?
00:29:53
Speaker
You listen to that? Sing a lyric. dad listens to it. Sing a lyric. Give me a tune. Give it away. Give it away. Nothing? No? Okay. Nope. You need to give your shirt away.
00:30:07
Speaker
is Yes, exactly. and do it now. No, I don't have fleas. What are you talking about? For those of you in the audience who were
00:30:21
Speaker
I do. So those of you that may or may not know this person, Gladys Wright, who was a pioneering American band director, composer, author, educator, and most importantly, a champion for women in music education. She passed away on Wednesday at the ripe old age of 100, centennial. Can you believe it?
00:30:42
Speaker
Here's the thing. I know it's like... just Just 19, 1925. That means that, well, her first year teaching as a woman was in 1948 before women even had like certain rights.
00:30:57
Speaker
That's, that's incredible that she was such a pioneer for being a band director. I think.
00:31:05
Speaker
We're still fighting as women today to make our voices heard and find that equality all across the land, all across the world. It's pretty incredible to be a band director in 1948, but ah we all have so many memories of what our band directors have given us.
00:31:22
Speaker
um I can only imagine the amount of people that she he was able to touch lives, but man, a hundred. hope I make it to a hundred. No kidding. Give me a hundred year old birthday. Man. And also too, just not with, not just with her, but her legacy, how many females did she inspire to go on and keep doing those things?
00:31:45
Speaker
yeah Yeah. Amazing. Speaking of legacies and nicole you wanting to move on. Yeah. Inspire. um Yeah, in inspire and create a good future. i mean, you all know or may not know, but I am a member of the WGI DEI committee. And some of the things that we do is, but you know, we work with or actually work very closely with the Virgin Voices Awards.
00:32:13
Speaker
We've come up with that. And also the Future Leaders and Program. ah Both of those applications have become important. are now open. The deadline for them is December 31st.
00:32:26
Speaker
A lot of people have been asking me about them and what they actually do. So I'll talk about the Emerging Voices Award first. It's never one of those things and that someone needs to tell you, hey, can you work on this project to make the world a better place?
00:32:40
Speaker
The folks that have won this award in the past have said, hey, I'm just doing this and has started it. They start small, like within their circuit, within their school, within their neighborhood.
00:32:53
Speaker
And then obviously it grows as much as possible. So right now we're just looking for the Emerging Voices Award. Basically, and I'll just tell you about it from the website, but it's a monetary award that basically strives to reduce the financial barriers for historically underrepresented participants,
00:33:14
Speaker
with high artistic skills and leadership promise. So, you know, a person who's actually in a guard or maybe even teaches a guard. And then they're also doing something within that guard, within that circuit, within that neighborhood, within that school to make a difference within that community.
00:33:33
Speaker
So there's been people in the past, yes, there's been people in the past who have won in their picture and everything is on the WGI website. but And also the Emerging Voices Award application is on the WGI website as well.
00:33:48
Speaker
Now, if you are one of those people who, Hey, I'm not a person who is and marching or teaching, but I want to donate towards this monetary award.
00:33:59
Speaker
There is an icon that you can click on if you want to donate towards the award. So as a member of the DEI committee, I will say, please go and do that. Hey, we were just talking about ways you get back. That's one way.
00:34:13
Speaker
you can n Then the other thing that I wanted to talk about is the Future Leaders program. in like we're We're really into it right now.
00:34:24
Speaker
With the Future Leaders program, you apply. It's more along the lines of, again, folks who are either currently marching, currently teaching, and they want to know more about the inside works of it. This is about ambassadorship, mentorship.
00:34:38
Speaker
You work closely with people who are on the... on the board at WGI i to learn more about the inner workings? Like what is it that you can bring to the table to find out about things? And then what is it that these young folks, you know, can talk to us about? Because I'm not going to lie to you. I'm not 20.
00:34:59
Speaker
I mean, even though. But anyway, I'm not 20. So I am not part of that young group anymore. And a lot of the young people who are out there, they have good ideas, bring them to the table. We should not be alienating anyone, you know, because of age.
00:35:19
Speaker
And honestly, the only way that we grow is if we listen to each other and we listen to the other generations. And so this is a great way for those young people to come and talk to us because they have some great ideas, like fantastic ideas.
00:35:34
Speaker
So I can't wait for some you.
00:35:38
Speaker
And it's really cool to sit and talk to them and everything, you know, because they're still in their marching era. You know, a lot of the kids that are in the Future Leaders Program are under 21 you know what I mean, 21 and under. They're still marching and they have great ideas. want this to grow in a way that's going to be accessible to the generations to come.
00:36:01
Speaker
Both of these applications are due on December 31st. So get your applications. I think, I mean, I don't know if any of you, think some of you probably would know some of the, the last year's winner are, I guess you could say the 2025 winner of the Emerging Voices Award was Robin Elklin.
00:36:22
Speaker
Past ones, Kennedy Riles, Sadie Taylor, Olivia Starnes. I think Olivia marched amp, ah Kennedy marched, Oh, I forget.
