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The One With the 2025 DCI Dish
173 Plays3 months ago
Join hosts Trish, Nicole, Austin, & Ricardo for the latest episode of the "On A Water Break" marching arts podcast, where they discuss all the latest news, trends, and happenings in the world of marching bands, color guard, drum corps, and more. This episode features special guests clinician Jeremy from Drum Corps Today and a special feature on our Host Woody hosted by Jackie Brown.
Be sure to follow the On A Water Break podcast on all social media platforms and subscribe to our YouTube channel for more exclusive content. Don't forget to leave a review and share this episode with your fellow drum corps, marching band, and marching arts enthusiasts!
Meet our Hosts
Jackie Brown - @spintronixguard
Stephen McCarrick - @stephenmccarick
Cindy Barry - @leandermomma
Nicole Younger - @o2bnpjs & @thecookoutcg
Trevor Bailey - @t_pain151
Trish O’Shea - @trishdish1002
Beth Beccone - @bether7189
Chris Rutt - @wildhornbrass1
Cynthia Bernard - @cynthiabern
Ashlee Amos - @famousamossss_
Theo Harrison - @harrisontheo07
Stephanie Click - @stephanieclick
Whitney Stone - @dancerwhit
Justin Surface - @J_dex07
Ashley Tran - @itsashleytran
Jack Goudreau - @goudreau_
Bill Woodward - @remoking100
Emily Nee - @tch.makes.art
Ricardo Robinson-Shinall - @ricardorrobinson
Austin Hall - @Austin_hall10
Jose Montes - @joeymontes57
Bobbey Biddle - @bobbeyboy107
Peyton Billhart - @peytonbrillhart
Music provided by leydamusic.com Follow him @josh.leyda
Avatars provided by @tch.makes.art
Featuring
Lexi Duda - Host for On A Water Break In Rhinestones - The Stories of the Twirlers @lexi_duda
Thank you also to @guardcloset
#marchingband #colorguard #dci #podcast #onawaterbreak #wgi #drumline
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Transcript
Introduction and DCI Updates
00:00:00
Speaker
Hey everyone, we are back for another exciting rehearsal. This week and the DCI rumor mill is spinning. Our hosts are ready to get you through it. We will find out what me, Nicole, say. Because I was thinking about other names I had down here too, but I was just like, no, or, or, uh, and why Austin said, Ooh, um, Ooh, yes, I do want to gush and go. Speaking of the troopers, I do want to gush and go.
00:00:29
Speaker
All this and more to get on the field and we will see you back on the sidelines for this week's episode of On A Water Break. Eight off the Met and Go. Welcome to On A Water Break. The where we talk bring it in. It's time for a water break.
00:00:55
Speaker
Welcome to another episode of season two of on a water break the podcast where we talk about everything You and your friends are talking about a rehearsal on a water break. I'm Trisha Shay Well, here we are Labor Day weekend has come and gone and now the cores are allowed to spill the tea on who's coming and who's going We have a great group as well as well as a fantastic guest to help you get through all of this with some great stories So let's see who's on the sidelines this week Nicole We loved the recent episode with the fierce, chewy, saber-spinning drag queen. How was that? Oh, yeah. that It was great. um It was really cool to actually hear about how Chewy wanted to go around from other to other landmarks and spin. I think that would be very cool. There are some people he could really hook up with. Yeah. Absolutely. To do that. It just sounds like it would be, I don't know, just something out and about in the community, in the world, and not in a gym or on a football field.
00:01:54
Speaker
Absolutely Austin How are you? I am good. I am good busy season is starting here Swing too many travel plans are being booked. I'm not mad about that whatsoever But I am ah I'm going everywhere. um I'm not mad here that you're going to Costa Rica and you're gonna give us a little on a water break Costa Rica style and That is correct. I'm going down there tomorrow.
Austin's Costa Rica Adventure
00:02:26
Speaker
I'm gonna go one of my former students from troopers is um He helps run like a like a there's a big like cultural marching band thing that they do down there and troopers previously had a connection before um
00:02:41
Speaker
or in the in like 2019, 2020. So that's how the student showed up and then he texted us and then he texted me and a couple other people and we're like, hey, can you come down and judge these auditions? And we're like, heck yeah, why not? Come on. So we're like, heck yeah. So they took care of everything. I'm flying out tomorrow at like noon and then I'll be back on Monday and I get to hang out in Costa Rica and judge some auditions.
00:03:07
Speaker
but That sounds so great. I'm so excited. I'm really so excited. oh Jeremy, how are you? Hello, hello. It's good to be back. I am yeah doing pretty well. Good. We haven't talked to you since DCI finals. So what were your final takeaways from championships?
00:03:25
Speaker
Wow, that i this year I had the privilege of actually going to both prelims and semi-finals, along with world-class, sorry, all-age championships, and it this season was absolutely incredible. It was so cool seeing the DCA world join with the Drum Corps International World, becoming one from what I was looking at. The numbers seem to have gone incredibly high in terms of the number of fans who would go out to Rochester versus the people, the number of people who are in Indy that ended up going to see the All-Age Championships, which is always cool to see the activity growing in all different sorts of ways.
Jeremy's DCI Experience
00:03:59
Speaker
I've been hearing nothing but rave reviews. I'm working with, at marching band with a bunch of Caballeros, and they can't say enough. I mean, we had Nick from Bushwhackers on a few weeks ago. He couldn't say and um and enough good things about the All-Age Championships.
00:04:16
Speaker
that That was proved to be a really big success. Yeah, as someone who that was my first opportunity getting to see All Aged Live. I had seen a few videos on Flow Marching, but I had never gotten to see it in person and I was absolutely blown away. So many people are like, oh, it's it's older people. they don't really like They're not as committed as the young kids and it couldn't be the opposite. everyone From the bottom to the top, everyone is so committed to putting out a great product regardless of what group they're with.
00:04:43
Speaker
Yeah, I would say with all age just to jump in here like they are those are the The diehards like you march next to somebody like that. Absolutely You know, they are just like it's in my blood now. I Can still do everyday life and still do you know all age drumroll? Which is hard. So oh, yeah, I give them all of the praise. Oh, yeah and um very soon Ricardo may be taking his water break and joining us. So we'll be looking forward to that,
Hackensack High's Uniform Challenge
00:05:17
Speaker
but let's get into the news.
00:05:35
Speaker
Okay, I'm going to take the first story. This one is near and dear to my heart. um My boyfriend sent it to me at work yesterday, and I was like, wow, write down the block here. I live in South Hackensack, New Jersey, but my town feeds into Hackensack High School. Hackensack High School is going through a little bit of drama right now. um There is a call for new marching band uniforms with one parent, who actually is a teacher in the district. She's saying that the band has grown from 12 students to 75 in just three years and they don't have enough uniforms. So um she was quoted as saying, we now have more marching band members than we have band uniforms.
00:06:17
Speaker
Um, their current uniforms are over 12 years old and they've served their purpose now living in this area and I try I reached out to um a bunch of friend of mine friends of mine that I work out with that live in Hackensack and they were like I said does anybody have a connection here, you know, can I find out what's going on and they sent me, you know a couple of You know, people on Facebook, i I tried to friend request them so I could really get the scoop, but they may not have seen it today. But I know that there'll be a hecatext like the biggest city in our county, Burton County. So I'm sure that there's going to be a resolution to this. But it just made me feel so sad and made me feel, you know, I was going to approach them in two different ways. I was going to approach them in, you know, we do this podcast, can
00:07:05
Speaker
yeah I get, you know, the story on there. Can I get you to kind of say what's going on from the inside? But I was also going to, you know, approach it as a guard director myself and say, I'm right up the road in old Japan. Can I get you anything? Can I help you with anything? Can I get you in touch with guard? You know, can I get you contacts? Well, it just, it's true. I know that there'll be a resolution to this, but just made me really sad to think that my my hometown high school year doesn't have enough band uniforms.
