Marching Stuff from Tawnya

Hello!

Thank you for a couple of very productive and fun rehearsals this week!  We have five more rehearsals to tighten things up and bring out our best! 

Our next rehearsal is Thursday, May 2nd! I would like us to be outside for both the standing concert music rehearsal as well as some marching.  Please plan accordingly for our ever changing and beautiful Oregon weather!

With regards to marching here are some basic reminders:

·       Counts one and three are on your left foot.

·       Mark time:  marching in place, just your heel comes up.

·       One long whistle and four short will start us marking time.

·       One more whistle starts us moving forward.  (No need to high step march)

·       During the parades there will be various and many times, that you will have to mark time while we wait for the parade to resume it’s pace.

*guide center in your rows (use your peripheral vision to keep your lines straight)

*guide left when making a right hand corner turn

*guide right when making a left hand corner turn

 Please don’t drift on turns, think about how a gate opens and closes.  When we are turning left the person on the right end controls the pace of the turn, they have the farthest to “go”.  Likewise, when we are turning right, the person on the left controls the pace of the turn.  No one should feel like they are running. 

 A long whistle and the number of whistles that coordinate with our song will indicate that a roll-off will start.  I will also hold up the number of fingers that indicate the song we will play. Band members should also hold up the number of fingers so the message of what song we will be playing will get all the way to the back of the band.

1-Boogey Shoes

2-Louie, Louie

3-Thriller

If we need to stop for some reason or it is the end of the parade, I will indicate that a halt will need to be played by holding up a closed fist.  Most likely, we will mark time beforehand and wait for the halt.

Looking forward to Thursday!

Tawnya