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The One with Even More Amazing Women in the Marching Arts
113 Plays10 days ago
This week, we're highlighting more powerhouse women in the marching arts as part of our Women’s History Month series.
This episode features hosts:🎤 Nicole Younger 🎤 Whitney Stone 🎤 Kim Webb 🎤 Haley Harrington 🎤 Roxy Lazar
WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS EPISODE:
💬 Candid sideline chats, from surprise slaps in rehearsal to spring break shenanigans. 🌟 Guest introductions and our signature “32 Count Life Stories” with Roxy, Haley, and Kim—featuring their experiences as performers, educators, and leaders. 🎙️ Real talk about being women in marching arts, breaking barriers, and mentoring the next generation.
📰 Marching Arts News & Reflections
- Honoring the legacies of Doug Young (Sebastian St. Jacques) and Ramon Ruiz
- A discussion on hazing at Southern University
- DCI’s new “I Marched” alumni initiative
- WGI and UDB’s pilot program: Beam Music
- Performance safety, mental health, and community remembrance
⚙️ 60 Second Tech Block – Whitney drops rapid-fire knowledge on ensemble etiquette: show up, go full out, and don’t whisper during rehearsal!
🤔 Water We Doing?! – Rants and reflections on marching arts trends, like:
- Not watching performance videos with students
- Directors neglecting the color guard
- Is “marching” disappearing from marching band?
- Skipping technique blocks? What are we doing?!
💖 Gush and Go – Celebrating wins and joy across the activity:
- Vox A-Guard heads to WGI for the first time
- Kim’s band earns superior ratings and heads to state
- A Cincinnati art show raising money for DCA champ Cincinnati Tradition
- Nicole shares love for a junior guard with 50+ members
🏫 FEATURED PROGRAMS & ORGANIZATIONS
- Vox Artium – @voxartium
- The Academy Drum & Bugle Corps – arizonaacademy.org
- Cincinnati Tradition – cincinnatitradition.org
- Russell County HS – russellcoschools.com
- Greene County Tech HS – gctsd.k12.ar.us
- WGI Sport of the Arts – wgi.org
- Drum Corps International – dci.org
- Ultimate Drill Book – ultimatedrillbook.com
- FloMarching – flomarching.com
📲 CONNECT WITH US📧 Email: onawaterbreakpodcast@gmail.com
📹 YouTube: Click Here to Subscribe
📱 Social: Follow us @OnAWaterBreak on all platforms
💬 Want to be a guest? Use the link in our bio to submit your info!
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Women's History Month
00:00:00
Speaker
Hi everyone and welcome to On A Water Break. This is the podcast where we talk about everything you and your friends are talking about at rehearsal on a water break. With this week's episode, we have another special group of amazing females for Women's History Month.
00:00:15
Speaker
We'll also find out what made Whitney say... Hi, Miss Stone. Is it a right coupe or a left coupe? Like, can we not? And why Haley said... but then it's like, you're not doing enough choreography or you're doing too much and no one actually knows how much choreography to really do.
00:00:34
Speaker
All this and more on this week's episode of On a Water Break.
00:00:40
Speaker
Head off the mat and go. Welcome to On Water Break. On Water
00:00:47
Speaker
podcast where we everything marching arts. Everyone, bring it in. It's time for a water break. Hello everyone, it's Nicole and we have a great episode this week with some amazing women from all over the marching arts activity.
00:01:05
Speaker
Last week's episode with Courtney Allison Mills was the one that we had with another pretty amazing set of women as well and that was pretty special. But before we get into ah this week's show, I just want to see who's on the sidelines this week. But before we do that, we want you to go and subscribe on your favorite listening app.
00:01:22
Speaker
um Write us a review. Share it with a friend. If you have a question or a good topic to talk about, email us on onawaterbreakpodcast at gmail.com. Or you can find us on social media and DM us if you want to be on the show.
00:01:37
Speaker
We even have a form you can fill out now if you want to be a guest. So
Gym Rehearsals and Color Guard Skills
00:01:40
Speaker
check that out. The link is in our bio. So who's on the Sun Lens this week? Whitney. What's up, Gert?
00:01:48
Speaker
Hey, how are you? good Good. So we need to talk about the slap heard around the Water Break world text chain. Yeah, so...
00:02:01
Speaker
we We're on spring break this week. had i had an open gym yesterday for my kids because it is beautiful outside, but the wind had been like literally 50 miles per hour.
00:02:12
Speaker
There's some fires in the area. It's whatever. So it's casual fires. So we i had an open gym for them. And we we have the cheer mats in our um in our gym like all the time.
00:02:25
Speaker
So we roll them out all the time and use them. And you know like in Color Guard now, every kid has to be able to do a front walkover, basically. like That's now like a required skill. thankss and I know, it's crazy. i el did It is wild. So I'm helping one of my kids with her front walkover.
00:02:43
Speaker
you know, spotting her. She comes up and her arms are not above her head and she slaps the heck out of me. Like right here, like full hand to face. Like it, I'm, I don't think I'm going bruise, but it's really tender.
00:02:58
Speaker
Like I got actual, and I got an actual punch in the face from one of my kids. And I think it was a little bit of pent up rage. So yeah, So Whitney sends this to our text group and it's in slow motion, mind you.
00:03:12
Speaker
Okay. So it's like, okay, great. She's setting up. She looks good. Great. Well, bam. And you, oh, Whitney goes flying legs. dramatically know all overver I was like, girl, can we, this needs to go on social media.
00:03:26
Speaker
mean I do have a better quality video of it now. So that would be, yeah, we can, we can do that. um Yeah. Okay, so I'm glad you're doing better.
00:03:42
Speaker
Okay, before we see who our guest clinicians are this week, we want to just take a moment so that we can preview some of the amazing episodes and bonus content that we've got going on.
Meet the Guest Clinicians
00:03:52
Speaker
On a Water Rake with Gonzaco, um it's a super fierce bass drumline duo that put together a really fun video called More Bass in the Club.
00:04:02
Speaker
Stephen, who's one of our hosts, talked to them all about the process and what's next for them. um On a water break around the world, Grantees Peretta is interviewing marching arts people from around the globe.