00:36:35
Speaker
and Let's see. Jonathan Moreno, Marched AMP, Louis Riviera, Chris Washington, just to name a couple of, I mean, just to name a couple. And what these folks, these young folks are doing within their circuit and their community is really something that you would not even think about, hey, you know, I'm going to go ahead and start this.
00:36:57
Speaker
They just went ahead and did it on their own and then found people who were like, like-minded in that community and said, Hey, I want to help. How can I help? And they started doing even more. And then that drove them to us and the ball is rolling even more and made WGI i aware.
00:37:13
Speaker
i'm Out of the emerging voices award, I don't know if you all knew this or not, but like the inclusive language that judges have, instead of you know, don't just placing a pronoun down on a performer.
00:37:27
Speaker
Saying the performer, the student, that has become ah kind kind of commonplace with judges now when identifying a performer on the floor. And that came out of that. I love the standardization from that.
00:37:40
Speaker
So I have our next news story. I'm excited that the Macy's band lineup has gotten announced and the Spartans who are guard closet consigner, by the way, are the list along with temple university. They're going to be the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade along with the Macy's great American marching band as usual. So and make sure you guys check those out, you can go to macy's.com slash s slash parade slash lineup to see the entire list of the, uh, bands that are going to be in the parade.
00:38:18
Speaker
And one last news story that was, we had to add this very last second because this just happened. It'll be a little while ago from whenever this is published, but the Vandegrift Viper band trailer was struck by a moving train while it was on its way to their state preliminary competition.
00:38:43
Speaker
The band, no one was hurt. So that's awesome. The band did lose quite a bit of their equipment. um The video circulating online really needs to have...
00:38:55
Speaker
and a trigger warning attached to it because it's it is a very intense video but just know that there's no but no people injured in this whatsoever um the person who was taking the video was the driver of the truck ah They do tell them to do that for insurance purposes. From what I understand, ah the truck got stuck on the tracks and could not get out of the way of the train.
00:39:16
Speaker
So Leander High School is loaning some equipment to the band and then their performance time got changed to 9.15pm so that they could actually get to the performance and and get it together and Hopefully they do well. Yeah. They're performing less instead of going on. up So leave it to band people.
00:39:38
Speaker
Yeah. Leave it to band people to like pull it together, make it happen. Even a literal train wreck. It is such a community. All right. It is such a community. Yeah. And I think such a important lesson to learn in the performing arts, right? Like the show must go on is what we're always told. Right. Yes. And so like you get, yeah, I I'm so, I mean like there's no better leadership I feel like than some of those Texas band directors that are under the pressure cooker so often like this, you know, when you get into a space like Jared Lippman is going to go and he's going to talk to those kids and he's going to put them in the right headspace. I mean, this is now an hour from when they performed already. Right. Like,
00:40:16
Speaker
You know, he sat them down and there's a there's a conversation of like, we still have control of what we have control. Oh, and I'm sure they had a great performance tonight. I think that's incredible. My heart goes out to everybody involved. like Think about the adults that have to get the students in the right headspace and then the students that still got to go out there and make something happen.
00:40:35
Speaker
You can imagine the way they went on that field, that applause and that crowd was probably shaking that entire place for them.
00:40:46
Speaker
Do they still have, are they competing at Grand Nationals or will tomorrow if they make finals be their last performance? I don't know. We were actually talking about that. we um I'm sure that they'll hope something, but hopefully if they need any support, people can rally to get them what they need for great nationals if they're going. Wow.
00:41:08
Speaker
All right. Everybody put your water bottles down. We're going to have Becca and Stephanie lead us in an incredible organic improv design winter art show.
00:41:22
Speaker
So get back out of the floor. Hi, everyone. It's time for your travel tip of the week with me. I'm Beth with Peak Group Travel. Performance tours are a great way to showcase your ensemble in new cities and for new audiences.
00:41:35
Speaker
But be sure to also include local attractions and sightseeing tours or cruises to give your group a full cultural experience while they're on the road. Don't forget to like and follow Peak Group Travel on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
00:41:50
Speaker
And be sure to email info at peakgrouptravel.com when you're ready to start planning your next performance tour. This is your travel tip of the week with me, Beth, from Peak Group Travel.
00:42:15
Speaker
Ready to elevate your travel game? Welcome to Peak Group Travel, the ultimate adventure creators. Whether you're planning an unforgettable class trip, a once in a lifetime parade experience for your marching band, or a choir tour full of memorable performance venues, Peak Group Travel handles it all, so you can focus on making memories.
00:42:33
Speaker
From breathtaking international destinations to amazing adventures right here at home, Peak Group Travel customizes every journey to your vision. We're not just planners, we're your partners for the trip you want for your students.
00:42:46
Speaker
Our online registration portal makes managing your pre-trip experience smooth and convenient. We even collect your payments if you'd like. Picture it, effortless planning, unmatched experiences, and smiles that last long after the journey ends.