00:07:35
Speaker
If anything, it's a good because the program's growing. Exactly. But I really do. And hopefully this gets out to there to those people that can actually do something like art. I mean, like in I guess my other question is, and maybe you did say something about this, but are they having any issues with ah money?
00:07:57
Speaker
I don't think so. I don't think that's going to be the issue. I think from my standpoint, I, again, I tried to get in touch with people, you know, apparently the band director and the assistant band director, both, you know, I believe they're married. I don't want to you know talk out of school, but, um, they both have the same last name. They both work in high school and that was my, one of my friends sent me, Oh, here's, you know, two people to talk to. And I looked them up and they were band teachers. So.
00:08:27
Speaker
um I think this is just somebody trying to fix an immediate problem that there's probably a long-term solution to. but Probably the district didn't realize that this was happening. what you shit Wasn't paying close-up attention which they should be I mean the bands performing in football games, right, right? Oh, um You know, I think that you know, but it you know, I get that parents perspective, too I mean, I want my kid out there in a uniform So I don't know what they're doing I mean if I didn't have a game tomorrow night with my team I'd probably run over there and see what they're wearing what they're doing in offer some help and again get them in such a touch of guard closet, but um, you know, I just
00:09:09
Speaker
you know I feel bad and anything I could do, what you know I really want to do for them. Well, you're actually doing it. you know yeah You're putting their information out to everyone so that they can either reach out or you know Be aware. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Austin, I think you have a solution to those of us. We were just talking about all age earlier to those of us who are missing going to Rochester in September. Trish, I know you miss going to Rochester, right? I don't. No, aren't you don't. I don't. So I don't, I don't know. I don't. Um, I used to live in Rochester when I know eight finals were happening. Nicole, you miss going there or living right by it or?
00:09:52
Speaker
I mean, it was easy. It didn't have to travel. It wasn't like a long ride to Scranton. that yeah Yeah, yeah. Well, for those of us who do miss Rochester, um there is a HBCU football classic going on on Saturday, September 21st.
Battle of the Bands Announcement
00:10:12
Speaker
It is a ah football game between Central State University and Albany State University.
00:10:19
Speaker
um The it starts off with the tailgate party from 9 a.m. To 12 p.m. Is 25 25 bucks to attend um The actual games at 1 p.m. There's a battle of the bands fifth quarter right after the games and Honestly, that's probably gonna be the highlight of the whole event. Oh It's gonna be cool. Yeah, I love I do love watching youtube videos of a good battle of the bands and seeing seeing that happen in in the Northeast is kind of is pretty cool. Usually a lot of the a lot of the great HBCU bands are down in like the ah down in the Southeast.
00:10:58
Speaker
yeah like One of my friends went to NCA&T and he would send me videos of it all the time. I'm like, I love it. I love this. This is so great. But going to Rochester and kind of exposing it to a community that may not see HBCU all the time could be a good um could be a good outlet and if you want to show up if you want to go to rochester and you want to see some band there it's when is it again uh for it's the frederick douglas hbcu football classic um and that's going to be on saturday september first rochester community sports complex where they held dca for many many many years so check it out 25 bucks to go and there's um
00:11:46
Speaker
I mean, there's football, there's Battle of the Bands. What more can you ask for in a nice on a fun Saturday that you might be at a rehearsal? Or um if you don't have a rehearsal, show up. yes um So I'll just jump in there really quick. It's the 21st? Yes, or 21st. OK, that's cool. Jeremy, what do you have for us?
00:12:08
Speaker
So, unfortunately, my story isn't quite as fun as everyone else's.
Louisville High's Salute Controversy
00:12:13
Speaker
Sorry. Take a look at this. We have a band from Louisville, Louisville High School, and what they would do at the beginning of their football games is to greet the audience. The drum major would salute to the audience and say, hi. Unfortunately, this tradition was seen... it seemed to be similar to the salutes that were done by Germany during the Second World War, very unfortunately.
00:12:38
Speaker
Yeah, definitely. And while perhaps to the average person they wouldn't think of that, unfortunately to many Jewish members of their community, they took up they found this offensive and we're not one we're not we're not in any place to judge what they've but they believe was de offensive. I mean, it was them that had to directly deal with this and the generation after generation since.
00:13:03
Speaker
is just been incredibly difficult for them. And fortunately, the band looked at it, the superintendent looked at it and said, hey, we see where you're coming from. We can make some adjustments. And now they still greet the audience. But the salute is much different. It's much very far away from what it used to be. They still greet the audience, but it wouldn't be the as was compared to the Nazis salute. Wow.
00:13:28
Speaker
Well, I'm glad that, honestly, that the school board looked at that and whoever they went to, actually, I don't um't know. But listen to them and said, yeah, OK. Let's fix this. I like that, you know, that was a community coming together. Yeah. i do Yeah. It's really great to see. Unfortunately, I've seen far too many instances where the community will, we've done this tradition my entire life and we have to defend it. It's not like you're defending the school existing. It's, it's a name. It's, it's not something, it's not that big. It's not, you you're making, yeah.
00:14:04
Speaker
Yeah, exactly. I mean, and by the way, when are the Kansas City Chiefs going to stop? I was just watching the beginning before we came on with the Ravens Chiefs game. And I mean, okay, secretly. I mean, I love sports. I love football and all that, but I really just wanted to see Taylor.
00:14:22
Speaker
It's okay. What are they going to stop with me? Oh, like when, when, I mean, they know what's going, they're obviously, they obviously know what's going on in society and so many things are being canceled and changed and whatever. Like, I just feel like they're just like, we're not changing it. We don't care what anybody says. So I, that's, that's another topic for another, what are we doing? But whatever.
00:14:46
Speaker
Nicole, I hear you have a great story for us. Oh my goodness. Okay, so I think everyone saw the video. Did y'all see the video of Vice President went into a band room? Yes. Did you see that? Yes, I loved it. And everyone was like, oh, well, why didn't they get up and jump and everything like that? And I was like, probably Secret Service told them to stay in their seat.
00:15:11
Speaker
Because they look like a big baby. Yeah. um But there is a ah there is an article that was in Classic FM. um ah It was an article that they had on their website about ah Kamala Harris.
VP Kamala Harris Visits Liberty County High
00:15:27
Speaker
She played French horn and percussion in high school. And I don't pin chant for Gershwin. What does that mean, pin chant?
00:15:36
Speaker
Like she just loves Gershwin? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. I i have a pin shot for the Yankees. Okay. Gotcha. um Well, yeah, so they had... Thank you. um So they had videoed her, you know, going in and seeing them and doing that and then, you know, talking to the kids about that. Oh, cool.
00:15:57
Speaker
They were, well, she was on a, campaign this was a campaign stop, like support for campaign. um And are her running mate was in Minnesota, Walsh was in Minnesota. And so she went to, this is Liberty County High School in Hinesville, Georgia.
00:16:14
Speaker
um so but And as soon as they walked in, you could see it. The kids were gasping and like cheering and stuff like that. And um they were in practice. so ah And on a Wednesday night. So that's you know when the vice president showed up with um with ah Tim Walz. But after hearing them play a few bars, like Harris said, I was in band when I was your age. And I'm sure that that floored so many of those kids. But um she said i yeah she said I played French horn. And I also played xylophone and the vibraphone.
00:16:55
Speaker
um yeah um And she also said ah that she did a little kettle drums. And I think that's when everyone like started cheering even louder for her because she used to do kettle drums. um The band leader did ah describe Harris as a woman of many talents.
00:17:16
Speaker
um ah' See waltz even said yeah like you're single instrument alone is an amazing thing. But as part of this band it becomes really amazing um So what they just put together a bunch of like, you know little things that they played for them Basically, they were at a rehearsal. So they just played everything that they were, you know having for rehearsal Yeah, and you know, I was a pretty ah I don't want to say random because they were there specifically for something. But I mean, as a kid, I don't know. Like, I think I would have my phone out so that I could.
00:17:53
Speaker
take a picture of the vice president. Absolutely. Absolutely. Yeah. So yeah i I think that's cool. I think I'm loving the fact that we are getting to see more um everyday people going into these like music spaces. Absolutely. It's very good.