00:04:15
Speaker
So check out his recent episode with Khosun Supurteshuang, the president of Marching Band Association of Thailand, and everything else he's doing globally.
00:04:29
Speaker
Shoot. Now we're going to see who is on the sidelines this week. Roxy Lazario. hey Roxy and I teach together at the Academy. So that's why we brought her in, but we didn't just bring her in for that. Roxy is also on staff at Vox Ardium.
00:04:45
Speaker
Did I say that right? Yes. Vox Ardium. Vox Ardium. um And then Haley Harrington. Hey, Haley. a Hey, I just met Haley this past weekend. She is trialing to be Winter Guard ah percussion judge.
00:05:01
Speaker
And we had a fun time up in the stands this weekend. So glad that you can join us. um We also have Kim Webb, a band director from Northeast Arkansas, who's already recently held her first indoor home show.
00:05:15
Speaker
Congrats. Thank you. How's that going for you, by the way? It's good. It's great. Okay. Good. I like that attitude. Well, for all three of you, welcome to the podcast.
Life Stories in 32 Counts
00:05:28
Speaker
So we like to do a little thing here. I call it a little bit of a game. All right. It's called your 32 count life story. Basically what we're doing is we're going to give you 32 counts to tell us your whole entire life story.
00:05:40
Speaker
Okay. You've got eight off the mat and you're in easy, right? Yes. Awesome. Great. Thought so. So Roxy, you're going go first. Okay. No pressure.
00:05:51
Speaker
You got, you'll have eight off the Met and then you're in. Yeah. Okay. All right. Here we go. I am from Oceanside, California. Oh my God. This is more hectic than I thought.
00:06:05
Speaker
Born and raised in Oceanside, California. Of course. i have a dog named Cleo. She's a Rottweiler. She's a big old baby. She's my best friend. What else can I say?
00:06:16
Speaker
Oh, I've done color guard since I was 14. Oh my goodness. And yeah, I love this sport.
00:06:30
Speaker
Roxy, I know that we'll probably caught you off guard a little bit, but where have you marched before? i marched obviously here at a high school in Vista, Rancho Buena Vista High School. I marched with Lael to win a guard.
00:06:43
Speaker
They're from San Diego as well. and And then from there, I was one of the founding fathers with Vox in 2012. Yeah. yeah And then I also marched. also marched with the Sinclair Vanguard.
00:06:56
Speaker
and yeah, pretty much home. Nice.
Challenges as a Female Band Director
00:07:01
Speaker
Yeah. All right. So Haley, you saw what Roxy did. Don't do that. kidding.
00:07:09
Speaker
Yeah. I have mine all written down or else I can't do it. All right. I'm ready. People have done that before and I'm just like, well, your brain's good. They're like, yeah.
00:07:21
Speaker
All right. Same deal. Eight off the mat and then you're in. Okay. All right. Here we go. I'm from Princeton, Kentucky. I've been involved in the marching arts for 21 years since the seventh grade.
00:07:33
Speaker
I went to Murray State University and I marched trumpet at Crown in 2012. I've been a band director for 11 years, and I'm currently at Russell County in Kentucky.
00:07:45
Speaker
I just joined Cincinnati Tradition as Visual Caption Head this year. I also travel at Vise. I love Jesus. I'm a coffee addict. I'm a crazy cat lady. i love running, but I can't right now because injured.
00:07:56
Speaker
And I'm the biggest Dua Lipa fan you'll ever see.
00:08:03
Speaker
I love that you gave us things that weren't March and Arch. Thank you. Yeah. Yeah. I can see your plant. Is that a real plant behind you? No, they're both fake actually. Cause I have those cats and if I have real ones, they're going to like eat them. So. okay under Real plant, Nicole. Real plant. well no Fake real. Got it. All right.
00:08:27
Speaker
Cool. All right,
Achievements of Vox Ardium
00:08:29
Speaker
Kim, here we go. return
00:08:33
Speaker
I'm Kim Webb. I am from i was originally from Moralton, Arkansas. Now I live in Paragould, Arkansas. I went to Arkansas State University. I started off as the middle school band director at Green County Tech in Paragould, Arkansas. And five years later, I became the high school band director.
00:08:50
Speaker
During my time as middle school director, I got put in charge of color guard with no color guard experience. I had to learn a lot in a little short amount of time. We just started going to Bands of America competitions three years ago, and we just also started indoor percussion and winter guard as well at my school about two years ago. Nice.
00:09:10
Speaker
yeah
00:09:13
Speaker
You hold that last note over as long as you can. This is totally awesome. So Haley, how did you get into, you well, right now you're the visual caption head for Cincinnati Tradition. How did that come along?
00:09:26
Speaker
So one of my former students that taught at Russell County is actually on staff there with the percussion. And we were actually at a BOA show this fall and he just casually mentioned like, we really need somebody. We're trying to hire somebody and I just think you should do it. And I was like,
00:09:43
Speaker
I don't know I'll have time. Like, I'd love to. want to get back into DCEI and, you know, Cincinnati Tradition, their DCA Corps. um And he's like, well, it's just a weekend only commitment. Like, you can do this. I'm like, okay. And so it turned out a super great fit. And I've loved being there. But yeah it all happened because my former student encouraged me to apply.
00:10:03
Speaker
So I thought it was super cool.
Tributes to Influential Figures
00:10:05
Speaker
And I get to watch him teach. And he's amazing. So it just makes me super proud, too. That is cool to teach with your with the kids that you've taught, you know, because you can see, I don't know, I feel like you can see yourself in them sometimes.
00:10:17
Speaker
Oh, absolutely. Oh, that's so cool. Let's see. So, Kim, you talked about how you guys just started going to BOA. right. Whitney is very well versed in the BOA because she's at Round Rock.
00:10:33
Speaker
It's almost like they live there. It's their second home away from home. Yeah. How did you feel, i guess, the first time y'all went? I never tell my kids that I'm nervous. And that very first VOA competition that we went, literally had to have the ah talk with the kids. was like, y'all, I'm not nervous about your performance, but I am so just like...
00:10:54
Speaker
I'm like tense because of all the rules and everything. And once I got there, it was great. Like it was awesome. Everybody walked me through everything. Like they it was my first time going. It was just an amazing experience, but I was really nervous about it. But you know, my kids got out there, we rocked it. We didn't make finals, but I mean, they had a good showing and like, I was like super pumped about it. yeah.