00:42:59
Speaker
That's the Peak Group Travel difference. And if you choose to partner with Peak on your next tour, and you mentioned that you heard about us on the On a Water Break podcast, you'll earn a $100 trip credit. Discover why groups everywhere trust Peak Group Travel.
00:43:12
Speaker
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. And be sure to visit peakgrouptravel.com today. You pick the date and we'll make it great.
00:43:32
Speaker
All right. All right. All right. Bring it back. I know improv staging is super fun, but it is time for our 60 second tech block.
00:43:48
Speaker
60 second tech block. I absolutely love that. I can't get past it. I was not ready. This is the segment where one of our hosts or guest clinicians is put on the spot to deliver a nonstop 60 second tech session on a topic that needs some serious attention after the last run.
00:44:11
Speaker
Our special tech this week has come prepared with three topics they think they can talk about for a full 60 seconds straight. No hesitation, no pauses, just pure technical gold. And this week, I think we're going to throw it over to Stephanie. So, Stephanie, you said your best topics were, one, what should you have in your medical kit?
00:44:32
Speaker
Two, medical prevention and care. And three, the juxtaposition family traditions. So what topic do we think Stephanie should do? And Becca, you can vote too.
00:44:45
Speaker
We didn't fight this long for you not to vote. Come on.
00:44:52
Speaker
I'll throw my hat in first to say the but medical prevention and care. I think it's really important. So exciting. I mean, like we're asking these performers to do such craziness these days, you know, a the training's gotta be there, but there's also, I think, I think it's important to talk about how to prevent things as well. I, I, I, I go for number two.
00:45:16
Speaker
Yeah. Not to mention, like, honestly, everything that's wrong with my body is because of Color Guard. And I'm sure if we had a nurse or somebody there when I marched, because I marched back in the 1900s, that I wouldn't be hurting this much right now.
00:45:29
Speaker
So let me digress. I marched in the 1900s. Oh my gosh.
00:45:36
Speaker
It hurts my heart. Such a good air. Becca? Oh, absolutely. Like the medical stuff all the way. Nobody does it better than juxtaposition because of all of the medical people. And Stephanie is at the top of that list.
00:45:50
Speaker
Let's go share some deets. Okay. Stephanie, are you ready? i am Yeah.
00:45:59
Speaker
Okay. Joey, can you pull up a, a 60 second timer on your phone? no, that's my dog. Yeah, I can. a hundred percent. yeah Hey, charcoal. Okay. Can you pull up your dog that can keep time?
00:46:12
Speaker
Here's charcoal. We'll keep it down. Alright, here we go. You ready? Here we go. Three, two, oh gosh, oh gosh, I forgot how to use the timer.
00:46:24
Speaker
Okay, I'm ready. Three, two, one. so Okay, well, we start every day out with a little bit of a warm up of the muscles. And then we actually have two people who have their physical training stuff that we actually put the kids through about a 30 to 40 minute training session to work on any kind of conditioning with their muscles, stretching and stuff happens after that. But we do even have every member has like workout elastic bands. So we're building up leg strength and then arm strength and all those fun things.
00:46:55
Speaker
um And then we start after that with our stretch and our movement block. Every kid has to fill out a medical form and they have to write on here any type of injuries or any type of um illnesses they may have.
00:47:08
Speaker
And they have to sit down with one of our nurses, which is the other director and one of the other people who've been along there a long time. And we go through what's going on with them. And then after that,
00:47:20
Speaker
We generally talk to them about if you have asthma, you need to have an inhaler there. and you also need to have a buddy who knows where that inhaler is. If you have something like diabetes.
00:47:34
Speaker
Oh, well.
00:47:36
Speaker
Did she keep going? Yeah. that' yeah It's hard to get it all in. i yeah We actually have comments that we actually put on the kids if they're trying tricks.
00:47:48
Speaker
um We have bicycle, like, skateboarding helmets that they put on. If they're afraid of any of that stuff, then we have four and then some of them also own their own. um So if they're trying any of those tricks, we actually have them put them on, especially if they're afraid of anything.
00:48:05
Speaker
Braces, knee pads, those are all important things. We put knee pads on them, we make them wear their shoes, um you know, so we're not Just like pounding their backs. Are you putting all of this it's into the TikTok videos that you're going to make?
00:48:20
Speaker
Yeah. Are we good? Yeah. Because my kids need to see this. Because I tell them, yeah go get your helmets and put your helmets on before you attempt this 45 when you're a little you know a little high schooler who's never done 45s before.
00:48:34
Speaker
Go get your helmets. And they're like, I don't to wear a helmet. I don't want to look down. this is what the pros do. This is how they do it. I for real told kids to do that. Not until I got to Texas, did a kid actually come to rehearsal with the bike helmet.
00:48:51
Speaker
And I was like, what's that for? i don't want to hit in the head. And I was like, I'm fair. Okay. Yeah. Cool. You at it. How about it? Yeah. i love here Some of this equipment stuff is is real, you know, and concussions are real, you know,
00:49:05
Speaker
So we don't allow them if they do get injured, especially concussions, they're not allowed back on the floor until they're released by a medical physician. Oh my gosh. That's so good. I mean, love they're so good about it.