Apalachee High School Tragedy
00:18:12
Speaker
Yeah. well There is something I do want to add and I mean I would hope that you all are okay with me saying this but ah yesterday um speaking of Haynesville um Georgia um there was a There huh, I don't even know if I should say the word but um, uh, Appalachia high school in Georgia um yesterday um
00:18:42
Speaker
they had a school shooting. So I just wanted to put out there to everyone that's listening. And if there's any people from Apalachee High School, like we are really, really, really thinking about you all. absolutely And hoping that everyone heals. um I know that there were a good number of people that went to the hospital and they're expected to make a recovery. And for those families that lost anyone, again, we are all thinking about you. 1000%. Thank you. Thank you for that. Oh, you're welcome. No problem. But that was my story.
00:19:22
Speaker
Okay, well, we have a lot more reps to do, including an interview that our own Jackie Brown recently did with our friend, Bill Woody Woodward. All this and more, so we'll see you after this next rep.
Interview with Woody on Band Revitalization
00:19:44
Speaker
Hey everybody, welcome to the sideline. I am here with Woody, one of our hosts, say Woody. Hey, how you doing, Jackie? I'm doing good. And we are chatting today because you have become a mega newsmaker. The Philadelphia Inquirer, right, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's me.
00:20:08
Speaker
That's me. That is awesome. I'm so excited for this. So we saw the article and you basically, I mean, you're just doing what you do. You got hired to be band director, but you have like, it's so much more than that for these kids. So do you want to talk about what happened with this program? Oh, first off, I'm shocked that the world found out because it was supposed to be on a DL.
00:20:35
Speaker
you know to I don't usually go around telling people, Hey, guess what? I got a new job. Congratulations. i hope update And, um, I, somebody texted me and said, Hey, this school's, uh, this college board is looking for someone to fill this position. Are you available?
00:20:55
Speaker
And I said, well, let me take a look at it. So I took a look at it. I didn't know that some student in the program had gone across the the earth to try to found find a band record because they knew that their season was in jeopardy. And I got there, and then all of this stuff just started to fall in place. The news articles, the people congratulating it just exploded. And now everyone's like, oh, that's so fantastic. I'm like, uh.
00:21:25
Speaker
I don't know, just what I do. Well, um want honestly, though, it is it really is meaningful for these students, like these students have been in this program and it's been such a good program. And I am I understanding this correctly, their band, their previous band director actually passed away. Yes, it wasn't like they were being abandoned or anything.
00:21:46
Speaker
they The previous band director, I just happened to be to have been friends with him also, but ah he passed away about a year and a half ago, and then they made it through. He passed away during the winter season.
00:21:59
Speaker
And they made it through the winter and then the middle school band director took over and she was unable to do it this year. And then the job opened up and they were in jeopardy of not having a program. So here we are.
00:22:19
Speaker
I feel like that's happening all over the country. We like even here just in my small town, we've we've gone through so many band directors and music teachers. And it's just it's turnover year after year after year. And ah you know, it's great that you're able to step in and and take the program and and lift it up like that, especially for these kids who, you know, band is their lives.
00:22:45
Speaker
Well, you know um ah there you know I'm the third band director and and in less than two years. that's yeah It's a little bit of a roller coaster, changes of emotion, changes of how things will will be run. you know They had the temporary window when just the staff was running it. So you know what usually happens with that. It takes a while for things to settle in correctly.
00:23:09
Speaker
so on Hopefully, I'll be able to bring some stability to them. They seem very happy after the band camp. um They just assumed that they weren't going to have a competitive season. I came in, took a look. Oh, OK. We're good. We're good. And ah they've clearly got some good training. Yes, yes, they did have very good training.
00:23:31
Speaker
um The staff was all very competent enough to keep keep things afloat while they fat found a ah ah person to come in and put it together. So now here I am. And hopefully I'll be with you know i'll be with them for question time and we'll move forward. It's exciting. I like building programs.
00:23:55
Speaker
It is fun. So what are some of your plans for them? Can you can you reveal to us or is that on the DL2? No, no, no, not at all. um Actually, my plans are they're very young. You know, um one of the things the staff had expressed to me, they're like, I don't know, the band's well young and they have eighth, ninth, and 10th graders. We only have one senior. I just don't know. I'm like, oh my goodness, what a goldmine. If you like building programs, what? I won't graduate anybody for the next three years.
00:24:39
Speaker
like look bring me in you know you you love to eat this first year lay down the cement, and then we go. So ah you know I picked a program that's very accessible to the football crowd, very accessible to the band crowd, and one that was easy for them to enjoy playing. um It's an Egyptian theme. Usually those those kind of shows are not hard to wrap your brain around. Yeah. oh
00:25:16
Speaker
ah the The music is kind of fun. The music is probably a grade lower than then they should be, but they only got music two weeks ago. so run the that no drill no nothing else So rather than to stress the program out, let's just take a step back. Like I said, they're young, building for the future.
00:25:40
Speaker
so um it's It's very exciting. I have to say the Trump core community has reached out to, to help the program also. So wow you know yeah, they, you know, a lot of the things that, you know, some, I guess people of my standards, you know, uh, would expect to have the equipment and things they just don't have, the you know, the program just didn't have a lot of stuff. And, uh,
00:26:09
Speaker
The Jersey Surf was was very willing to help me helped me out with a lot of stuff. oh United Percussion has come forward, their dear director, to help us out with a lot of things like that. So it's it's very exciting that ah the people here in South Jersey have pulled together for it. And it's all because of that Inquirer thing. Hey, I saw your newspaper. I'm thinking, who reads the newspaper anymore?
00:26:40
Speaker
Well, I mean, I said I saw it in the newspaper too, but it was like a Facebook link to a website and... You know, it's funny too, because it was one link, but then someone else reposted it, and it reached another point, and it got reposted to, I'm a former Bushwacker, it got reposted to the Bushwacker homepage, which then, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. And I'm just getting hit for like a week from everywhere, like, oh my God, people in California now know I just got this job through the Inquirer, but I guess it's cool, you know.
00:27:17
Speaker
Well, that's the amazing thing about our our whole community is that everybody is so willing to come together. Probably a lot of those people have been there. They've been in a program that has had to be rebuilt before. They know what it takes. And you know we're just ready to be there for each other. I wouldn't have been able to start a not-for-profit if it wasn't for people that I had marched with and people that I knew coming in and and helping you know build things up. And and that's what it's all about, really.
00:27:46
Speaker
is happening to each other. It is all about it, you know. As funny you said about the community, I have a running joke. I'm always like, ah you know, Drum Corps is like West Virginia, everybody's family. Yep, yep, exactly. I know that's great, but you know me, I'm always great.
00:28:07
Speaker
ah No, but ah it is very appreciative to the amount of people who have reached out and wanted to offer Helping Hand. I had several people who even offered to write the drill for free. Excellent. They had purchased a program that was well beyond the means of the program at that that time until another drum corps friend gave me a brass arranger, gave me a show. Yeah. Nice. Hey, I need some material. How much a good charger? Oh, don't worry about it. Here, take this. Like, wow. Okay. So, you know, just to have those kind of contacts was just very fantastic. Very fantastic. Well, that's awesome. And we're going to have a really good eye on your program this year because we're expecting
00:29:06
Speaker
Great stepping stones to get up there like this is i'm I'm excited. I'm excited to see what you guys pull off I try to warn my staff you you're now officially on the map unfortunately But fortunately you are officially on the map. We can't be bad. We can't be bad It's just not allowed now. I mean, you know du if we're If we're rough as long as we survive that is the most important part, but you know, yeah ah i world watching
00:29:38
Speaker
yeah Yes, and I'm striving for it for the excellence more so than the demand and ah you know, doesn't look great entertaining was a very achievable. I think that's a ah goal that's going to work for them.
00:29:52
Speaker
All right, well, thank you so much, Woody, for saving this band program and for talking to us about it today. this is This is awesome. Like I said, we will definitely be keeping an eye on this throughout the season, and good luck to you. I really, really hope it goes well for you. I hope it goes well, too, and I guess I'll see you on the next water break, huh? Yep, see you then.