00:11:16
Speaker
Kim, what do you think is the most difficult part of being female band director in Northeast Arkansas? Well, there's not a lot of female band directors in our, I mean, well, there's a lot of female
Initiatives in Marching Arts
00:11:28
Speaker
band directors in Arkansas. However, a lot of them are not high school. There's a very small number of them in high school.
00:11:35
Speaker
And I think like, especially I'm a mom of two as well. And so having that competitive marching band along with the um with being a mom and all of that.
00:11:46
Speaker
I don't think it's I think we have a very accepting community in Arkansas. I'm just in the minority and I have there's a lot of times where I have to you know band guide walks up to one of my assistant directors who are both males and they'll be like talking to them giving them instruction and they're like we're not the boss like it's her like even one time at a marching competition someone walked up to my husband and my husband was like sitting there playing Pokemon Go and he's like i'm not the band director.
00:12:12
Speaker
And like, so I think that's the hardest part, but you know, we have a very accepting community up here in Northeast Arkansas and in Arkansas in general. And so um I'm really thankful for that. here
00:12:26
Speaker
Roxy, in your 32 Count Life story, you talked about being one of the founding fathers of Vox. How, i mean, obviously you are proud because I mean, you're still with them, but like that Bloody Mary show last year, man, like how did you feel about your founding mother, not a founding father, sorry, founding mother.
00:12:48
Speaker
Yes. and I mean, just talk me through how you've come off such a high from last year and then like keeping that high going into this year.
00:13:00
Speaker
So um I was welcomed into staff this year. But being in Vox in the early years when we didn't make finals, we had such talent. We had kids from everywhere.
00:13:15
Speaker
And sometimes there was years that we're like, oh, come on, we had to pull them in. So the
Insights on Marching Arts Performance
00:13:20
Speaker
foundation that they have now and to see that they are world-class finalist is surreal.
00:13:27
Speaker
It's surreal. And it's like our inner our inner child when we were marching, the, oh my gosh, we want to make finals so bad one day and not being able to accomplish that. And seeing that now is something very special.
00:13:41
Speaker
it's It's more than a proud moment. It's more of like, wow, like they did it for all of us. and they didn't just do it for them, but I feel like they did it for all of us. So yeah, we didn't get so emotional about it, but it it really is crazy to see them at finals and just them announcing the name, you know, Vox Artie from San Diego, California. It's just like, you sit down, there's like, wow, like this is really absolute.
00:14:06
Speaker
So I'm a very proud alumni and I am very blessed to be able to be on staff this season. And Just like how they hold themselves now is exactly how they hold themselves at rehearsals.
00:14:18
Speaker
And yeah, it's awesome. It was really awesome.
00:14:24
Speaker
Yeah. I'm so happy for you guys. You all are from such different parts of the activity. And we're going to jump more into that and talk about other things. But right now we are going to go a commercial.
00:14:47
Speaker
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Speaker
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Celebrating Achievements and Upcoming Events
00:15:20
Speaker
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Speaker
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00:15:41
Speaker
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00:15:53
Speaker
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00:16:19
Speaker
All right, everyone, welcome back to On a Water Break. Right now, we are going to jump into the news.
00:16:42
Speaker
All right. So kicking off our news, um we are going to be talking about or I'm going to be talking about ah Doug Young. He just passed away. A lot of you would know him as Sebastian St. Jacques.
00:16:54
Speaker
If that name doesn't ring a bell, if you ever head over to headquarters and you're staff member, you would see Doug dressed up in very sparkly garb, very sparkly glasses, saying hello to everyone like he knew everyone. And you pretty much felt like you did know him.
00:17:14
Speaker
but My thoughts go back to when I first saw Sebastian St. Jacques at headquarters and we took a picture together and it was only like a couple of years ago. And I just shared on my Facebook page a Facebook message that we had with each other and how honestly seeing Doug every year kind of added to my WGI experience.
00:17:37
Speaker
And that was just so special. It did gut me when I heard about his passing. And then just through my Facebook feed,
WGI Preparations and Audience Engagement
00:17:45
Speaker
I could see... how much he touched a lot of lives and man, he's going to be missed.
00:17:51
Speaker
Roxy, did you ever meet him? I've met him once and it was literally just a couple of years back. um And it was the first time i ever went to headquarters. And of course his impact was him being the star of the crowd.
00:18:05
Speaker
And I was like, you know, everyone's asking who is this? But he, the way you said, like he, the way he would talk to everyone is like, if he knew you, And I like that was the first time I've ever met him. And I had a great conversation with him.
00:18:18
Speaker
So when I heard about his passing, and you know, many people posted his pictures, I was like, wow, I'm so bummed out. Because yeah, I didn't know him at all. Like I didn't personally know him. But the impact that he made for like, you know, for five, 10 minutes was very big.
00:18:35
Speaker
So that was my that was my, you know, interaction with him. And yeah I know he's definitely you know flying with the angels. Exactly.
Episode Conclusion and Listener Engagement
00:18:45
Speaker
It's really sad to think that he's not going to be there this year.
00:18:49
Speaker
you know like we're about i mean WGI is soon, and he's not going to be there. and It's just really really upsetting. like You just take so many people's presence for granted.
00:19:00
Speaker
you know and This is like one of those reminders of, like wow, those staples for you at events my might not always be there. you know like We're all mortal, but i it's it is really sad. And um i was I was really upset to see about him passing. And he did he did touch a lot of lives with his shenanigans and just honesty. And just he yeah did not care. And he would he would say whatever he thought. And it was awesome.
00:19:33
Speaker
Yep. There is, well, i'm i'm I'm doing this and I hope that a lot of, like, I hope everyone else does. Like, wear your most sparkly, sequins, glitter, rhinestone thing to WGI World Finals.
00:19:49
Speaker
Wear it. Because honestly, that is the way that Doug or Sebastian Saint-Jacques would, you know, light up our lives and come in and just be like, ooh, you're just so...
00:20:01
Speaker
you You know what I mean? I don't even know the word for it, but you're just so you. But um I think that would be a good tribute. There's also GoFundMe on his Facebook page, um and I can share the link in the caption of this episode.