00:49:20
Speaker
yeah Any of these is elite performing ensembles, whether they're competitive in our own pageantry arts, or you're talking about Broadway or any of the Las Vegas Cirque shows or any of that stuff, they are so Adamant that you are cleared medically before you jump in not a insurance all that jazz, but B I think it shows that you care That in itself is a great culture to have within your ensemble Like this goes past just being safe. It's being the family that we all say we are, you know, like, oh, we're a big family Those are words until you put action like this and I think it's really important and I think it's awesome How do you communicate because this is an expectation?
00:49:58
Speaker
You've got your shoes. You've got the right shoes, right? You've got your knee pads You've got all your protective gear. How do you communicate that with the members and how do you kind of keep them accountable for that? Well, I mean, we bought all of them this year. and Typically, we buy them the elastic bands that are longer, but this year we bought them the shorter ones that are the loop so they can do their leg workouts and stuff like that. So we handed all of them those. And, you know, we just said this is just like your equipment. It needs to come to with you to rehearsal every weekend.
00:50:26
Speaker
Knee pads are kind of the same thing. We talk at the very beginning of the season about, you know, knee pads are important. Shoes are important. So anytime we're doing Any kind of physical conditioning, we have them have their shoes on. um And even while they're, when Becca and I are doing staging and they're running around on the tarp, we have them because we practice on tennis courts, like that kind of material. So it beats up your back pretty bad.
00:50:48
Speaker
and So we have them put those on. And the kids who don't get knee pads, they learn pretty quick. The first time they have to slide or one of those things that, hey, maybe I should have gotten my knee pads. You know, we talked to them about the right kind of knee pads to get, like don't get volleyball knee pads, get wrestler knee pads because they're a little bit more flexible and they're a little thinner and, you know, just different things like that. And we encourage them that if they've had any kind of knee problems, ankle problems, back problems that they need to wear their braces.
00:51:15
Speaker
You know, if there nobody's, nobody needs to be a hero here. We just need to, it's a long season, you know, so it's important. Yeah. Y'all could an entire podcast with Stephanie on all of the medical stuff. It's so important. Stephanie, what are you doing next week? Let's schedule this now. It me think, like, honestly, how did I get through three years of world? Well, four years of world, but like three years of world, eight years off, one year of world. But you know what I mean? Of course, again, I don't know if I got through it. I mean, I i try. Yeah. i mean, I'm...
00:51:50
Speaker
I did die. you know like kids out here However, like your body definitely knows yeah As a break dancer, like a competitive break dancer and professional dancer for a while, like my shoulder is killed, like kills me. Like I go and get my haircut and they're like, Oh, would you like a massage? like, if you touch my shoulder, I'm going to cry.
00:52:11
Speaker
And yeah, And so, like, I wonder, now I watch, like, I'm really big on the Red Bull BC1 international breakdancing competition. That's happening in Tokyo this weekend. It'll be a later segment that we talk about.
00:52:24
Speaker
But there's there's this there's all these training camps now, and all of them have, like, oh, now there's harnesses for you to learn how to do flares. Now there's, like, soft flares. floors for you to learn how to windmills. I'm like, I learned on concrete and like, no you know, and when, when we had to go work on staging or any of that, it was on concrete in the parking lot before we did the show.
00:52:46
Speaker
So like definitely not taken care of. And now I, my kids fight me. I'm like, but I look so cool in my Converse. like, you're not going to have fun in two hours. Like put, go get your right shoes on. Oh my goodness.
00:52:58
Speaker
I think that's incredible. well that was a solid 60 second tech block. So hopefully someone out there just got the tech advice they didn't know they needed. We clearly all got lots of advice that we needed, ah but now it is time to switch things up. So it's time for everybody's favorite.
00:53:15
Speaker
What are we doing? What are we doing?
00:53:23
Speaker
um What are we doing? This is the part of the show where we let loose a little bit or maybe a lot. This is your chance to rant about something in the marching arts that just doesn't make sense. So maybe it's a tradition that needs to go. Maybe it's a habit that performance can't seem to break.
00:53:41
Speaker
Maybe it's something that makes you think, why are we even doing this? Why haven't we started doing this yet? Whatever it is, this is your moment to call it out. So who's got something they need to get off their chest first?
00:53:52
Speaker
Go. Let's go for it. Yes. We need to use color appropriately in this activity. And what I mean by that. In Color Guard? What mean by that.
00:54:06
Speaker
What? We need to have color in Color Guard. Like gray, black, brown, and tan. There's so many more colors. and And color has a psychology. Like we're literally working against the psychology of our shows by just picking colors we like.
00:54:23
Speaker
And gray is not a color. Now that's not a bash. There's a marching band this year, this spectacular where their whole show, they their hook. is about gray. Spectacular, 100%. Absolutely did that.
