Monday, July 16, 2012

Drumline

The movie Drumline starring Nick Cannon (Mariah Carey's husband) is a fun movie to watch.  If you haven't seen it, I recommend it highly.

The best part of the movie is the final battle when the "underdog" school goes up against the more popular school (receives larger endowments/donations).

A drumline, also referred to as a battery, is the percussion section that marches on the field as a group.   It consists of snare drums, bass drums, tenor drums and cymbals.  The pit or front ensemble of the band is stationary on the front of the field or wherever it will create the desired visual effect. 

Here is the clip....the drumline we are cheering for are in blue and yellow.




While my daughter was in high school, she participated in their marching band and I was able to experience it up close.  They performed at half time in football games, we marched in the Aloha Week Parade (I was a volunteer chaperone)....and they even marched in Disneyland in California....but by far the most memorable moment was when they performed at the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena.  Now that was awesome!

People from the Rose Bowl committee came to the high school and showed us a short film about the history of the parade and the queen selection process, even before we signed up to go on the tour.  The planning started a year before the actual trip.

Her high school put together a parents' tour which was separate...yet a wonderful experience for all.  Their goal was to let the students have their own experience (away from parents)...and still have the parents take part in the excitement.  The students stayed in a different hotel from the parents and rode in separate buses and yet we were still able to participate in the excursions they took....while all the time keeping separate from the kids. I thought that was a brilliant idea!

The floats must contain only fresh flora and fauna.  It was so fascinating because we got to see up close how the floats were put together.  Now when you see the parade itself you are truly awestruck!

We went to Mt. Rose to ski (BRR it was so cold)....and it was my first and last experience with skiing....thank God.  It was not a pretty sight.  It took me probably 30 minutes to suit up.  Now we were forewarned to wear these plastic pants over our jeans to keep out the cold and wet (Reality....I was so covered up I felt like I couldn't breathe).

We were trained on what is called the "bunny slope" and I took one ride down that slope and I was done with skiing.  Now the trick is how to stop....I had to throw myself onto the snow to stop and someone had to assist me with taking off the skis.  Who knew that skis are so heavy?  In the movies you see people carrying both skis on their shoulder....NOT.....I had to drag one ski and carry the other on my shoulder.  After that experience it was off to the clubhouse and a cup of hot chocolate!

What was even more memorable was the fact that my mom got to experience the fun too.  When I told her that we were going on this trip she adamantly refused to go.  Her health was already deteriorating by that time and she didn't want to be a burden.  So I agreed with her while all the time I already planned to purchase a ticket for her.  I could tell as the time for the trip got closer that she was regretting not going and about a week before, I gave her the tickets and spending money to gamble in Reno while we were off skiing.  She was so thrilled and was truly a trooper on the entire trip....she never complained and I had to practically carry her up the bleachers to see the parade from our seats at the top (now imagine me with a fear of heights trying to get my mother up there and all the while making sure my younger daughter was okay too)....but the entire trip was just that memorable.

Oh and BTW....my daughter's picture, along with 3 other select students from her marching band. was in the Rose Bowl program representing her high school.  I was (and still am) so proud of her!

As Bob Hope used to say...."Thanks for the Memory."


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