00:20:17
Speaker
Yeah, other people could have met him. Kim, what do you got going on? All right. So in the news, we have that a Southern University, arkpu Arkansas, a Southern University band director, assistant band director has been put on administrative leave for 30 days for a campus investigation into a death of a band member at an Omega Psi Phi And so Caleb Wilson, 20 years old, died during a possible hazing event on February 26, 2025 at an Omega sci-fi initiation event. And his death is under investigation by police.
00:20:53
Speaker
It says that sci-fi Abdel Rauf. who is a band official, um is on administrative leave for 30 days. um His exact role with the university isn't really clear, but um there's conflicting reports on whether he was the assistant band director or a volunteer with the Human Jukebox.
00:21:13
Speaker
Three men have been arrested in the connection with Wilson's death, Isaiah Smith, and the fraternity's dean of pledges, and Kyle Thurman. They're charged with criminal felony hazing. And then Caleb McRae is charged with hazing and manslaughter for allegedly punching Wilson, leading to his collapse and eventual death.
00:21:30
Speaker
Four other pledges were present during the incident. The cause of Wilson's death has not been determined yet. Weren't they just on the Super Bowl? They were just at the Super Bowl, right? ah That was them, right?
00:21:42
Speaker
I think so. think so. so yeah I mean, I thought hazing was completely like, i don't know, a illegal. ah Why? i mean, getting it back to the point of like where someone's going to die. I mean, my heart goes out to his family, you know, because, you know, you go to school to do things.
00:22:02
Speaker
what you love and this is what's happening with it that's that's i don't know that's unbelievable to me like why and don't know why let it especially especially in a community of music people like i mean i feel like music people are some of the most most like loving people in the world and like for it to happen in a music uh uh environment is just that's it's really sad not only that but is it their safe space we were yep
00:22:33
Speaker
This is going to make a lot. I mean, and of course, like I said before, my heart goes out to his parents, but also like those other kids and their parents, but go, you know, they're attending that school.
00:22:44
Speaker
It's not a safe space anymore. So they're going to, I mean, hopefully they keep them in and, you know, do what they need to do to weed out whatever bad people were in there. But at the same time, man, come on.
00:23:00
Speaker
All right, Haley, what you got? So on a positive note, DCI has launched an I Marched initiative to celebrate transformative power of marching arts that we have all experienced.
00:23:14
Speaker
How much music has changed our lives, just like, you know, it's it's our safe space and it's our way of creativity. So DCI has released its campaign to foster a sense of community along DCI alumni and performers. So it connects the entirety of DCI, which I think is super, super cool.
00:23:31
Speaker
So it gives a chance for everybody to share their personal stories and how they learned invaluable skills, relationships, and passions cultivated. know I would not be who I am today without but Marching Arts and DCI, especially. It changed my life for sure, as it has everybody, but I think this is a really great campaign from DCI. So looking forward to seeing um these videos being rolled out across DCI's website and social media channels in the coming weeks.
00:23:58
Speaker
And um so I'm really looking forward to seeing all these videos. I'm excited to learn about what everybody else has experienced too. I think UDB, they do some pretty good like I guess you could say initiatives, period.
00:24:13
Speaker
Like even when they're doing their, like they'll pay for, i don't know if you've heard of this before, but then they will pay for tour for someone. They had that competition going. So like they do a lot of really good um initiatives. So I can't wait for this.
00:24:28
Speaker
Whitney, you reminded me of someone else you need to be remembering. Yeah. Ramon Ruiz. um Ramon Ruiz. is also someone who passed away, i think it was right at like a week and a half ago.
00:24:45
Speaker
He was ah member of Crown also. um He marched Paramount, marched Madison Scouts. um I believe he grew up in Georgia. I was not really close to him, so I don't have like a ton of like personal detail about him, but He was another person that was just sunshine in everybody's life. And he was very, very loved and seemed to be like the life of the party.
00:25:10
Speaker
Always a bright source for everybody, no matter what. um And he he's being remembered on Facebook a lot. I keep seeing posts about him as well.
00:25:22
Speaker
A lot of my friends knew him and were close to him, but I don't, I'm not even sure if, if him and I ever met, we may have just kind of in passing, but he was very close to a lot of people that I know, he you know, marched with, taught with all those things, very connected and color guard. He was um'm actually teaching at Paramount this year um and they ended up taking, they were supposed to go to regional on the eighth weekend and they ended up not going so they could, cause that was the weekend he passed.
00:25:51
Speaker
So he was actually supposed to take them to that regional. So it was ah Paramount's definitely going through it right now. Yeah. I know that they're really having a hard time. he was only 29.
00:26:03
Speaker
Really, really sad. So that's somebody else. Yeah. Yeah. And somebody else who needs to be remembered and talked about and I hope all of his close family and friends are doing okay.
00:26:18
Speaker
Cause you know, we can't do, can't be great right now. mean, we're still, it's still just at two weeks. So I know people are still processing and, but I just wanted to share about him.
00:26:30
Speaker
There also is a GoFundMe for, for him as well. Help his parents with that. Cause you know, you're not expecting your 29 year old to just pass away so I'm sure they financially were not prepared for that.
00:26:42
Speaker
um Last time I looked it had like $22,000 in it so but I'm sure anything else anybody could do would would help. We'll put that in the caption as well of this video.
00:26:53
Speaker
There is a very heart just pulling at your heartstrings video him. The one that Kate made? um Yeah the sunshine. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Wow. That was beautiful.
00:27:05
Speaker
It really was. Mm-hmm. Man, you know, these are the people that you work with. I mean, I'm just saying like the people that you work with and the people that you are creating with, because we all love this marching arts community and the color guard community, and hold them tight and hold them close.
00:27:22
Speaker
And I'm one of those big people telling you love them because you know you do. And there's no time like the present. So
00:27:33
Speaker
Roxy, you've got our UDB pilot program, y'all. Yes, WGI and UDB are joining forces. May the force be with you. but but And they have this new pilot program, and I believe it's called B Music.
00:27:50
Speaker
Yeah, that's exciting. It's an ensemble sheet music app created by the team behind UDB. So if you also use UDB, 100% agree. ah hundred percent agree with what they're flying with. I think UDB is very smart. It's helpful.
