Thanks for your comments, Mr. Carroll. It's true that people can sometimes take rumors, not knowing how much is true, and see something unfair in them. Honestly, the few people I heard talking were emphasizing more the point that they wanted In Sync in the house to support the other groups rather than any complaints about some unfair advantage. Even on this point, we should remember that In Sync has always BEEN in the house for other competitions.
HOWEVER, I believe this mini-issue shines the proverbial follow spot on a much bigger problem, and that is the inequality, unpredictability, human fallibility and appalling lack of perfection that seem to plague this creature we call competitive show choir. To address these disgraces, I suggest the following policy changes:
1. Henceforward, all choirs are required to have students excused from the WHOLE day of school on competition days. This will ensure that students from distant schools don't have an unfair advantage from missing more classes and thus having less geometry and literature cluttering their brains prior to a competition.
2. All busses will be required to arrive 3 hours before the competition begins. Breakdowns will be disqualified. Every school in the near vicinity of a competition will be required to drive around town in their bus until they've driven as far as the most distant school.
3. There will be one sound check, for everyone, all at the same time, so nobody gets the advantage of going earlier or later. This might seem noisy, but it's noisy for everyone, and after all, it IS a SOUND check.
4. The excuse, "but they're teenagers! They might look brilliant on stage, but they're occasionally going to lose their pants (*cough JD*), or forget to put their earrings in their bag, or have an emotional cell-phone conversation with their friend (at least they THOUGHT it was their friend) who's now dating their ex-, or maybe fall asleep somewhere because they get an average of 5 hours of sleep per night" will no longer be allowed. Backtalkers will be disqualified and their parents flogged.
5. All performers must eat the same food before competition...let's say, McDonald's. Oh, wait.....they already do that.
6. The judges will be 1) the first person we find on campus at the nearest college or university; 2) the first homeless person we find under the nearest freeway overpass; 3) the first person we find working in the weight room at the nearest gym; and 4) Mr. Willert's son. Okay, that last one makes no sense, but it sounded funny to me.
Some other ideas I've been working on:
- Maybe we could institute some sort of a sports-style draft system.
- Maybe we should all do the same set, say Brea's set.
- If there are twelve choirs in a competition, there should be twelve divisions, with twelve 1st place trophies...and they shouldn't be letter-named, but color-named, or maybe animal-named ("We won FIRST in tortoise division, Dad!")
- John had a good idea: Since the two of us couldn't figure out a way to have nobody go first or last, he thought of a handicapping system, a la Vonnegut. The first group would perform normally, then every succeeding group would have to carry weights and wear ear coverings; more weights and thicker ear coverings the later you perform.
Oh, yeah: 7. No opinions are allowed, since this encourages value judgment. For example, I'm not allowed to say that IMHO BV should have won their division last night, even if I stress that I'm not saying anything AGAINST, Brea, Chula or Los Al, whom I love. The fact that I said it gets me banned from show choir for life and exiled from California.
That should help, what?
Other ideas are welcome.... as I said, it's going to take a lot to remedy all the disparity so we can start having fun....
Thanks for your consideration.
Dan
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" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" /> that's really amusing... i like the missing the WHOLE school day rule ;)
12 divisions with 12 first place trophies?? everyone's a winenr there... no arguement. [and no 2:00AM phone calls from random choir kids waking me from my slumber to rant about the competition... *cough JAKE coughh*]
hum... I'm just gonna write bout what i enjoyed @ DB...
El Rancho: I loved the closer it was really energizing and the costumes in that number were so cute! Bonita Vista: Your show this year is awesome! Oh and the new girl's costumes are so purtyful! It was really fun to watch ya'll... very different from last year but still very good Brea Olinda: There's an asian girl with glasses, she's pretty tall... very fun to watch her, she has so much energy on stage... Burroughs: Loved watching ya'll like always... except this time i memorized some choreo... . Can't wait till the next competition in which i can watch again... Oh and sirena and i decided that we want your dresses for prom Hart: "The Snake" number was so cute! me gusta mucho! Oh and the break dancers were awesome! Arcadia: "I'm in a Hurry" is so cute, i have that song stuck in my head... and... oh the duet both singers have such purtyful voices Burbank: you guys were flippin awesome! Whenever they announced for you guys during the awards me, diana, alex and ari were doing choreo from "In the Air Tongiht" in our seats..
