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I've noticed in the past few years more teams are setting cones up at mid-stage, quarters, eigths, and ends of the stage -- basically all over. I understand the use of these cones during practice to help a team nail its formations, but are they appropriate during a stage performance?
Here's an example I just saw (not trying to call out this team, it's just the most recent video I've watched)
In my opinion, the cones take away from the overall presentation and technical excellence that's required to really hit your formations well. It makes it seem like a practice. During run-throughs, you put sneakers/cones down and you also yell to one another to get into place or to do a move a certain way -- but you don't do that during the performance, why? Because it takes away from the performance as an effortless presentation of the team's skills.
My recommendation is to have the organizer put white tape down at mid-stage, quarters, and end of the stage (and center depth). A team should be able to execute their formations given those guides.
PS - Some teams have used props to demarcate the stage -- that's an interesting compromise which isn't as noticeably out of place as traffic cones.
Here's an example I just saw (not trying to call out this team, it's just the most recent video I've watched)
In my opinion, the cones take away from the overall presentation and technical excellence that's required to really hit your formations well. It makes it seem like a practice. During run-throughs, you put sneakers/cones down and you also yell to one another to get into place or to do a move a certain way -- but you don't do that during the performance, why? Because it takes away from the performance as an effortless presentation of the team's skills.
My recommendation is to have the organizer put white tape down at mid-stage, quarters, and end of the stage (and center depth). A team should be able to execute their formations given those guides.
PS - Some teams have used props to demarcate the stage -- that's an interesting compromise which isn't as noticeably out of place as traffic cones.