00:28:06
Speaker
It saves the trees.
00:28:09
Speaker
So what it says, like, what actually is going on with this brand new pilot program? And they said it launched with Edinburgh win and yeah edburg Wins. Edinburgh Wins.
00:28:20
Speaker
um Yep. They launched WGI Edinburgh Wins Regional. Okay. So it just gives them, like, the ensembles a unique opportunity to receive real-time adjudication. Correct.
00:28:32
Speaker
Okay. Well, that's cool. I mean, I'm wondering if that's going to bleed over into, well, obviously WGI first, but we'll see. Because I'm sure most of the things that happen in WGI kind of, you know, happen at DCI after a little bit.
00:28:48
Speaker
I know that we are using that at Cincinnati Tradition. We just decided to do the pilot program. So I'm excited to like experience it too. Nice. Had you been using UDB before?
00:29:00
Speaker
Yes. Yeah. We've been using UDB at Cincinnati. So yeah. Are there people that don't use UDB? Like that's the more, that's the more real question. In Arkansas, there are so many people that I'm like, are you using UDB? And they're like, no. And I'm like, you have to, I mean, like it makes things so easy.
00:29:20
Speaker
And like, I always get like lot of my kids have phones in rehearsal. I'm like, what? You want them to keep up with drill sheets? Like, like I lose it. I love UDB. I'll be like, if I ever go into a rehearsal and a marching band's you and Josie, so I'm going to be like, I'm going to come back once y'all are done.
00:29:37
Speaker
So I'll see you tomorrow. Cause I will not. Oh, great. All right. We're going to go to a commercial now y'all. Okay.
00:29:58
Speaker
Marching by Montez is a visual design business based out of Raleigh, North Carolina, but provides services to ensembles all across the country. Our services include custom drill and staging for marching bands, indoor winds, indoor percussion, and winter guards, as well as custom band and guard choreography for all three winter idioms and marching bands.
00:30:20
Speaker
We now offer program coordination for ensembles throughout the U.S. and custom graphic design for all of your uniform, props, flags, and floor needs.
00:30:33
Speaker
In-person and virtual program consultation options are now available through Marching by Montez, as well as custom sound design for your indoor winds backing tracks, winter guard soundtrack, and show soundscape needs.
00:30:46
Speaker
Visit us at marchingbymontez.com, contact us at joey at marchingbymontez.com, and check us out on social media at marchingbymontez.
00:31:10
Speaker
Okay, everyone, we are back. And now it is time for our 60-second tech block. This is the segment where one of our hosts or our guest clinicians is be put on the spot to deliver a nonstop 60 second tech session on a topic that needs some serious attention for the section that needs it the most.
00:31:30
Speaker
Our special tech this week has come prepared with three topics um they think that we might want to talk about or they might want to talk about for 60 seconds. So there's no hesitation, no pauses, just pure technical gold. Woo!
00:31:43
Speaker
And this week, let's see, I think we're goingnna go with Whitney. ah her So Whitney, you said your best topics were one, proper technique when teaching kids gymnastic tricks. two the importance of breaking down your performance video with your students.
00:31:58
Speaker
Or three, ensemble etiquette at rehearsal. So everyone, shout it at me. What you want Whitney to talk about? What you wanna hear? Come on. Anybody. Everybody. Ensemble etiquette. Ensemble etiquette.
00:32:11
Speaker
I think we need a chat on that. Okay. Okay. So, okay. So, um, Haley, you got 60 seconds on your, on your clock. Okay.
00:32:23
Speaker
Here we go. got it. All right. 60 seconds. 60 seconds. 60 seconds.
00:32:33
Speaker
ah sixty six All right. You ready? Tell when to go, Haley. All right. Three, two, one.
00:32:45
Speaker
Okay, everybody. So important to have good ensemble etiquette at rehearsal. We are not talking unless we raise our hands. We are not just leaving the floor or the field to go get water or a band-aid or whatever.
00:32:59
Speaker
Like you are in rehearsal. You need to be doing every rep pull out. Again, we're not talking. Let me stress that. We're not talking. because shush, right? We're also not calling people out for the fact that you see them doing the wrong foot.
00:33:14
Speaker
Hi, Ms. Stone, is it a right coupe or a left coupe? Like, can we not? Gosh, what else? I don't know. Like, just do what you're supposed to do. Go full out, count out loud. If you know, if you believe in that, I'm a big counter out louder.
00:33:29
Speaker
So like, let's make sure that we're just take care of care of our stuff oh my gosh already okay i don't know be really great at rehearsal and don't talk that's it that sums it up i think beautiful very i'm so glad that i'm the one who gets to introduce the 60 second tech block and i don't have to do it That was really cool. It went by way faster than I thought it was going to. I was like, 60 seconds is a long time talk about something. but
00:34:06
Speaker
You brought up something, though, that I was just like, ooh, I hate when people would do that. You know, like, if you're calling somebody out, like, passive-aggressive, a right coupé or a left coupé? You know what it was.
00:34:17
Speaker
i think I hate that because that was me. Oh, yes. you You know, it's gonna go. Yeah, I think that's why I don't like it. Because that was me. I was calling out everybody for all everything they're doing wrong.
00:34:30
Speaker
As the marching band director, one thing that drives me crazy etiquette wise is when kids raise their hand. And then they're talking to me and it's like, what's this? And I'm like, what are you saying? Like, I am like, ah way up here. Please yell. If you have a question, please say it out loud. So I can actually hear you from way up here.
00:34:50
Speaker
So that would be on my ensemble etiquette. My rehearsal etiquette would be, please speak loud if you are going to ask the question. Speak clear. That's a good one. Loud and clear. i need subtitles, please.
00:35:00
Speaker
like Seriously, yes. Yes. The caption isn't on right now. okay Oh, goodness. Okay. Well, that was fun. I got my laughing for the day.
00:35:11
Speaker
Way to go, Whitney. What'd y'all think about Whitney's 60 second tech block? I agree with a lot of what she says. No talking. Especially now. Yes. The generation now is like they finish a rep and they're like, and I was like, can we finish the rep?