00:54:35
Speaker
But y'all, gray is actually, it doesn't have any emotion to it. So whenever we pick stuff like that, we forget what our canvas is too. It's not white, it's green for the marching band field and for what can be whatever you want.
00:54:47
Speaker
But check out color psychology, people. It means something and it could actually help you get points because you can trick the minds of the judges.
00:54:58
Speaker
But Becca, my favorite color is yellow. Yellow. Yellow's wonderful. Yellow's such a wonderful color. It leads to happiness. Great contrast to green. Yeah. But it, well, it depends on how you use it with green. It depends on what shade of yellow.
00:55:13
Speaker
Interesting. Yes. What are your go-to? So like but you're picking a show for the fall. What colors do you try to stay away from? What color palettes maybe do you lean towards with a green canvas?
00:55:25
Speaker
Well, see, I have this book.
00:55:29
Speaker
She came prepared. I got the receipts right here. will you. For any of our listeners who are not watching the video, the book is called Complete Color Harmony. Complete Color Harmony, yes. And it actually goes through emotional contrasts.
00:55:42
Speaker
And so you can like take your productions that you're working on. You can to be like, oh, this is aggressive. What colors actually portray aggressive? But you always have to, like in Marching Man, you've got to start with your green, right? Green is, and it's a weird green. Like it's a muddy green. It's not like the best green in the world.
00:55:57
Speaker
Unless you're somewhere weird, like Boise, where we have a blue field. And, you know, so ah me, I always stay away from grays, blacks. um ah And I'm talking about like flags and panels and costumes a lot of times on the field, you know, anything that's going to blend your earth tones blend a lot. They don't provide a lot.
00:56:18
Speaker
Me, I'm going to go for, depending on what my show concept is and what the music is. Like if it's soft and pretty, that's one thing. If it's aggressive, if it's heroic, there's your yellow. Yellow pulls out the heroic nature of emotional qualities, but it could be anything.
00:56:35
Speaker
But I try not to go for my propensities, which my favorite colors are like blue and red, which we've used both of those in juxtaposition, but it went with the show.
00:56:48
Speaker
Very nice. So, um, Joey, Nicole, you want to go? definitely Yeah. Cause this actually ties into what Beck was saying. What are we doing?
00:57:00
Speaker
i always say this, like I'm going to go and then I'm like, oh, how do I say this? But I'm just going to say it. What are we doing? i don't know. Asking for advice when it comes to getting uniforms and when it comes to getting flags, anything that really has to be designed, even asking advice, getting floors.
00:57:19
Speaker
There's a lot of folks out there who are on in maybe year one, maybe year two, ah shoot, even year three. and getting what for their group, what, you know, a world guard 40 is getting for their group of eight, you know, and there's, there's a difference between that.
00:57:39
Speaker
We have to get out of that whole mindset of like, well, I don't want anybody to think I'm stupid. It's not, ah no one thinks you're stupid. and No one thinks that you don't know anything. And honestly, this whole thing of like people thinking that things are gate kept, it's not. And honestly, like what did my mom say? Oh, closed mouths don't get them.
00:57:57
Speaker
So you need to ask. And people give you that kind of information, go ahead and get it. You know what i mean Take it, go with it. You don't need a 90 by whatever floor.
00:58:11
Speaker
You don't need a floor at all. Exactly. You can get some strips. You can get two strips of floor if you wanted it, you know, but, and even with flags too, it doesn't have to be super busy.
00:58:23
Speaker
I mean, your color palette could start with your floor. Then the next part of your color palette could be your uniform. And then the next part of your color palette could be your flag. Like it all works together at some point. It's all going on the floor at the same time.
00:58:35
Speaker
And solid flags and solid colors produce just the same amount of effect as digitally printed flag. Look, Pratis and Snatty one year with solid lame flags. They didn't have prints on their flags. I mean, you don't need to have, like as a matter of fact, sometimes like we're in this world right now where there's too much sometimes on these designs, too many colors all at once, you know, simplify it. Yeah.
00:59:01
Speaker
Yeah. And I think it's one of those things. It's just like, okay, well, this is what I want to do. And that's fine that you want to do that. Make sure you put all of those thoughts together and look at them.
00:59:13
Speaker
But my, just my, what are we doing? Like I'm saying before, ask, ask for the advice. Swallow that pride or that you know that feeling that you think that, oh, someone's going to think I'm dumb or stupid. No, we've all been there before. I've asked before.
00:59:27
Speaker
I'm one of the most extra people in the world. you know Some of the things that take somebody like five minutes to do could take me maybe an hour and a half, but guess what? It's still going get done and I know exactly what's happening. Ask.
00:59:38
Speaker
It's okay. you know this is a We always talk about the marching arts community being a community. It is. you know Look at what happened to Vandergrift. People came together because it's a community.
00:59:51
Speaker
Ask around. People let you know. And guess what? Here's the other thing too. If you ask and they don't tell you, that's the worst of it. Go to somebody else. They'll tell you.