Infusion: Don't be discouraged! We did great, especially for learning most of the music and losing 3 members in the past week, we came off stage glowing so... Just remember that we still have stuff to work on and a lot more competitons to attend. We made Cloud, Megan, Paris, and all of our staff super proud, so lets keep up the hard work and blow them away at TOC!
can we STOP talking about what happened with in sync missing groups..
we have heard BOTH sides arguments... and is no longer necessary.
so from this post on... i have a request:
-no more talking about bad placements
-no more talking about choirs missing other choirs performances
-no more talk of rumors
-take this whole situation and use it as a reminder of what NOT to do
-make this season the most intense and most AWESOME year EVERRRR
Is he saying that we don't? " border="0" alt="blink.gif" />   " border="0" alt="huh.gif" />
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Some midwest competitions have a LOT more groups in attendance, and at those competitions, most participants don't sit down at 8:00am, stay there through the entire event, and leave after the awards finish at 10:00pm. Our competitions don't have homerooms for the choirs; the large majority don't even have "meal" type food available - just small snacks like candy that you can grab in the five minutes between groups. That's not to say that either is better, or that anyone "should" or "shouldn't" do anything, but yes, there is a difference.
We treat our festivals like concerts with the understanding that there are exciting things happening on and off the stage. Groups are expected to watch most, if not all of the competition (though exceptions ARE going to happen, that is just life). We are also expecting our students to be respectful and supportive of other groups as well, regardless of your personal opinions about the material they choose or the choices they make.
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Is he saying that we don't? " border="0" alt="blink.gif" /> " border="0" alt="huh.gif" />
Hey tito, you don't have permission to call me that!! Only Robert. . . he was the one that, fair and square, stole it from Richard. he is the only one allowed to call me that. I've asked him not to do so, but whatever i do, he will call me that. . .
can we STOP talking about what happened with in sync missing groups..
we have heard BOTH sides arguments... and is no longer necessary.
so from this post on... i have a request:
-no more talking about bad placements
-no more talking about choirs missing other choirs performances
-no more talk of rumors
-take this whole situation and use it as a reminder of what NOT to do
-make this season the most intense and most AWESOME year EVERRRR
i love you all..
-jeff
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yes... i am quoting myself...
lets try my requests again... shall we?? ;)
ps.
QUOTE(aynakoitsjerm @ Feb 6 2005, 12:27 PM)
We have an entire competition season ahead of us. We know we did our best and there's no better trophy than self-gratification.
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well said.. that is the attitude everyone needs to have!
I think the situation isnt necessarily about the rules (the rules dont say anything about throwing stuff at the performers ::i think::, but no one would do it would they?) but more like decency and Sc etiquette...but whats done is done...but I want to hear some constructive criticism....
It's my last first show choir competition ever! Things have been pretty stressful lately over here in the land of Rowland (with finals, musical rehearsals, etc). It was pretty great that we all had the chance to just relax and listen to certain interpretations of beautiful music.
I just have to say that Burroughs sings wonderfully, Burbank's costumes are beautiful and very classy, Diamond Bar's stage presence is amazing and Hart has a very entertaining show (go Filipinos). Everyone did a great job!
It's alright Infusion! We have an entire competition season ahead of us. We know we did our best and there's no better trophy than self-gratification.