00:35:28
Speaker
right Well, and sometimes like in my band program, our kids are good about like helping each other, but it's like, Hey, I'm the voice that you need to hear right now. Like but it's good that you want. Yeah. first It's good that you're helping each other. Like, listen to me because I do. I mean, like I'm going to give you the best information. You're running the rehearsal. Like yes whoever's running the rehearsal is first.
00:35:48
Speaker
yeah That's why I always tell them, finish your sentence. And then we'll. debrief i i just throw them in standby standby was like ailey you are actually gonna be the box person but did you have anything else to add yeah i mean like she said like you know standby as soon as like a rep's done like you know we stop you check it you adjust it and then you're standby like it just needs to be quick and then the feedback needs to be quick and then all right rep let's go eight counts in
00:36:19
Speaker
you know, like we're going, you know, it's like, especially with us, like, yeah, reps, reps, reps, you know, like, you know, CT is just DCA. It's only weekends. And so we don't have time to waste, you know, and it's just gotta to be on it. And like, none of us have time to waste. Right. It's like, we only have so much time with our kids too. So it's like, it's gotta be on it.
00:36:39
Speaker
And one thing I do start with, especially like high school students is, you know, you them like, don't talk in rehearsal. And then you ask them a question and they're like,
00:36:49
Speaker
And they don't want to say anything. And it's like, I know you know this. Like, just say it out loud. Or like clinician comes in, they're just like scared to death. They're like going to embarrass themselves or something. And then like, they don't say word. So it's like, I need you to respond back to me. that's That's a part of it, too. It's like when I ask you something, like you're raising your hand, you're so you're talking back. That way I went know you're awake.
00:37:09
Speaker
So to wake up. yeah Great. Okay. So the next um segment that we have is called what are we doing?
00:37:20
Speaker
What are we doing?
00:37:29
Speaker
What are we doing? Yes. All right. so with this section, when we are talking about what are we doing, that was a solid 60 second tech book. Hopefully everybody got something out of it. But with this right now, with the what are we doing? Basically, we're just going to go around and talk about some things. You can rant a little bit about something in the marching arts that doesn't make sense. or you can spin it and be like, why aren't we doing this?
00:37:52
Speaker
So let's see. What are we doing? Whitney, what are we doing? Well, I'm going to talk about the thing that I actually wanted to do my tech blog on. So it's fine. What are we doing? Not sitting down with our kids and breaking down their performance videos with them.
00:38:09
Speaker
Even if it takes like your whole class period or an hour or whatever, like I just did this with my JV last Monday. took the full class. We had it on the big screen. We've got those IFP giant computer things.
00:38:22
Speaker
And It took us like an hour and 20 minutes to get through all of it. And every time I saw a mistake or something that was weird or, Hey, this looks really good, but watch how we were getting out of that.
00:38:34
Speaker
Hey, check your feet. Look, how see how you're not in the right drill spot. Like all of that, like every single thing you pause, you replay and you break it down and you call those kids out because we're all watching it together. you,
00:38:47
Speaker
if If you're doing things wrong, you're going to get called out. Like, I just just don't care. Like, we're gonna you're doing things wrong, everybody's going to know. And we're going to about it right here and fix it. And I make them take notes and write it down um so that they are connecting that and not just watching, right? We're not just watching, but we're writing it down.
00:39:06
Speaker
So then it's also ingrained in our brain. And I prefer that they write it down versus typing it in because they're going remember it better if they actually write it down. So I do that. with like pretty much every performance and we do it in marching band which also is pretty time consuming because that show is longer um but i think it's really important for them to to see and not just give them the video of their performance but talk about what we're looking for and who's the priority are you in a secondary part here is it do you see how big of a difference it makes if you are literally three quarters of an inch off your dot
00:39:44
Speaker
or not, you know, like look look at your release points, look at your heights and rotations together. Like there's so much to talk about when breaking down your kid's performance video. And I do it with everyone except my cadet guard because we only have one rehearsal a week and it is a short two hour rehearsal.
00:40:01
Speaker
But I do it with my JV and varsity like after pretty much every performance. It's important to do. like You're going to save a lot of rehearsal time by just sitting and watching the video with them and be like, hey, and then you can refer back to it too during rehearsal and be like, hey, remember we watched that on Monday in class and you were not in the right drill spot. You wrote that down, right?
00:40:22
Speaker
Let's fix it. I love that. Yep.
00:40:27
Speaker
Well, and also, like, I think that, like, you can't wait until the first performance to do it, too. Like, I know with my kids, on our first performance and, like, on Friday Night Football, like, I'm showing them that tape. Like, it can't just be, like, okay, your first competition, you're showing it. Because I feel like a lot of band directors do that. They wait until their first competition. You've got to be showing it all through season, from beginning to end.
00:40:48
Speaker
And so, I just... I have been doing it with my kids when I was teaching and like, I haven't been teaching for about five years. I was under the impression that everybody was doing it However, that is not a thing.
00:41:00
Speaker
We need to normalize it. So that's a good one, Whit. All right, Kim. What are we doing? All right. So as a person who had to learn color guard and then go into be the head director position, band directors, what are we not, what are we doing? Like not addressing our color guards?
00:41:23
Speaker
Because sometimes... Because sometimes band directors just leave it up to the color guard tech and they're like, oh, they got it. And then they don't address the color guard as the head director. And the biggest thing for me is like, I see it and I know like I can call them out on things because I had to do guard before.
00:41:44
Speaker
But like, it's so important for the band directors of the world to call out their color guards. It's part of the show. And so I just think that that's important.
00:41:55
Speaker
What are we doing?
00:41:59
Speaker
I've on a staff before where I had to like lean over and be like, listen, they hear my voice all the time. Can you say something to the color guard? And it's just that too. And they're like, what do you want me to say? And I was like, you're a band doctor. You've been standing up here longer than I have. Like, if it don't look right, just say something.
00:42:15
Speaker
You know, if the color guard's not performing, just say something. It's important that they hear from the band directors too. like So they feel as though they're important to the whole picture.
00:42:26
Speaker
that happens a lot where it's like, I don't know, color guard, not going to say anything. You saw Elizabeth drop her flag five times, right? You saw that, right? You heard it? You heard that flag hit the pavement? don't know.