01:00:01
Speaker
so And there's tons of resources out there too, as what as what i I think too. Like there's this podcast, there's currently a podcast that's for sale that has tons of tons of of information. you know you know Jackie's got a lot of educational stuff on on her YouTube. like there's There's tons of people out here willing to help and just like yeah giving away the secrets, but they're not secrets. they're It's literally just you haven't asked.
01:00:28
Speaker
And so I really think that's like the biggest thing is like, I ask all the time. I'll go to, I'll go to shows all the time be like, how did you pick that? How'd you design that moment? That is so cool. How'd you teach that? How'd you make them do that?
01:00:39
Speaker
That's a trained skillset. How did, how did you scaffold there? Like I'll always ask and people just think I'm a weirdo and I'm okay with it. And please don't mistake my passion for being upset about it. I'm not.
01:00:53
Speaker
I'm just being very real. And this is my real face and my real voice, not the one I use on TV. All
01:01:03
Speaker
all right. Well, Joey, what are we doing? I think I'm going to double down on my what are we doing from last week just because I'm hearing of it happening other places. What are we doing?
01:01:14
Speaker
Casting high schoolers that have an existing competitive program at their school in our independent groups. Oh. Yeah. I, I still don't understand it. I mean, like the, the, the biggest point to me is there are 17 and 16 year olds now in a room full of 23s in a hotel room full of 23s and changing rooms full of 23s and buses. And how just logistically and insurance wise and safety wise, are we, are we making that even real? Like, I understand like if, if the homeschool is not a great place, like maybe the independent place will be, but like,
01:01:52
Speaker
In both of the situations that I hear, I'm not going to name names. That's not what this is about. It's mostly just about like, let's maybe change the trajectory of the culture to be like, if your independent group has to pull from high school groups that have competitive ensembles, maybe you don't need an independent group right now.
01:02:08
Speaker
Maybe the area is still building in the scholastic space. That's our bread and butter so in the color guard world. There's all these scholastic groups. Maybe we got to focus on them. And then, you know, in two years when those kids graduate, you can have an independent A group that's successful.
01:02:23
Speaker
But to have an open and world group that you're pulling these kids from high school, what high school kids are able to compete with all the crazy things that are happening in world right now? And like, B, how are you going to keep them safe?
01:02:35
Speaker
Those are the things that I don't think people are thinking about right now. And it's just, it's just silly to me. Well, they should be because they need to keep their organization safe. I mean, honestly, yeah yeah you have to keep your organization safe, you know? And I mean, we have a wide range of ages, but we don't take anybody under the age of 18.
01:02:54
Speaker
You know, it's just as simple as that. We had one kid last year that was going to turn 18 before December and she was still in high school, but her high school color guard didn't have a program. And we we talked to mom and dad ah about it all.
01:03:08
Speaker
And she had marched drum corps and stuff, but we had We talked to mom and dad, no and they had to sign some releases and those types of things. But I mean, in general, it's just for us, particularly in independent world, it's just easier not to take kids under the age of 18.
01:03:21
Speaker
We did that when we, the one season we had a world group that, and we and we had a student who had been a veteran of our IA guard for years. and And he was excellent, but he was only 17 and wasn't going to be 18 at all during the season. And so we ended up having to not have him as a part of the program. And it was really sad, but, but it's, it just, it definitely was better for everybody that we did it the way we did.
01:03:50
Speaker
So I have a question about this because i mean, obviously, I mean, and it's happened, It has not happened in the negative way to me. i did have a performer who just excelled like leaps and bounds over everyone else. And, you know, we sat down, talked with,
01:04:11
Speaker
this person's parents and with the director of the independent guard and with the band director, you know, made sure we crossed all the T's and dotted all the I's, but we knew that that was a great thing for them to go on to.
01:04:27
Speaker
And then i you know i The thing about it is, it's just like in a negative way, though. like I just want to know what the stipulations are because obviously I think it's like ah a spoken agreement you know with circuits.
01:04:42
Speaker
You know what I'm saying? It's one of those things that are just like, okay, you know we frown upon it. Well, maybe i don't know i maybe that should be in writing somewhere. well yeah I don't know. should You have to get the director's signature or the principal's. Now it doesn't help if the girls or the performers talk to the director, director says, I don't think this is the best fit.
01:05:05
Speaker
And then they go to the principal and talk about it as if it's a rec league sports thing, rather than again, 17 year olds in the same changing spaces, 23 year olds. So like,
01:05:16
Speaker
As long as they get the principal signature, they're good. And that's exactly what happened in one of these instances. It also doesn't help if the director of the independent group is also on the board of the circuit and is helping make decisions.
01:05:30
Speaker
And we really have, like, on both of these, we haven't heard from the circuit. It's been weeks that we've asked, hey, can you do something about this? And nothing. so I just feel within circuits, the way that you build them is from your high school groups.
01:05:45
Speaker
Those high school groups come to learn and grow within that circuit, want to stay within that circuit. So they march that independent guard in that circuit, you know, spend time with them. And, oh, maybe they even start another independent guard for that circuit. You know what I mean? To grow that circuit, said circuit.