00:30:26
Speaker
Hey, this is Christine Rehm. And Chris Green. Guard Closet was founded as a consignment business in 2000. Since then, it has grown to include Winter Guard, band, percussion, and other genres. We can help you with custom flag and costuming designs. Our consignment inventory has plenty of great looks for your color guard, drum line, and marching band. pay it forward. When you purchase consignment, you help other programs. Last year we sold over 400 sets of consignments and returned over $125,000 in payments to our consigners for their skills. Additionally, Guard Closet offers custom and pre-designed costumes, flags, floors, and formal wear, full or partial showwriting, educational programming, and other services.
00:31:10
Speaker
Max out your rehearsal time and set up a microsite for easy student ordering for shoes, gloves, and other equipment. The Guard Closet team is here to help you get everything you want and need for your season. Check us out at guardcloset.com and follow us on social media.
00:31:37
Speaker
Well, friends, the DCI streets have been hot since championship weekend ended.
DCI Staff Changes Discussion
00:31:42
Speaker
I've been waiting to dish all the staff change gossip with you all. um We were supposed to have the new staff ensemble coordinator from the Blue Knights with us today, Ronnie Pruitt. But when you live on a boat, you kind of don't really have a great internet connection. But he's graciously agreed to come back on and do an interview with us really soon. So look forward to that.
00:32:07
Speaker
Um, but while we're on the topic of the blue nights, I mean, um, they really have seemed to be, be a core that was a perennial finest really up until, you know, right before the pandemic, but since COVID they've been through a lot of staff changes.
00:32:23
Speaker
um You know, it's it's really good to see that you know Ronnie's gonna kind of I mean we've spoken to him about you know, he's not really in this, you know for a resume Build he just wants to help out and give back So, um, what do you guys you know, what do you guys think of that? Well, you know, what's about what's been going on with the blue nights the last couple of years but I will tell you that i've always blue nights for me were that cerebral yeah drum core and I loved it. I loved it because it made you think. um And so yes, i I love them for that reason. And the fact that like um their drum majors made like they would make up new patterns.
00:33:11
Speaker
so that, yeah, I loved it. I loved it. I was like, oh, what are you, I don't know what you're, oh my gosh, you know? But as far as, as far as, you know, as far as how the drum corps is doing now and what they've been putting out now, it's great to like catch up and see them. And I love the fact that like a lot of,
00:33:37
Speaker
people that I know are, you know, working there too. Oh, that's good. Yeah. Well, and then Ronnie. So. When Ronnie, when I met Ronnie, I was living in Houston. So it was probably like my first or second year when I lived in Texas. And there was a group of us, like educators, like honestly, it was like Colgard, percussionists, horn line members, whatever. We all went out for new years, like, but did like the really cool new years. Like we went out and ate dinner at a really fancy place. I had to land.
00:34:13
Speaker
So good. Oh, well, hello, Ricardo. water break right now. listen I just got off a design call. So nice. Drum Corps DCI 2025, yo.
00:34:33
Speaker
All right, we'll get to that in a little bit. um So right now, Ricardo, just to catch you up to speed, Ronnie Pruitt popped on, um but we couldn't really get it to work out so well because Ronnie lives on a boat.
00:34:50
Speaker
That's Cole. Yeah, right. So you know it didn't work out for tonight, but he's going to come back soon and do a one-on-one with us. So we're kind of dishing a little bit about the blue nights and the staff changes they've been through the last couple of years. And Nicole's been giving us some really good insight on you know the direction you know that they've been on and you know where they're going to go. So if you have anything you want to jump in with, go right ahead. Cool. Yeah. So let's see. um Yeah. So, ah but as far as like this, how this goes now, are we jumping into who's in there?
00:35:28
Speaker
we don yeah So um it seems like, but I mean, obviously we've talked about this before, the the core with the first big splash this season was the troopers. I mean, right immediately, right after DCI finals, Lindsay Schuler announced on her social media that she, along with her significant other and pretty much the whole visual staff and the troopers were let go. So that kind of started the rumor mill going,
00:35:59
Speaker
Um, so, um, we've all seen some of the names of the troopers are bringing in. So let's talk about that a little bit. Austin, you'd be the perfect person to tell us a little bit about the troopers. I am, I am the resident trooper here. So I, yeah, um, they have brought in a cup, a trio of great people, um, in terms of, in terms of visual, in terms of like the whole visual caption, um, Andrew Ebert is going to be right in the drill. Um,
00:36:30
Speaker
Molly, ah if i if I pronounce this wrong, I know I know i am. I think it's Molly Favey. Is that, do I do that right? Well, it's Edgerton, actually. Yeah, it's Edgerton.
00:36:43
Speaker
Yeah, yes, there' she's bringing they're bringing they're bringing her in to do the visual aesthetic for the whole program. um And then Joshua Brennis is going to be the visual caption head. He is a very dear friend of mine. um We have competed against each other in WGI wins for a very long, for half a decade now. And he is the designer and um visual caption head for strike wins out of South Florida and was most recently the visual caption head at the cadets from 2020 until they have their unfortunate demise. um But he's a great dude. I really ah really trust what he's going to do with the program there. um I'm kind of having a big world's collide moment. I'm loving it.
00:37:28
Speaker
Um, but that, I think that, that visual program is going to be in good hands. Um, I'm excited to see what they put out. I really am. Yeah. Yeah. I think, I mean, they seem to be, um, you know, very,
00:37:44
Speaker
Okay. We're not, you know, okay. We took it this far now. How can we take it a little further and taking it this far? How can we take it a little bit further? So you're right. I'm, you know, I know Tim's, I mean, I know Tim Snyder very well. He was my very first brass caption head in 2016. Um, and that man, he does not, he does not settle for anything less than great. That's just how he is. That's his mindset. He, that's how he goes. That's how he does things. And if, I mean,
00:38:14
Speaker
Yeah, that's that's pretty much all I have to say. I mean, I have a lot of have a lot of opinions. I'm gonna reserve them because, right but yeah. Well, I just wanted to talk about the like an outsider's perspective looking into troopers because you've been there so you know what the culture is, what the legacy entails and things like that. sure ah i ah you know Just looking at the last three years even, yeah.
00:38:41
Speaker
Yeah, let's do that. Looking at the way um you know with all these people that are coming in, I think it's great what they bring with them, because you can just tell, like for Molly, ah it's those little ah it's those little details that if they weren't there, it would look it would it would look wrong and you wouldn't know why. right But because they're there, you you know what i mean like it's full. It's um it's what I like to call like part of the meat and potatoes. you know You've got the grill, you've got the choreography, you've got the music. oh Well, let's take a little bit more time and I don't know, match everything. Make sure that it's coordinated together. I mean, she's that super detail oriented gal. She, I mean, if you look at any Tarpon Springs show in the past and about the same amount of time, if not a little bit sooner, and Paramount and Crown and all. Yeah. If you look at Crossman before, if you look at all those shows, all of the T all of the T's are crossed and the eyes are dotted. ah And yeah, I mean, it's just, it's just good stuff. And that's what her specialty is.
00:39:50
Speaker
Molly's been my girl for a while and you know I kind of get to hang out with her every now and then here in Florida and just picking her mind about stuff like the way she does think about that detail like a lot of people don't know that like most of the costumes that she does they're like individually sketched for each member, especially if you look back at Paramount the Drawn Together show, each one of those costumes was particularly sketched for the members and all of the flags were sketched with the members faces and stuff. It's just that eye for detail that she has that ties everything together that like really sets shows apart. Yeah.
00:40:29
Speaker
I think that this new, ah and this is the last thing I'll say about this, but I think this with this new um group of people that have come into the Troopers, like they do have within the last three to four years, all of them have um you know a finalist under their belt as far as them you know what they're coming in to do.
00:40:51
Speaker
so They have that that ah but passion, that drive, not that no one else has that. But I mean, it's a good idea to look at how, you know, how all these people fit together. And I think they did it. Now, do we think this pulls her away from Crown? No, no, no, no, no. It pulls Andy away.