00:42:37
Speaker
Well, you know posture. You know what their posture is supposed to be looking like. You know they're supposed to be looking at performance. Performance, yes. It's not that hard. It's not that hard. It doesn't have to be.
00:42:49
Speaker
Jessica, you're late on 12-E and-uh. And if they do bust out like that, just like, here's my gawk block. yeah If you want to take them today. Like, I would feel a little intimidated by that. But at the same time, you know.
00:43:04
Speaker
Band directors, what are you doing? Every time I say something to my guard, I see them like puff up a little bit more because they're like, oh, she's watching. I'm watching. And they know if I notice it, it must be pretty bad.
00:43:17
Speaker
A little small details and I'm like, yeah, I love spending time the guard though. So they know.
00:43:27
Speaker
Haley, going on to you, what are we doing? So I guess this is kind of funny since I enjoy the visual package of everything. And I love that we have borrowed from different art sources, like all of our movement, but it still called marching band for the marching band aspect.
00:43:45
Speaker
And how much do we actually march in a show? So, and of course, like, listen, I love, I love choreography, but then it's like, you're not doing enough choreography or you're doing too much. And no one actually knows how much choreography to really do to like get that perfect medium. I feel like it's it's like, people are still figuring that out. Even, even in DC hired, you know, everyone's going to say, well, they're doing too much lower body or they're not doing enough or, you know, they're just doing it for the sake of moving. And it's like, maybe me just march a little bit.
00:44:15
Speaker
but yeah What are we doing? Yeah.
00:44:18
Speaker
I do miss a good couple of set to set marching. Honestly, the color guard doesn't march. They'll take over that part. all right At least start there. At least start with learning your drill and we're marching. And then you can choreograph whatever. But like, yes, we're doing marching band. Like someone's got to do that part.
00:44:40
Speaker
And it doesn't, I hate seeing for me personally, this, I'm sorry. I'm infringing on your, your, what are we doing Haley? But I hate seeing the hip hop um where you bend over and you scurry, you know, that transition. Hate seeing that in marching band. Stop doing it.
00:44:56
Speaker
Like, why? Let hip-hop do that. you know like Stop doing the bend and scurry. Like, I don't even know what the technical name is, but oh my god, stop doing it.
00:45:06
Speaker
Just march. ah If you don't know what else to do, just go back to what this is. It's marching band. Yes, exactly. Exactly. Roxy, what are we doing?
00:45:18
Speaker
Friends, what are we doing not having technique block? Listen. What happened to people?
00:45:27
Speaker
like everyone else in the world, very impressed with friends who can toss and do 20 turnarounds and catch, you know, behind their back in a split. But why can't we take 10 dropkins together? Clean.
00:45:42
Speaker
Clean. Why can't we do that together? You know, it's important because it's not just about obviously, yes, looking the same, looking in sync, but being safe.
00:45:53
Speaker
Like how are we like, yeah, start, start, start, start tossing. Good luck. Oh, you have your quad. Cool. But how are we catching it? How are we going at it? Because then we have friends getting hurt. And then all of a sudden now you have a hole in your shell.
00:46:07
Speaker
And we wonder why, you know? Y'all, if you don't know, you need to come and watch a Roxy Tech block. She takes me to school, shows them where every foundation comes from, and then builds on it. It's great.
00:46:24
Speaker
I love it. I love me tech block. Love me a tech block. Yes. ah And I think... Let's see. My, what are we doing?
00:46:35
Speaker
think my, what are we doing going to why are we not, this is going to be a plug for flow marching, I guess, but also for WGI.
00:46:45
Speaker
but What are we doing? Not getting our tickets and getting ready for WGI. Okay. I understand. I understand that the front side is pretty much sold out.
00:46:57
Speaker
However, there is a backside. I understand it's not the same. However, you still feel the excitement in there. You're still witnessing it. It's just from the back or maybe from the corners, you know, and sometimes those groups know that there's people behind them.
00:47:11
Speaker
So it is one of those like, hey, you have four walls, right? you know, they're breaking the fourth wall every way. So, you know, if you're not going, at least get yourself a Flow Marching subscription so you can watch because there's a lot of good stuff going on out there.
00:47:29
Speaker
Great job, everyone. Set your equipment down. Got you. Go.
00:47:35
Speaker
All right. So we got that off our chest and I'm glad we did. That was a good one. Just bring some positive of energy into the room. Welcome to Gush and Go. This is the chance where we shout out something awesome happening in our lives, marching arts related or not. Maybe you're just excited about a performance, student success, a big life event, or just something cool you want to brag about.
00:47:56
Speaker
So no negativity here, just pure unfilterated hype. Unfiltered, unfilterated. I just made a word. What the heck? Anyway, who's got something to gush and go about?
00:48:10
Speaker
like We'll go with you again.
00:48:13
Speaker
I think my gush this week is... I'm just getting ready for um We're on spring break this week, so that is literally why I'm able to be on the podcast right now. It's spring break. um We're going to the Dallas... Yay. Yay, spring break. Needed it badly.
00:48:27
Speaker
We're going to the Dallas... super power duper regional this weekend. So that's our our little spring break trip. We're not doing anything extra and fun except Buc-ee's. We'll go to Buc-ee's.
00:48:38
Speaker
yeah But we, yeah, we've got, I mean, I was just looking at my calendar. We leave two weeks from tomorrow. Two weeks. Oh my God. Like next week is our last full week of rehearsals. That is crazy.
00:48:52
Speaker
So yeah, I'm just, I'm excited to go to WGI and take the children back again and Hopefully all of the flight things go well. I'm nervous about flying. am.
00:49:03
Speaker
I am. We are nervous. Yeah. Take you some Tylenol PM for you.
00:49:11
Speaker
I mean, I'm always out before I leave the tarmac, but you know, I know it's different for everybody. yeah Kim, what's your guess? I have a couple. So we just finished our region concert assessment with my symphonic band, my high school band, and we got straight superior ratings.
00:49:31
Speaker
We're about to go to state. We go to state in... April, like April 17th or so. So we're getting excited about that. And then also we are finishing up our are indoor percussion and winter guard seasons this weekend at the AMAA Championships in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
00:49:51
Speaker
I'm excited to see are our people perform. And um I've had to miss i had to miss one of our shows. And so I'm just excited to go watch. And I'm taking my kids with me. They love to watch that kind of stuff. And so and they're little bitty. So I don't get to take them to a lot. But I'm taking them. We're going to have a fun time in Hot Springs. And then I have spring break. And so I need that.