01:06:04
Speaker
i I just don't understand why things have to, like, why it's a cloudy thing. You know what I mean? Like why it's something you can't go look up on their website.
01:06:16
Speaker
Why is it, why is it, you know, that thing? run I think it's circuit by circuit. And that's something that circuits need to look at and look making rulings about.
01:06:29
Speaker
It's definitely coming up more and more now. All right, Stephanie, what are we doing? Mine is kind of funny, but mine is the Christmas videos that the color guards put out.
01:06:41
Speaker
Because I just, I don't understand how they have time to produce them. Now, I'm not talking about like the groups that all get together and take a picture and say Merry Christmas.
01:06:52
Speaker
I'm talking about the full-fledged productions that occur. i just don't. I mean, so good such we're in such like panic mode about getting everything done that there is no way that I'm giving up not even one minute for that.
01:07:06
Speaker
So I just wonder like where these people are finding the time to do it. I mean, good for them. We
01:07:14
Speaker
we make time for the things we love, you know? i guess, yeah. That has been like, every time I see one, I'm like, where are we all finding time to do this?
01:07:25
Speaker
right I don't understand. And it looks so good. And it's like, ooh, the videographer is coming in. Yes. Edited. It's so perfect. And I'm like, we don't have time for this. I don't have time to let them do Secret Santa, much less do a video.
01:07:43
Speaker
Yeah. ah It's like, you're not getting five more minutes to do Secret Santa in the dinner break. You got to get it done. And we're back to rehearsal, you know? It's just such a time crunch. I just wonder how they find the time, you know, it's crazy.
01:07:57
Speaker
Just to start rehearsing. We always used part of our show and then we just were like, okay, show up. And I mean, and ours are not anywhere near produce as fancy and produces the ones that like the guards do nowadays. But like, we were just like, okay, show in your Christmas sweaters for rehearsal.
01:08:11
Speaker
And we're going do this in this choreography from the show. And we're going to put it to Mariah Carey. And that's our Christmas production. Then you just run off the floor or whatever. And, and it was, I don't know. You, You make it, you kind of make rehearsal. You kind of make it part of your show too. So.
01:08:27
Speaker
mean, some of these folks like actually have staging, you know, there's, yeah there's little drill forms and there's like, and I'm just like, Oh, I don't have time for that. okay it's It's fun to watch, but yeah I'm just like, man, we don't have time for that.
01:08:41
Speaker
No way. There's AI. Great job, everyone. seven pal discussion
01:08:49
Speaker
That's so perfect. All right. We got that off our chest. Now let's get into our gush and goes. This is your chance to shout out something awesome happening in your life, marching arts related or not. Maybe you're excited about a performance, a student success, a big life event, or just something cool you want to brag about.
01:09:04
Speaker
No negativity here. Just pure unfiltered hype. So who wants to start us off? I guess I will. Oh, go Go ahead. Okay.
01:09:14
Speaker
Sorry. So ah I have been trying new recipes for the reason of just like getting off my phone, getting away from my computer and it just puts you you, know, not to look at things. So I have my own chili recipe that I've had for over 10 years now and I just keep, you know, refining ways to do it. And I have yet, I'm not saying that no one will hate, I'm not saying no one will taste it and be like, oh, I don't like this.
01:09:45
Speaker
But everyone that has tasted my chili has loved it. lightning That sounds yummy. Loved it. Yeah. So I keep trying to find ways to make it more like from scratch.
01:09:56
Speaker
So that's one thing. um So anyway, I have added couple more things to that. And some of them aren't my actual recipes. I'll get them from somebody else and just add some things to it. But ah last, about a week and a half ago, made Biscoff cheesecake.
01:10:14
Speaker
It's not cookie cheese. ah y'all This cheesecake did not stand a chance all. Between me my roommate. So we're coming over to your place for Friendsgiving.
01:10:26
Speaker
Is that how this is working? Oh, you can. I make my cranberry sauce from scratch. Only three ingredients. Oh, I'll tell you. I'm not a gatekeeper. The real, like just ah cranberries and then orange juice and sugar.
01:10:41
Speaker
And you just let it boil down. And the fun part is, is that when the ah cranberries are ready, they do a little pop. It's so good. yeah It's so good.
01:10:53
Speaker
Yes, I'm just trying to build my own wrestling. to go on about? um i ah as As has been the last month, I'm not talking about band. I'm ah i'm talking about the the dance world.
01:11:05
Speaker
Jabewaqui's just premiered their show in Vegas on the 24th. Very exciting. um Now you can do the meet and greet and they have ah collectible trading cards, which I think is the cutest little thing.
01:11:17
Speaker
um The show's really cool. It's got these 3D projected mapped like lights that they control. and like Now it's like all around them and it kind of looks immersive. Frequency is not just like the The musical theme, it's a visual theme within the show, and it's it's just so cool the way that they use it, ah both in like the audio-wise and like just the frequency in which they use forms and blocking throughout the show. It's really neat.