00:41:14
Speaker
Right. It pulls Andrew Ebert away from Crown because he was the production specialist from what I understand. But um Molly does a lot of the social media, she's the social media coordinator over there. Right. So Molly can do a lot of back end, a lot of like, well, like I guess front, I guess front end, if you kind of look at it from a design standpoint, she's gonna do a lot of the front end stuff for the troopers, but can still run the media for Crown over the summers and everything.
00:41:38
Speaker
and mom is always working that's the thing about her she's one of those people that like never really her brain never stops so she's always like you know working on a sketch for this or working on a flag for this person or creating a new social media idea or blitz like she's just always going so i think yeah this is like another outlet for her if that's an easy thing to say for us people that like do this whole thing where you know we kind of push ourselves to the bone but she's one of those people that's just designed like her mind is constantly elevated and working on that like that surreal plane that the rest of us thrive to get to yeah that's awesome so um
00:42:19
Speaker
In addition to that, there have also been some big names that I've heard being thrown around.
Jeff Sactic's Next Move Speculations
00:42:26
Speaker
I did hear Michael Townsend's name being thrown around, but then that went by the wayside this afternoon when Boston Crusaders announced that their entire staff is returning. So that's a really cool thing. But one thing that I heard that there are a lot of people clamoring for the drill magic of Jeff Sactic.
00:42:49
Speaker
now we haven't you know he has we haven't heard he's you know going and accepting it but i've heard there's a lot of interest so i wanted to ask you guys if you had to pick a new home for jeff's act again again we're not saying he's definitely leaving anywhere but if you had to pick a new home for jeff's act like where would you see his where would you really love to see his drill designs appear anywhere period right right i've worked with Jeff before when i was um in texas at roundrock and i absolutely love like the process that he does um where uh where was he where was he last summer like who did he work with crown crown crown for the past or since i think what 2018 or 19 or something like that yeah just looking at what was up there if
00:43:41
Speaker
o I'm sorry, y'all. Because I don't want to make anyone mad. But at the same time, it's just like I would love to see Jeff's drill on like maybe the mandarins. o Oh, will that'd be fun. That's a good one. Yeah.
00:44:07
Speaker
Cause I was thinking about other names I had down here too, but I was just like, no, or, or, uh, and you know, and I think it was mainly because of what we saw last, or I don't, you know, I'm not going to speak for y'all, but what I saw last summer coming out of spirit of Atlanta.
00:44:26
Speaker
no that show concept with some static drill. That show concept was ahead of its time. And he's there. He lives there. He lives in Georgia. He lives down the street. Shout out to Peyton, by the way. You know, hey, girl. Yeah. That's our girl. little like She's doing all that college stuff, band stuff for us now. She's killing it. If I have a pick to put Saxton anywhere, and this is going to be, this is going to sound so sacrilegious.
00:44:58
Speaker
I want to put, I would love to see him at the Cavaliers. o It was just thinking that exact same thing. I would love to see Jeff ride for the Cavaliers. And it would be, it'd be so fun. And the reason I say it's sacrilegious is because Michael, Michael Gaines wrote for them for forever yeah back in the early 2000s. And they're both absolutely geniuses. I would love to see Jeff at the Cavaliers. I agree.
00:45:26
Speaker
i I have no idea what's... I don't know what's going on. We need a bingo card. I didn't even know that he was on the market, they're saying. I thought he was staying at Crown. He's not really. He's not really. I just heard that a lot of people are like... I was under the impression he was staying at Crown, so... Yeah, probably. Yeah. Probably. So, I would love to see... i would That would be... If I had a pick that... I mean, sure, stay at Crown. If you if you like it there, stay at Crown, by all means.
00:45:53
Speaker
but if he's a free agent, quote unquote, I would love to see him at the Cavaliers because two geniuses- As an alumni, I would love to see that too. Oh, I know you would, Ricardo.
00:46:10
Speaker
Oh, I just want to jump in here right now and say ah this is a huge shout out to the general effect podcast. um And also the general reflect media. um And it's Montoya. Oh, gosh, I forget his first Daniel Montoya. Daniel Montoya. Yes. So please go and check that out. Go check him out. Go check out General Effect Media. But a lot of this information that we got, or at least I got, is from his website. Oh, sorry, from his YouTube channel and from the General Effect Media website. Can we pause for just a moment? Because I have to say, when that message came through the group chat with this website on it and it was all this information compiled, I was like, it is like we in the drum corps world have our own fantasy league. that Like people that play like the sports game. I was like, we have our own fantasy league and we are keeping up with like the drafts and all of this other stuff. And it is the coolest thing in the world because, you know,
00:47:21
Speaker
Back in my day, we didn't have this technology to know all of this stuff. We had to read Drum Corps Today and Drum Corps World and all those magazines to find out any kind of information. And that was once a month in the off season that you got this information. If that information was public and put out there. So now it's literally at our fingertips that there's an entire web page developed specifically to tell us where people are going and who are leaving drum course. I just think we live in a beautiful time. It is true. We live in a beautiful time. But speaking of that website, that website did say that the director your the academy looking for a new director. Ricardo, Nicole, you have any information on that?
Academy Drum Corps Leadership Search
00:48:07
Speaker
Yeah, so Mark Richardson, who is the actual founder of the Academy Drum and Bugle Corps, um after 21 years of ah grooming and growing his baby and then has become a full grown adult,
00:48:22
Speaker
Mark has decided to take a different direction in his life and step away from the Academy and and turn it over to someone new and fresh. So right now the drum corps is actively looking for an executive director. of Josh T. will remain as the corps director right now.
00:48:41
Speaker
wow But the drum corps, the board of directors is looking for someone to kind of man the helm of the organization as a whole. So hopefully the board president,
00:48:56
Speaker
um fraighter rich um you can send your resume to him if you are looking to fill that executive director position.
00:49:07
Speaker
Yeah and I think the qualifications are up on the arizonaacademy.org website. You can go and check and see but I mean you know the executive director if you're thinking about like what kind of job the executive director does I mean the executive director does everything for the academy. Like first of all it is a business it's an organization that that runs and works 365 days a year and it's not just the academy drum and bugle corps that you see you know, in the summer from from June to August. It is a thriving business that works with programs all throughout Arizona. um There is the Arizona Youth Color Guard that comes from that. um There are other multiple smaller organizations that come from that.
00:49:55
Speaker
But it is a full-time 365 day a year job and it's for somebody that is going to be tenacious and going to be out there and trying to raise money for the organization. um They have to be a parent for the kids in the organization as well as being a parent for the staff.
00:50:15
Speaker
and maintaining that bridge between the board of directors who, you know, are the stakeholders and the the people who actually make the organization run from day to day. So it's not something, you know, if you just like, oh, I just want to step into this thing and try to do this. No, like you are running a multi-million dollar year, multi-million dollar a year business, you know.
00:50:41
Speaker
and and the buck stops with with that person. So it's a huge responsibility. um No one's ever, I'm gonna say it out loud and I don't care, no one is ever gonna be able to fill Mark's shoes because that man, I like.
00:50:56
Speaker
As far as I'm concerned, he wants some water. You know, um I think I told that on the podcast before, you know, when I got hired, the conversations that he and I were having on the phone, I was just like, this man is awesome. And then the first thing that happened, I'd never been to Arizona before I got off a plane.
00:51:14
Speaker
He rolled up in his car to pick me up. He got out of the car, gave me a hug first and loaded my bags into the car. And I was like, this is my home. This is my new father. So it's gonna be hard to replace him. But you know, if you feel like this is something that you can do, by all means, go to arizonaacademy.org. Look at some of the qualifications to put in an application child. You never know, honey. We might be working together, Vixen. All right.
