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Post by Jake W. on Apr 15, 2023 16:13:32 GMT -6
Warren was Warren. I feel like they've done the same choreography & weapon work since I started watching winter guard 15 years ago. But, they are always exceptionally talented spinners, and that's a pleasure to see every time. The artist in the center was mind-blowingly good!
Kiski was confident & great, welcome to World Class! An excellent, solid entrance into the class from this group. Loved all the little nuances brought out in the flittering, whimsical soundtrack. I feel like the sky is the limit for Kiski's future.
And, there was the pre-pandemic Center Grove we've all been missing! All 15 performers are just plain rock solid from top to bottom. It's a classic Center Grove design with high exposure and zero spots to hide, and every member delivers beautifully. What a terrific design for them to sink their teeth into. I don't think it will be too long before we see them pushing for the top 5 again. The goods are all there.
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Post by thewho on Apr 15, 2023 16:30:13 GMT -6
El Dorado was super interesting to watch! Felt a lot shorter than most but the choreography oozed so much character. Not sure how commonplace the maneuver is in winter guard, but the 4-rows with the variety of weapons going on was terrific.
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Post by srv1084 on Apr 15, 2023 16:32:18 GMT -6
Warren was Warren. I feel like they've done the same choreography & weapon work since I started watching winter guard 15 years ago. But, they are always exceptionally talented spinners, and that's a pleasure to see every time. The artist in the center was mind-blowingly good! Kiski was confident & great, welcome to World Class! An excellent, solid entrance into the class from this group. Loved all the little nuances brought out in the flittering, whimsical soundtrack. I feel like the sky is the limit for Kiski's future. And, there was the pre-pandemic Center Grove we've all been missing! All 15 performers are just plain rock solid from top to bottom. It's a classic Center Grove design with high exposure and zero spots to hide, and every member delivers beautifully. What a terrific design for them to sink their teeth into. I don't think it will be too long before we see them pushing for the top 5 again. The goods are all there. Exposure is the word that immediately comes to mind with CG. They have been fielding some very mature shows leaving absolutely nowhere to hide for any of the members. El Dorado has also made a fantastic entrance into World Class finals. I usually prefer when there is some visual reference you can tie into the show name or theme, so "Untitled" is a tough one for me. Still, I completely enjoyed that show for exactly what it was: fantastic movement and command of equipment.
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Post by cybrunette on Apr 15, 2023 16:38:29 GMT -6
El Dorado was super interesting to watch! Felt a lot shorter than most but the choreography oozed so much character. Not sure how commonplace the maneuver is in winter guard, but the 4-rows with the variety of weapons going on was terrific. They were also a part of the mass mid season promotions. Open class shows are about 1 min. shorter than world shows so that's where the shortness most likely comes in or your eyes were just glued lol
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Post by srv1084 on Apr 15, 2023 16:38:42 GMT -6
Cleveland! Oh my god! I still can't wrap my head around how this guard was in SO at any point during this year. The content is most certainly screaming top half of world class to me. The difficulty, variety, and musicality of their rifle work is stunning, and they ALWAYS have some movement happening while they're spinning. Simultaneous demand is off the charts, not to mention how DARING that final rifle toss was! WOW!
I'm also LOVING the nod to Blessed Sac's "Release the Hounds...tooth" show with the tutting sections in their show. Brilliant.
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Post by thewho on Apr 15, 2023 16:41:18 GMT -6
I actually found Cleveland to be a taaad sloppier than it was 3 week ago, but they haven't lost a step in terms of energy. Even with those drops, that is an experienced group who are supremely confident in their skills and they backed it up 100%.
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Post by srv1084 on Apr 15, 2023 16:43:13 GMT -6
I actually found Cleveland to be a taaad sloppier than it was 3 week ago, but they haven't lost a step in terms of energy. Even with those drops, that is an experienced group who are supremely confident in their skills and they backed it up 100%. Did it seem like they rewrote any of their show to up the difficulty? Only other thing I can think of is the gravity of the moment given their first time performing in World Class finals. I can't wait to see what they come up with in the future. This show felt like such a breath of fresh air.
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Post by Jake W. on Apr 15, 2023 16:45:13 GMT -6
Stoneman was great!! Dean Broadbent brought over his Flanagan magic and is matching it nicely with Stoneman's proclivity for entertainment & sky-high tosses. Love it.
All 20 members of the El Dorado unit and all 14 members of the Cleveland unit, as well as all parents & staff members associated with each, should be absolutely beyond themselves with pride. Both bumped mid-season, both landing in the top 10 in SW Finals (and potentially doing so ahead of perennial big names) if they hang onto their seeding placements from Semis, both ending with just phenomenal performances. I guess El Dorado was really finding their footing in their second season in SW class when Covid hit, and Cleveland's equipment skills blew me away in SO Finals last year, but any way you slice it - two magnificent additions to World Class Finals!!!! I am super interested in the future for both groups.
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Post by Jake W. on Apr 15, 2023 16:49:48 GMT -6
Exposure is the word that immediately comes to mind with CG. They have been fielding some very mature shows leaving absolutely nowhere to hide for any of the members. El Dorado has also made a fantastic entrance into World Class finals. I usually prefer when there is some visual reference you can tie into the show name or theme, so "Untitled" is a tough one for me. Still, I completely enjoyed that show for exactly what it was: fantastic movement and command of equipment. I agree, and I felt the same! Not usually my jam but wow that show was captivating from start to finish. The group just moved as a combined unit soooo fluidly, and had a terrific way of holding you in the palm of their hands. The little vignette grouped at the back of the floor and then expanding into units of 4 was perfection. A quick glance looks like they've got Rosie Queen either consulting or designing or both - so that's a win.