01:11:40
Speaker
So that just happened. we're really excited about that. The Red Bull BC1, World breakdancing competition is happening in Tokyo this weekend. All tickets are sold out. So if you didn't buy your ticket, you can't go, ah but they are showing it on YouTube live. So check into that.
01:11:55
Speaker
lot of B boys and B girls are, are running in and making some stuff happen. And then of course, PASIC and Indy are just a couple weeks away. So I'm getting those final things tightened down and I can't wait to see the best bands in the US compete against each other for three full days. It's going to be beautiful.
01:12:12
Speaker
chris That's what I'm guessing you're going about. Becca, what you want to gush and go on about? I'm going to gush and go on about my husband because he some people know this, not a lot of people do.
01:12:27
Speaker
he So he has been, I'm not going to say battling, he's been working through cancer diagnosis and his last chemo um infusion was in August and his health has been absolutely spectacular. They released him to the wolves. So he is traveling and judging all over the place as normal and he's had the best attitude.
01:12:46
Speaker
So I wanted to gush about him because we both got locked in the house and... And he wants people to quite frankly, stop asking about him, but no, he's great. Cause that's the best thing in my life.
01:13:02
Speaker
Yay. Congratulations, Mike. Yeah. For sure. right, Stephanie, do you want to gush and go on about? think the biggest thing changed for me right now as I work, um,
01:13:13
Speaker
three days a week at Nationwide Children's Hospital here in Columbus, and I'm going to cut back one day. So I'll work two days on one week and three days the next just to kind of help with some of the taking on some of these other programs that maybe Becca and I are doing together here. Um, and so that helps me be able to go in on their Thursday night rehearsals and be there on their Friday night rehearsals.
01:13:40
Speaker
So I'm cutting back at least one day at my, uh, real life job. Spreading the wealth.
01:13:49
Speaker
It's called self-care. Right. See, everyone needs it. Everyone. And that comes with duct tape. Yeah. yeah but It's probably the only thing we had, you know, I mean, I don't remember them ever having bandages or anything else. So it was the closest thing to fix the problem. Probably not.
01:14:09
Speaker
Yeah.
01:14:11
Speaker
I need to gush and go on. Very, very excited about this because um for the first time ever, and it is marching band related, so I'm taking it back. I'm going to be at BOA Grand Nationals.
01:14:24
Speaker
So I'm so excited about this. I've never gone. Yeah. I've been to DCI 872 times. I've been WGI like time and have never done Grand Nationals. So I'm going there. going to have kids and people can come up and
Upcoming Events & Social Invitations
01:14:42
Speaker
say hi. And, oh, I'm so excited.
01:14:45
Speaker
I going to see you guys there is the question. My husband will be judging quite, but I'm not going to be there. i will not be there. I'll be teaching a color guard in Texas.
01:14:57
Speaker
I'll be there. And like I said on a couple of episodes ago, you can meet me at the Taco Bell Cantina right across the street from the convention center. We'll have some tacos. We'll have a Baja Blast freeze with ah some heat in it. You know what mean? Stay warm.
01:15:12
Speaker
Order some cheesecake eggs for my kid. It's called Gush Go, not Gush and Stay.
01:15:23
Speaker
All right. Thanks for a great rehearsal this week, guys. Thanks for everyone who spent so much time with us today.
Social Media Handles & Listener Participation
01:15:30
Speaker
Stephanie and Becca, where can we find you guys on social media? i'm I'm on all of them.
01:15:35
Speaker
TikTok. I don't have Twitter. I have blue sky, but TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Becca.Anderson or Becca.Anderson23 or 2397, whatever's on my handle. It's one of those.
01:15:47
Speaker
um I'm on Facebook and Instagram, but juxtaposition actually has a Facebook and an Instagram as well. So people can contact us through them if they would like. All right, Nicole, Joey, thank you for hosting with me today.
01:16:01
Speaker
anybody has a good question a good topic to talk about, make sure you email us at on a water break podcast at gmail.com. You can also find us on our social media and DM us if you want to be on the show.
01:16:12
Speaker
We also have a form you can fill out if you want to be a guest. Just check it out on our link in bio. We love, love, love having people on the podcast. So check that out. And yeah, you could also just take your phone out, honestly, and make a video telling us, you know, your gush and go or your what are we doing and send it in and maybe we'll feature it on the show.
01:16:33
Speaker
i One more thing. Don't forget, we also have a YouTube channel. So go and subscribe. You can watch all of our episodes in video format. there and uh yeah make sure before you close out of your podcast listening app subscribe write us a review share this episode with a friend follow us on all of our social media at on a water break we'll see you at the next rehearsal on a water break go practice
01:17:01
Speaker
The On a Water Break podcast was produced by Jeremy Williams and Christine Ream.
Credits & Acknowledgments
01:17:06
Speaker
The intro and outro music was produced by Josh Lida. To learn more, visit LidaMusic.com.
01:17:12
Speaker
And until next time, thanks for tuning
01:17:21
Speaker
well