00:51:42
Speaker
yeah there are very few people who can do that job and i am not one of them that is that is it takes that is not my ministry no it's not there are yeah i mean shout out to every single executive director and core director out there because holy crap that is a that is nine jobs inside of one every two hours yes of every day and the and the next hour it changes to 15 different jobs uh-huh And um I have so much respect to the people who can do that because they gotta be people managers, they gotta be money managers, they gotta do all this stuff. They're nonprofit, they manage a massive, like you said, Ricardo, multi-million dollar nonprofit organization. yeah Yeah. So shout out to every single one of them. So I don't, hmm, I hate it. I would hate it if we already talked about this, but if not, yay. um But the mandarins.
Mandarins' New Percussion Staff
00:52:37
Speaker
They've had some, um the it's the box six crew um that have come in. And basically the only information I really do have on them is as far as they're you know changing or adding anyone to their staff, it's the percussion. So ah John Mapes is going to be the new battery arranger.
00:52:59
Speaker
ah Ian Grom is going to be the music coordinator and arranger. That's two arrangers for percussion already, okay? Keep in count. Connor, oh, sorry, Connor. Connor Usada, he is the percussion caption head. And then we have Trent Groenwald, who's gonna be the front ensemble arranger. They have three arrangers for their purposes.
00:53:29
Speaker
So yeah, that's gonna look, it's gonna look different, it's gonna look good. Yeah, and it's gonna sound different. um But that was a one big one too, because I knew the people ah in there before. And when I take a little bit of a look um as well, like I know that with Blue Knights, a couple of people have you know kind of slip flopped too, um as far as percussion goes. And I know I'm not the percussion person,
00:53:58
Speaker
But I see these people all the time, so I know who they are. Like Taha Man, he is now the perk caption supervisor. Love me some Taha. Love Taha Man. He's a genius.
00:54:15
Speaker
And then do y'all know Andre Edwards? you If you don't, you need to. He is now, I want to say the battery coordinator for Blue Knights. So they are, it's not that people are new, it's just that people's roles are shifting. um okay That's actually happening on in a lot of different. Yeah.
00:54:37
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Our very own Stephen is doing a big bass drum episode next week. So I'm sure he's going to get a lot of that juicy gossip happening. Um, so we'll could, you know, we'll, we'll wait and find out what's going on with that. Um, but right now we all have to set up for a run through. So we'll be back in a minute with our water redoing and gushing ghosts.
00:55:15
Speaker
Hey everyone, it's Jeremy, and here are your announcements coming from the box. Don't miss all of our bonus content, including On a Water Break in Rhinestones with your host, Lexi Duda, exploring the world of the Twirlers. Don't miss parades and drum majors at Step Off with your host, Jack Goudreau, and Get Lost in Translation with your host, Cynthia Bernard, exploring all the words that confuse all of us in the marching arts all across the world.
00:55:44
Speaker
and go behind the lens with marching arts photographers all across the country with your host, Chris Mar. Plenty more bonus content from On A Water Break, so listen anywhere you get your podcasts. If you want to be on On A Water Break as a guest, or you know somebody that would make a great guest for On A Water Break, email us at onawaterbreakpodcast.com or find us on social media.
00:56:13
Speaker
Okay, field staff, take it away. Let's reset. are
00:56:29
Speaker
Okay, now it's time for a little segment. We like to call, what are we doing? What are we doing?
00:56:43
Speaker
What are we doing? Okay, I'll go first. So, what are we doing, Old Navy? What are we doing hiring those people, whoever you hired, and I still can't find out who it is, to teach the like, you probably had them in and had them teach an entire like flag choreo to use one little up and over on a blue flag. What are we doing?
00:57:13
Speaker
So I've heard about this commercial. I have not seen it. You haven't. Okay. It's played all the time up here, like where I live. It's played all the time. ah I haven't seen it. I'm going to have to go look it up, but you know, that's typically how it goes. Like they always like bring in like a band or something and they have to learn all this choreography and stuff. And then they like use the least amount of actual stuff ever.
00:57:40
Speaker
Or it my all-time favorite thing is when they hire people who have no idea what it is and they're just like, we're gonna get you these ugly ripoff band uniform costumes and then we're gonna have you just walk around waving the flag with ugly hand positions on a flag. And we're gonna pretend like this is real band. And meanwhile, those of us who are in the world want to just stab our eyeballs out. Exactly.
00:58:09
Speaker
ah Speaking as somebody who's been on a reality TV show before with Color Guard, folks. Yes, I've been meaning to remind you about that, that I did see that. I did see that Project Runway bit. Nicole, you did what now? That's gonna have to be on another episode. It's too much to talk about, right?
00:58:30
Speaker
I'm calling you after this recording so we can talk about that. You didn't know that? I saw it. Ricardo, I need you to put me in on the ah on the conference call. I would love to hear about this. Got it. But yeah, so if you want it to look, and from this is Color Guard people, whoever, if you're ever in that situation, if you want it to look like Color Guard, you got to do it yourself. Yeah. And make sure still 16,000 can repeat.
00:58:57
Speaker
So anyway, Jeremy, what are we doing?
Copyright Strikes in Marching Arts
00:59:02
Speaker
So I know it's kind of an interesting topic in the community, the whole copyright thing, whether I mean, of course, the writers and the arrangers, they're they're wanting to protect their copyright on the flip side. How are we going to how are new people going to see the activity from, say, think about when you were younger, when you saw these clips on whether it was PBS or like Instagram or whatever, these clips of these groups and it's like, holy cow, they're so cool. I want to do that.
00:59:27
Speaker
If they're copyright striking every video that goes up, how are we going to continue? Like, how is that chain going to continue? You mean as far as like the old WGI DVDs and like VHS tapes, like that kids can't see those shows? Or they can go on like public, like, you know, like PBS, you know, public broadcasting system places be on TV. Like, yeah, I mean, some of this stuff's still around, but there's so much stuff that like older videos that just, whether it was, oh, we're selling it in these DVDs, and then we're never making another copy again. So many of these older physical copies never made their way to the internet.
01:00:03
Speaker
For other people to see and at this point that's becoming a lost media, which is just um so unfortunate. I know I will go down on this ship But I am so over this the whole nother like side that I probably shouldn't get into but I'm so over like the capitalism of everything and something that is so so like publicly rooted and like mostly geared towards kids and like this niche like population of people, we are missing out on it because corporations want to be greedy. And like at the end of the day, it's education. like it is
01:00:47
Speaker
it is pushing forward an art form and art should not be capitalized on. It's just sad. And I know that like we, with all of our modern social media stuff and like people are very creative and they like, you know, make their little videos of snippets and stuff, but then they dub other music that has been licensed to do it. But like, you I want to see shows. I want to see like what that moment was supposed to look like in its original intent. And I want,
01:01:13
Speaker
kids to be inspired by it. Like I want my students to look at stuff just like I did with my recording, my VHS recording of the PBS broadcast of DCI that I would come home every day and watch the cadets of County and the Blue Devils. And I would learn April Gilligan and Scott Chandler choreography and I would go outside of my yard and I would learn the whole entire segments of the show because I rewound fast forwarded every day of my life.
01:01:39
Speaker
Like I want the next generation of kids to understand what that feels like. Like they get the social media, like, oh, we did this clinic and we did a phrase to this, but like, I want show segments, girl. I want it. I want it all. I want horns blaring. I want drums banging. I want all of that. Oh my God, Ricardo, you're such a nerd. I love it. I am the biggest nerd and I am okay with it. I accept it. Yes.
01:02:07
Speaker
We found our clan or, you know, guess why I'm a nerd on a podcast talking about my nerdy thing that I love so much to nerd out to. So Austin,
01:02:23
Speaker
what are we doing? Oh God, this is going to get me in trouble. I already know it. um So what are we doing? What are we doing?
01:02:35
Speaker
firing staffs after one year at a drum corps. create um So let me ah let me explain this before before I get blown up on social media. I know I'm going to get a text message or two about this. I know it. But the bluecoats have it figured out. They've had that same staff for 10 years. And they're successful staff like guys. And the Blue Devils have had the same staff for how many years now? 40.