MAN, that totally sucked!!! I think if we all got EXTRA rehearsal time we all could have done better! Alot of us were really shocked and dissapointed that it happened. Missing one choir, i would feel bad, but missing 4 or 5...lol, crazy! Oh well, I guess what's done is done? " border="0" alt="blink.gif" />
KyLiE
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oh my goodness, i REALLY hope y'all aren't talkin about los al...i'm not sure if you are...but we WERE gone for a long time, but it was because we shared risers w/ bonita & our guys had to wait until their set was finished so they could strike the risers & load them on our truck. all the while, the girls were supposed to sort clothes & whatnot, but then that didn't work out...& yeah. but we didn't miss 4 or 5 choirs...so i'm not sure if we're who y'all are talkin about!!! if not, then just ignore this, but if so, i hope you can take what i've said into consideration, & either way....WE'RE SORRY!!!!
Again, I'd like to thank Dave for hosting a wonderful competition. I think he handled the evening very professionally and made a positive statement about what show choir should be as an educational art.
Perhaps there is an Aztec Sing backlash, but honestly, I felt as though the concert etiquette at the show on Friday was not up to the standards which we are striving for. There were FAR too many cell phone noises, catcalls during songs and just plain talking during group's performances. Tony was right when he stated that things are different here than what we hear of the midwest. We treat our festivals like concerts with the understanding that there are exciting things happening on and off the stage. Groups are expected to watch most, if not all of the competition (though exceptions ARE going to happen, that is just life). We are also expecting our students to be respectful and supportive of other groups as well, regardless of your personal opinions about the material they choose or the choices they make.
We are all learning, students and directors alike. I think we can continually do better, on and off stage.
Brendan
PS - I think the placings were quite correct. Everyone did a great job and improvements are noticeable!
great job burbank.. i loved your closer.. i was listening to it on the way up to diamond bar.. great song.. well deserved first place.. everyone else did great too.. it was good seeing all those friends.. and making some new ones.. like the burroughs people that were sitting behind me.. funny how everyone in there is like "oh i know you didnt you have a thing with rachel" as i give them an evil look lol..
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YAY! You guys were so awsome to sit behind!!! hehe...
If in place for their scheduled call-times - warm-up, performance, whatever - and not a disturbance to any other group or the ongoing competition, how a group chooses to use the time prior to competing should be entirely up to them. Watch the competition, dont watch it; think through the show, think of anything but; meditate quietly or fill-in-the-blank here - they should do whatever will have them most ready to perform at their absolute best. Only then can they be fairly and accurately judged.
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TScott,
There is much to this that you probably are not aware of.
I am glad that they weren't penalized (due to it not being in the written rules)
Many of the directors have already met and talked about this. It is now behind us, and hopefully everyone else as well!
Hey tito, you don't have permission to call me that!! Only Robert. . . he was the one that, fair and square, stole it from Richard. he is the only one allowed to call me that. I've asked him not to do so, but whatever i do, he will call me that. . .
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omg.. that sOoo adorable Jake... We ALLLL should call you that!!!!! " border="0" alt="laugh.gif" />
Uh, howabout Kim (our president) and I. Yes, it was us who suggested rent to our director...not jakey-face.
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Hey tito, you don't have permission to call me that!! Only Robert. . . he was the one that, fair and square, stole it from Richard. he is the only one allowed to call me that. I've asked him not to do so, but whatever i do, he will call me that. . .
Diamond Bar Spectacular 2005
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that's really amusing... i like the missing the WHOLE school day rule ;)
. Can't wait till the next competition in which i can watch again... Oh and sirena and i decided that we want your dresses for prom
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" border="0" alt="huh.gif" />
Things have been pretty stressful lately over here in the land of Rowland (with finals, musical rehearsals, etc). It was pretty great that we all had the chance to just relax and listen to certain interpretations of beautiful music.
MAN, that totally sucked!!! I think if we all got EXTRA rehearsal time we all could have done better! Alot of us were really shocked and dissapointed that it happened. Missing one choir, i would feel bad, but missing 4 or 5...lol, crazy! Oh well, I guess what's done is done? 
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