00:50:13
Speaker
Nice. All right, Haley. What do we got some going about? but so I get... go with CT to camp this weekend. So pretty excited about that. And we actually have an upcoming art show that i think is so cool. This guy named Steve Masters, he has been with CT for a very long time. He's been involved in Drum Corps years and years and years. And he is an amazing artist and he has this big art show.
00:50:42
Speaker
And it's in Cincinnati. And it's like April 26th. And he, 100% of the proceeds go to Cincinnati Tradition. So it's super, super cool.
00:50:52
Speaker
Yeah. So I'm super excited about that. And just, you know, I just love teaching there. It's like a crazy range from... Basically, there's we had some kids that had done like one or two years of marching band and all the way to DCI veterans or on the cusp of being, you know, trying to get in a world class DCI. And it's just really cool to have all that different range.
00:51:16
Speaker
and it's And it's been a fun challenge, too, because it's like catering to everybody. But I just I just have so much fun there. So I get to do that on Sunday and I'm pretty excited. Nice. Plus, ah they are the defending and founding ah champion of DCI, or the DCI All-Age Open Class, so I have to plug in there, too.
00:51:35
Speaker
I mean, better plug it. If you can give us, like, a little, like, a link to that, we'll put it in the caption. Oh, yeah. All right. Roxy, what you gushing and going about, girl?
00:51:48
Speaker
Oh, I'm so excited. For WGI, of course. and so Vox came with A-guard last year. And they didn't go to WGI last year. But this year, we get to take the A-guard WGI. Really excited. Really excited for them.
00:52:06
Speaker
They have an awesome show called Proceed with Caution. So if you guys haven't seen it, please. if They're working so hard. The members have been working super hard. So... That's definitely something I'm excited about for both teams as well.
00:52:19
Speaker
And of course, another summer, Drone Corps. I love Drone Corps. Honestly, I know some people like Drone I'm like, no, I love it. It's so fun. As an instructor, yes, it's super fun. So yeah, I'm really excited for it.
00:52:35
Speaker
Good. Oxy, where are you teaching this summer? um This is going to be my third year with the Academy. Academy? Oh, yeah. Yes. yeah yeah So for my gush and go, this is going to be I'm going on week eight.
00:52:52
Speaker
either week eight or week nine of judging every weekend. Last weekend, Haley was with me. Oh, I don't remember the name of that school, but I remember putting my head down to, you know, say, Hey, this is Nicole Young. you're going to be judging you in design analysis. And I look up and there is a sea of children had to have been, and I'm not exaggerating, maybe 50, not 40. Yeah.
00:53:15
Speaker
Yeah.
00:53:19
Speaker
yeah So yeah, and like they did real drill. And it was a cadet guard or a junior guard. They were very tiny, like in stature, tiny in stature.
00:53:30
Speaker
And like went through their whole show and did all their different transitions. And I was just like floored, but at the same time trying to give as much information as possible. And I just was in awe of them. I know they did a gumdrop show, man.
00:53:44
Speaker
It was um in the ETPAA circuit. um I know that they'll know who I'm talking about with the gumdrop show and the million kids. But like, honestly, those small groups, like if you can ever really watch, sit down and watch maybe junior or cadet or, you know, scholastic regional novice, you know, really watch those kids.
00:54:05
Speaker
Like sometimes when they are really in it and they've gotten out of their heads to not be... nervous, like their little shine, like their little sun shines on that floor. So gushing and going about that. i love the little ones.
00:54:19
Speaker
Hey, it's called gushing go, gushing stay. Let's go. Just got red. Anyway, I want to thank everyone for a great rehearsal this week. And what a great way to show off more amazing women in band and for Hidden Women's History Month.
00:54:37
Speaker
um I want to thank you to Whitney. oh and your puppy who can't seem to want to get down. and for Don't forget to check out i On a Water Break bonus episodes that are out and revisit the Women's History Month ones that we had with Denise Monfiglio and the one that we had with ah Whitney and the one we did with Courtney Allison Mills.
00:54:57
Speaker
Plus, it's On a Water Break with Gonzaco and On a Water Break around the world. So we've got a ton of different ones coming out. um I do want to say thank you to our guest clinicians this week.
00:55:08
Speaker
um Tell us where to find you on socials, Hayley. Well, I'm kind of boring. I only have Facebook and Instagram, ah but you can find me at Haley Harrington on Facebook. On Instagram, I'm H underscore Harrington 14. So what I'm at.
00:55:23
Speaker
Great. Roxy, where can we find you? I'm on Instagram. I'm on Facebook. I think that's usually the two that I use. What's your handle? My Instagram is Empress Lazar.
00:55:35
Speaker
And then my Facebook is Roxanne Lazar. Awesome. And Kim, where can we find you? So I'm on Facebook um under Kim Roberson Webb. And then I'm also on Instagram and it's Kim Possible 413. And then I'm on TikTok.
00:55:52
Speaker
I post occasionally, but that is KWeb530. Awesome. awesome Okay. Well, got a question or a good topic to talk about? Email us at onawaterbreakpodcast at gmail.com or find us on social media.
00:56:08
Speaker
And DM us if you want to be on the show. We even have a form that you can fill out now if you want to be a guest. We love having people on the podcast. So check that out. Our link is in the bio on our social media. Or you can just take your phone out and make a video and send it to us. And maybe you'll see yourself on the podcast soon. don't know.
00:56:26
Speaker
but One more thing. Don't forget that we have a YouTube channel and you can go and subscribe so you can see us all there. um Also, before you close out of your podcast listening app, go subscribe, write us a review and share this with a friend.
00:56:39
Speaker
Follow us on social media at on a water break and we'll see you at the next rehearsal on a water break.
00:56:49
Speaker
The On a Water Break podcast was produced by Jeremy Williams and Christine Ream. The intro and outro music was produced by Josh Lida. To learn more, visit LidaMusic.com.
00:57:01
Speaker
And until next time, thanks for tuning