01:03:06
Speaker
Exactly. um Rule number 10, you gotta to let it cook. but hu Exactly. okay okay outside Okay, outside of the whole staff's doing or acting out and doing something not correct, such as behaving poorly. Sure. and That's a but completely valid reason. But for not getting the results that you want,
01:03:33
Speaker
in the first year of insert staff here, that is not a, in my opinion, that is not a reason, that is not a reason to fire somebody. so Give them a chance. It takes time to build a culture. It takes time to do things and build a foundation to make things happen in order to have your group become more competitively successful.
01:03:59
Speaker
that Yeah, yeah get on I will play devil's advocate with me. I know you would okay because where I agree with you there are gonna be other people Who are in those positions to hire and fire sure that are going to say, you know um well, maybe I You know what I mean? They'll have a laundry list of your things, you know? and that's how we're And that's kind of where it covers down to the whole acting inappropriately and in a certain way, like whether it be from like before, whether it be from staff to student or staff to other staff member or staff to up top. That's kind of where I like that's I mean, that's kind of where I cover that. Then I completely understand.
01:04:49
Speaker
But I think what is, and and the other thing that's happening too is like, you can wait to see those results. Cause when I see, when I hear about something like that, I mean, it's a, it's not one of, it's not a caption head position that and happens too. At least I haven't heard of it. Um, or a, uh, or a design or, you know what I mean? A designer maybe I haven't heard of that either.
01:05:18
Speaker
but like where you have, you know, a lot of like marching texts or horn texts or color guard texts and things like that. And if you have this one person who, you know what I mean? Has a laundry list of things and mind you, um is coming in kind of green, but also doesn't know like they're teaching, but they don't know if, you know, they don't know if they're being taught to.
01:05:45
Speaker
and or even either or either they're not on that bandwagon of, hey, I can learn a lot of stuff while I'm here. You know what I'm saying? Right. Yeah, I know what you're saying. And my my statement kind of applies to the whole caption head, like the whole staff thing. It doesn't necessarily apply to individual tech staff. Okay. um It applies to like, oh, um insert drum core here has fired their entire insert staff, enter insert entire staff.
01:06:15
Speaker
because the caption had got fired because the caption head wasn't getting the result that um or necessarily wanted. You know what I mean? Because there are countless individual um tech staff who um bounce around from drum corps to drum corps and they don't necessarily stay with one one family of staff per se.
01:06:40
Speaker
and that yeah I've I'm kind of one of those people like I've been at a couple different drum corps and I haven't necessarily had like a Quote home staff where I've been like I've been with the same caption head for years and years and years, you know what I mean? yeah but um Yeah, I mean I've had I've had times where I just didn't gel with the caption head and I was like, you know This isn't this isn't really working for me. This isn't working for you.
01:07:05
Speaker
I don't, I'll teach what you want me to teach, but I don't necessarily agree with it, but I'm going to remove myself from the situation. You know what I mean? Yeah. I, ah then I agree with you. Yeah. Yeah. I agree with you. It applies to the full, it applies to the full staff thing, right? Where it's like, okay. Like I'm going to, I'm going to use an example here. and This is a bad example because the staff was here for a while. Like when the troopers fired them, when the troopers fire their visual staff, um,
01:07:35
Speaker
it was it was kind It was kind of a shock to everyone. We were like, wait, why? Everyone was like, wait, why? But had that staff like had that staff been only there for one year, it would have been like, wait, they just had a lot more success. why did they get there's There's something there. There's something else there. Obviously, we don't know what happens behind closed doors. No one no one really knows unless you're actually there. But from an outsider's perspective, when I see somebody who's building that foundation, and then they're like, see ya. yeah um That's when I'm like, what are we doing? You know? Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. That's my hot take that I'm going to get in trouble. I know I'm going to get in trouble from that. I already know it. It's all good. It's all good. It's OK. It's an opinion. It is an opinion. But I am notoriously good at getting in trouble with my opinions. It's all good. Ricardo knows that.
01:08:30
Speaker
we should that woman from um housewives we should it's my opinion no literally no but actually um
01:08:43
Speaker
Is it my turn? It could be. I was going to say Ricardo, but if you're ready, girl, let's hear it. What are we doing? Actually, no, skip me. I'll be last. It's fine. Okay. All right. Ricardo, what are we doing? What are we doing about this damn heat, this humidity, and this rain?
01:09:04
Speaker
I cannot. It doesn't even matter at Sunday. We have for the last three weeks, there have been just monsoons. So much so that yesterday, my entire street was flooding. um If you are friends with me on the Book of Faces, my neighbor posted a video because I was standing in my front yard, which was under a foot of water. And I live at the highest point in the county. Can we put the video in?
01:09:32
Speaker
I know, we probably need to add that video on there. Hi, this is Ricardo Robinson-Channell from On A Water Break podcast, and I'm broadcasting to you live from my front yard, which is now Lakefront property. If you notice, we've been under several inches of water, and the water has receded, but we did have some neighbors who tried to drive through the water, and unfortunately their car did not make it. What's their heart? Well, come back for more live updates later on. Back to you guys. Let's reset.
01:10:03
Speaker
I mean, it is just every day there is lightning, there is a monsoon, and if that's not happening, it is like 5,000 degrees. i I know I live in Florida, I get it. I know it's supposed to be high here, but in the name of Jesus, I want to walk outside and not feel like I am walking through a pot of soup every day.
01:10:27
Speaker
Today was the first time that our marching band got outside and like was able to do a full block outside and rehearse stuff. And even though we were outside, it was 91,000 damn degrees. I'm not a toucan. I was not made.
01:10:48
Speaker
for this heat, I know. And I slept around in the desert all summer, teaching drum corps, and that was nothing. 110 with no humidity, I can do all day long. 85 and 9,000% humidity like it is in Florida right now, I am ready to punch a baby.
01:11:06
Speaker
I cannot. I'm going to play devil's advocate here. I will fight you. I will fight i know you. won i ki right Overall, in my opinion, based on what I've had in Orlando, not in St. Pete, where you live, I feel like this summer has been more mild than the past two. okay so So last summer, y'all got all the rain and it didn't rain here at all. And we were in a drought. This summer, we literally need a damn arc.
01:11:36
Speaker
we I am collecting blood to build an ark so that I can get to and from rehearsal and my house every day. but Because it has remained. Someone start saying, Ricardo needs a kayak. Go fund me. Please do. I do. I do. I need a kayak. I do. I'm over it. I'm over it. This year's been a show. I'm presenting. I need a kayak.
01:12:06
Speaker
All right, Nicole, are you ready? ah You know what? I'm going to do something. um So what are we doing? Actually, we'll go on what I'm doing right now, too. But what are we doing not making sure that we have enough? I mean, and this happened last year, but hopefully it won't happen this year. But and you know having making sure we have enough judges at all of our shows. Oh.
01:12:35
Speaker
Yeah. Oh, that's a good one. It is. um It doesn't. and doesn't It doesn't put more stress on the other judges. But I'll tell you that when that happens, though, sometimes they can't. There's not a replacement that can just be there you know in a second. um On the numbers side of things, logistically, ah somebody would have to either go with, you know what I mean? They would go without that caption score, or they double it from something else.
01:13:07
Speaker
um And I mean, in some cases, yay, maybe, but I think there's more cases of no, I don't want, you know what I mean? I don't want to double that. Making sure people are there. um And, you know, giving them the best information that they can get, just so they can make their programs better. How common has that been? haven't been in the I haven't been in the outside of like, it's not a very common thing. I feel like it was a lot more common this year than it has been almost ever.
01:13:39
Speaker
um Probably during o yeah during marching band season maybe um um Not a lot but some and as this gets like, you know more people are wanting to do it You're just gonna get a bunch of you're gonna get all kinds, you know, so That happens It does but you know what else happens our gushing goes. So let's go off to our gushing goes for the week. I job, everyone. Set your equipment down. Gush and go. Okay, I'll gush first. We talked earlier about the blue coats and their phenomenal staff. And I have recently just hired um a blue coat but staff member to do my choreography at Northern Valley Old Topan. She's a former guest. She's a former guest.