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Post by mk72 on Apr 15, 2023 16:50:32 GMT -6
West Broward using 3 Rosalia songs. I love them to death
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Post by srv1084 on Apr 15, 2023 16:51:04 GMT -6
Someone said "Bring the Party" and West Broward understood the assignment. How could you NOT be dancing in your seat if you're in that Dayton crowd?
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Post by thewho on Apr 15, 2023 16:52:26 GMT -6
I actually found Cleveland to be a taaad sloppier than it was 3 week ago, but they haven't lost a step in terms of energy. Even with those drops, that is an experienced group who are supremely confident in their skills and they backed it up 100%. Did it seem like they rewrote any of their show to up the difficulty? Only other thing I can think of is the gravity of the moment given their first time performing in World Class finals. I can't wait to see what they come up with in the future. This show felt like such a breath of fresh air. You'd be asking the wrong person, unfortunately. I can't really quite comment on any of the rewrites. I do know that they had a few near-misses then (but still caught) and it seemed they'd be able to clean it up going into Worlds because the show clearly came easily to them at that point. I saw a few drops that they otherwise made then.
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Post by thewho on Apr 15, 2023 16:53:33 GMT -6
West Broward using 3 Rosalia songs. I love them to death Of course it had to be the Miami group that did Rosalia!
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Post by mk72 on Apr 15, 2023 16:58:54 GMT -6
Oh my god, the Northview uniforms are STUNNING; just as stunning as the performance they just gave Loved everything about that show!!
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Post by srv1084 on Apr 15, 2023 17:00:28 GMT -6
Y'all... Northview's been around for a minute, and that was probably my favorite show of theirs. They have to be up there in appearances alongside Center Grove and Miamisburg, right?
This finalist field so far has been incredible, and the variety is incredibly enjoyable.
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Post by Jake W. on Apr 15, 2023 17:06:03 GMT -6
West Broward & Northview are such gusts of fresh air to the class, and both accompanying incredibly memorably & engaging designs with crazy high levels of demand. I am thrilled to see both groups thriving for two similar reasons: WB failed to capture their pre-Covid magic last season, and I was worried it would take them awhile to find their footing again. Obviously, nothing could have been more wrong. Thank god!! SW needs WB as a thriving member. They are now venturing into iconic territory having put out 4-5 fan favorite shows, and I'm beyond happy that they found their way back to that. For Northview, I was so worried that when Ruth Ann Medworth finally retired a few years back, staying a few seasons after her husband retired from leading the band, that they would falter as well - Northview and Ruth Ann Medworth were synonymous names for the last 200 years, and she literally built the program and had farm girls spinning at the top of the class for decades. I don't know who took up the mantle, or whether it was a group of alumni & instructors who did, but clearly, the program is in wonderful hands, and that makes me so happy. And holy hell have they found their new niche the last two seasons as the classic rock group.
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Post by mk72 on Apr 15, 2023 17:09:21 GMT -6
Wow, Miamisburg. WOW. These incredibly talented performers made their intricate and difficult look like child's play. I am equally stunned and also not...bc it's freaking Miamisburg Bravo!
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Post by thewho on Apr 15, 2023 17:19:35 GMT -6
Think Arcadia just stole cleanest performance thus far.
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Post by tarheel36 on Apr 15, 2023 17:19:52 GMT -6
Wow. I have loved every minute of this. Every group is INCREDIBLE.
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Post by srv1084 on Apr 15, 2023 17:21:08 GMT -6
Think Arcadia just stole cleanest performance thus far. Agreed. Easily Arcadia's best show as a SW finalist.
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Post by mk72 on Apr 15, 2023 17:22:33 GMT -6
Nearly every toss was a smack in Arcadia. Absolutely incredible!!
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Post by srv1084 on Apr 15, 2023 17:28:42 GMT -6
That's 4th?
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Post by thewho on Apr 15, 2023 17:30:09 GMT -6
Granted, this is my first time seeing them and there's been quite of talk this past season of Avon in 4th and... That's 4th?
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Post by Jake W. on Apr 15, 2023 17:30:31 GMT -6
I'd really like to see TW hang onto their bronze medal from last year, and this isn't my favorite Avon show ever, but that was just about the tightest performance Avon could've possibly given. No one knows how to throw down in Finals like Avon does - in all facets of their music program!! That just could not have been cleaner. Movement, attitude, timing, equipment work, all of it just...perfect.
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Post by mk72 on Apr 15, 2023 17:30:45 GMT -6
Not that anyone else has totallyyyy said this already but, we sure Avon was 4th?
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Post by cybrunette on Apr 15, 2023 17:31:23 GMT -6
That's 4th? Their semi run wasn't as clean iirc.. but they definitely won't be trailing by over an entire point after that run!
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Post by tarheel36 on Apr 15, 2023 17:40:14 GMT -6
WOW! The timing and environmental challenges! The clarity!
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Post by mk72 on Apr 15, 2023 17:40:48 GMT -6
Holy Woodlands.
I don't think I've personally seen a show that creates such a unique of an environment as that did. Impeccable design + an arguably more impeccable performance.
They. Killed. It....and that was only 3rd?
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Post by thewho on Apr 15, 2023 17:40:52 GMT -6
THWS:
Bag: not fumbled. How dare you remotely think of that in the first place.
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Post by Jake W. on Apr 15, 2023 17:41:27 GMT -6
Wow, TW & Avon....take your pick. Both just mind-blowing. Such talented groups.
On an aside from today, watching TW's meteoric rise to the top of SW Class under Cynthia Robbins' direction has been pure joy. They are a deeply, deeply, DEEPLY talented group, and now among the best in our activity. I hope they stay at the top for years to come.
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