01:14:33
Speaker
on On a water break, she was on our Mother's Day episode, Jackie Yerkin, also a former student of mine. I told her in high school at Northern Highlands, so it's all coming full circle. I reached out to her in the summer when I realized I was losing my movement person who was a former student. And I said to her, um I would love it if you could do it, but I get it. You're super busy with fusion and everything else. Do you have a fusion member that might be interested in helping me out? And she said, I'll do it.
01:15:04
Speaker
So it's been a really, really, it's been a really great experience. The kids love her. She comes in with all that fusion gear on and they're like bowing down. um So yeah, so it's really, it's really been great. It's really been, you know, a welcome surprise. So welcome Jackie, you're okay.
01:15:26
Speaker
um Jeremy, what do you want to gush and go about? So I know it's just after Labor Day, it's the 5th of September, but audition season for next summer for 2025 is already underway. I mean, we've seen most of the world class corps is announcing either an interest form or like their actual registration for their camps. And we're even seeing a whole bunch of all age corps starting to announce their, they call it open house, but it's the same as a audition clinic, really.
01:15:56
Speaker
But we're seeing, what was it, Atlanta CV reading, ooh, Reading Buccaneers and Bushwhackers. They're all ready to go with their open house coming up in just a couple of months.
01:16:09
Speaker
Yeah, it's it's wild. It's just it feels like 2024 just ended a few months ago and it's already time to jump into. I mean, troopers kind of really jumped the gun announcing their show just after championships. But it we usually have a little bit of downtime before twenty the next drum course season. Yeah. Yeah. It's funny. It's just like, oh, I remember because I was just there. Oh, but let's plan for You know, troopers did not announce, however, maybe they're leaving in us hanging on this one, whether or not the sun crop will make another appearance this year. It better. I mean, it's now a member. It's called the final sunset. So it better be. However, they did say that they are, they did say something about hashtag original blue. So. Oh.
01:16:58
Speaker
Here, look at that. We'll wait and see what happens. Austin, why- I wonder if that's a uniform reference. That'd be really cool to see them back in their traditional blue. That would be cool. I know it's a uniform reference, for sure. Yeah, definitely. That's the anomaly now. Wearing an actual, like, traditional. Oh, right? Absolutely. Austin, what do you want to gush and go about? Oh, yes, I do want to gush and go. Speaking of the troopers, I do want to gush and go.
01:17:24
Speaker
Um, this announcement isn't out yet, but I'm going to announce it on here. Um, I am now the program coordinator of the troopers legacy core. Yeah. That's my friend guys. That's my friend. Nicole get on the staff announcement website right now. The legacy core. I'm not replacing Tim Snyder. I, there's no way I could possibly do that. I, and I'm not ready.
01:17:50
Speaker
um That's awesome. Congratulations. clear started yeah I'm really excited. um The core director, Tom Farr got on a phone call with me um somewhat recently and was like, hey, I want to talk about the next couple of years. And I was like, yeah, what's up? And then he and then it it was like a week later, like two hours before the call happens, he says to me this program coordinator document. And I'm just like, you want me to what now? And he was like, can you do it? And I was just like, I think if I have a little bit of help,
01:18:21
Speaker
And so I've talked with a couple of the other captions with the other caption head staff and I'm just like with the other, like the brass and percussion people. And I was like, and I got a, I got a new percussion staff hired in there and they're going to be great people. And I'm really looking forward to putting something together. yeah We're going to, I'm going to, so my entire goal with this whole thing is to keep it super, super fresh, but also pay homage to the troopers history. Cause that's like the whole, that's the whole point of the troopers core. You know what I mean? Are you guys getting a sun prop too? No, we're not that rich.
01:18:49
Speaker
yeah we make one that are like we for fall budget here true shape of all budget like They are however we are however gonna show up sound sport. Yeah, we are gonna be in the all-age division soundport in indian oh my love it yeah So we're going to try to, we're going to have some fun with that. I'm looking forward to it. And there's some other plans that are down the pipeline that we're going to try to do and it will be super fun.
Academy's 2025 Season Plans
01:19:16
Speaker
So yeah, I'm looking forward to this new adventure. A great time. And I get to and i get to work but with the home team still. So I'm excited about it. Excellent.
01:19:27
Speaker
Ricardo! Oh my goodness, I have two Gush & Go's. My first Gush & Go, I'm just gonna say the Lord is in a blessing business and I can't go into detail about it right now. So um listeners, you're just gonna have to tune in to the next time I'm hosting one of these. know Maybe I will share it with you then.
01:19:47
Speaker
But my real gushing goes since I just teased you with that. I just literally halfway through the recording of this podcast, I got off the first um design call for the Academy for 2025. And I am just so excited about the direction.
01:20:07
Speaker
that we're going to take the Korean next summer and just getting those talks going. you know Last year, I didn't get the job until like October-ish. So starting off the 1st of September, and we're already planning our little retreat away to start you know kind of programming stuff. I'm very excited about it. I was hoping you were going to tell us about your musical reveal.
01:20:30
Speaker
Oh my goodness, yeah, I did, I, okay, I can announce that today. um Yeah, I am very excited. I am one of the first ah few high schools that is going to be doing Hadestown for a musical this year. Yeah, Man. Yeah. I actually took my kids to see the touring cast of it last year. um I was blessed with ah one of the local theaters here, like the local,
01:20:57
Speaker
Broadway touring theater house. um The education director called me and was like, hey, I have tickets. Can you bring your kids to see the show? And I was like, yeah. And I took a bunch of my kids to see the show. And then the other half of the kids went to see it when they were on a choir trip to New York.
01:21:12
Speaker
So I have been in love with this show since before it made it to Broadway. I've seen it three times now, and I am going to get to like stage my own production of it this year. So, could be great. That's so cool. Oh good, excellent. Check out our social media, cause we had some fun stuff with how we did our reveal this year. So, Braden River Theater in Dance. I saw that video and I was like, oh my goodness, y'all do the most.
01:21:42
Speaker
The kids are great, man. like that like I leave that social media stuff up to them and they just run with it and I'm just like, all right, I'm gonna unlock the door and you go to town. I'm gonna sit over here and answer some emails. Y'all have fun. Create what you wanna do. Nicole, what do you wanna gush and go about?
01:22:00
Speaker
Mine's pretty easy. um I just want to gush and go, honestly, about it being almost spooky season time and it's almost fall and I get to put on more sweaters yeah and things like that. I'm sorry, but like I am not a summer. I will go out and do the summer things.
01:22:19
Speaker
And yes, I will go straight to the shower afterwards because I can't stand sweating. I can't take it. I can't take it. I'm ready to move so that I can be in a place to pull out my fabulous sweater collection. Because it's heat.
Halloween Enthusiasm
01:22:32
Speaker
I'm over it. Which is in November, Ricardo.
01:22:35
Speaker
for like two days. Yeah, I know. but We went to go get um you know spooky decorations and everything like that. so i'm And my neighborhood is the cutest thing when it comes to Halloween because everyone comes to our neighborhood. It's adorable. I love it. So um I'm just happy it's almost spooky season. Excellent.
Podcast Conclusion and Promotions
01:23:03
Speaker
Okay, well. It's called gush and go, not gush and stay, let's go. I do say that actually every time we have a gush and go at marching band, I do say it's gush and go, not gush and stay, so.
01:23:15
Speaker
Promote the pot got promote the pot where we can okay So all the tea is officially spilled and we'd like to thank our host Nicole Jeremy Austin Ricardo and our guest Ronnie for at least trying to come on But we'll touch base within really soon One more thing don't forget we have our YouTube channel now that has many of our interviews coming out as full video additions. Go and subscribe so you don't miss those. So before you close out of your podcast listening app, go subscribe, write us a review and share this with a friend. Follow us on social media at on a water break and we'll see you at the next rehearsal on a water break. Go practice.
01:23:59
Speaker
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01:24:08
Speaker
intro and outro music was produced by Josh Lida. To learn more, visit ridamusic.com. And until next time, thanks for tuning in.