ONYX Part One: The Artistic Process

We are incredibly proud to present part 1 of our three-part documentary with ONYX!
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[@chaser22081]

I follow FloMarching for the drumming. This blew my socks off, seeing that same level of commitment that I see in Drumlines and Horn-lines going into dancing is purely incredible!

[@katiemetzler5612]

I love watching these people, I am a new guardist and I've seen Onix (2019) and they have really inspired me to be the best that I can be and I thank them.
Love from bellbrook middle School

[@hannaahoverholts980]

I cried Everytime I watched this show it's so cool to be able to talk to these guys

[@AlyssaGriffin1117]

And they say it's not a sport..

[@guardinst102]

Love everything this organization stands for. Inspired every year with your work and so grateful just to have a preview of everything that goes into it. Class A, for sure.

[@foodie_friend_dee]

This is soooo cool

[@AllStater09]

5:15 right here! Vodka me right here!

[@leardvr]

Wait in 30 years you'll look back and be 100. Looking good for 70 Michael Linz

[@jesuspectre9883]

Yay Onyx! This ridiculous video points out a critical weakness in the organization, and the activity as a whole.
This video is supposed to be about their artistic process, but it unfortunately reveals that these choreographers, designers and performers are not artists. The choreographers and designers focus almost exclusively on the technical and on the espirit de corps: their desperate quest for gymnastic innovation, their intensity, unity, loyalty, superb technique and passion for color guard. That's all great, but that's not art. Innovation, in itself, is not art. Passion for innovation is not an artistic statement. Innovation is a tertiary technical aspect of production, not an artistic statement in itself, and not something that a true artist openly admits he strives for. Innovation is fun to watch, but it has no artistic depth. Innovation is a byproduct.
Art is about conveying or evoking a universal truth about the human experience as lived or imagined. Art is about the meaning underneath, not just an innovative reverse jete jumping off a ladder which has never been done before.
What's the artistic statement underneath, here? What are you interpreting? The real meat of a show's depth of concept was found in the example of the Maya Angelou poem which was glossed over and only briefly mentioned as if it was a throw-away. That poem should be why you're here. That's your starting point, your foundation that the entire production revolves around. That is the artistic depth of your interpretive piece, but it comprised only fifteen seconds of the video. No other examples were given. That meaning underneath should be why these performers are here, but they don't seem to know it or care. That poem should the important nascence behind the philosophy of the production and the organization as a whole. That's the beating heart of it all. Instead, the group appears to be mired in the standard high school trappings of technical accuracy, equipment handling, intensity, emotion and innovation, and they can go on and on about their bleeding feet, and we can hear hours and hours about how they are doing acrobatic dance moves that make them feel cutting edge. But they have no freaking idea about their depth of concept, how the moves reflect the concept, or how the concept underneath relates to them personally, or how their vision of the poem (or music) resonates with them or the audience. That's where the artistic value lies. That substance is what the judges are looking for.
Drum corps and color guard is artistically broken, and this video proves it. Drum corps doesn't reflect the artistic process. It should start with a universal and unique observation about the world as we know it, and get interpreted into a work of art. But these kids are so mired in the technical, and drowning in their desperation to be "unique", that they have no artistic soul. The "soul" of every production every year ends up being about ride or die friendships, and comaraderie, and that "cool balance illusion we created", but nothing of substance that relates to the world around them. These Onyx designers and choreographers sound like haute couture fashionistas. Disconnected. Self-involved. Even the cast of Broadway's Cinderella can tell you the reason why they do the show, and it's substantial.
Without specific commentary on some aspect of the social condition, or the impact of some force on our lives, or the nature and purpose of some aspect of human experience that resonates with all of us, ONYX just becomes movement for movement's sake, without any substance underneath. You can't eat cotton candy for dinner.
Professional productions typically have an underlying artistic statement of purpose (sometimes unspoken) which clarifies a point of view about an aspect of the human experience that's relevant to performers and audience. That's what the production is about. Even if it's about how the weather outside can bring people closer despite their differences. That's what most artists start with-- a universally human observation. A need to illuminate the human experience-- to observe and reflect on it using your unique point of view. Not "how innovative we are." (Onyx's comment that they could use the same music each season and explore a new show from it each year digs their hole deeper.) Onyx's doe-eyed, freshly coiffed choreographers don't appear to care about the concepts underneath their performance-- those are of secondary importance. They care most about innovation in gymnastic illusions, applause from the audience, and whether their moves have been copied in other shows. Unforgivably vacuous.

[@aciresimpson5515]

Jesu Spectre your comment was so irrelevant from the first sentence I didn’t even read it. Periodddt

[@kennydreadfuls861]

I read your post. And I understand your point of view. That the focus on setting new standards in their gymnastics, achievement, choreography, staging, and concepts pulls the designer away from the reason art should be created: as a commentary on the human experience. Unfortunately, to win in World Class, you are trying to reach Box 6 which reads: “setting new standards”.
So as a competitive team, they have to constantly take risks, make bold choices, and fail spectacularly to create something special. They make the effort to be innovative because it’s how you climb the ladder. This is a sport OF the arts. Pieces are performed and judged on a set of criteria.
I have seen this team live at worlds for years, and a couple of the shows made me emotional. And Bizarre Bazaar has so many commentaries about gender identity, gender inequality, how we are all cut from the same cloth but it’s ok to be different, played around with archetypes, the objectiveness of beauty, and societal shaming of feminine men. That’s what I got out of it. And that was the “funny show”. Each worlds class teams show is an exercise in looking past the tricks and twirls and seeing if there is a deeper meaning.
And if there isn’t, no skin off their teeth, because that is not how our sheets work. So sometimes, you can just enjoy the twirls and tricks. Enjoy the talented people killing it out there, even if it makes you existentially bored. For me, I find a person achieving their very best and living their best life on the floor a wonderful part of the human experience.

[@jesuspectre9883]

@@kennydreadfuls861 Why aren't they talking about Bizarre Bazaar in this video? That theme about gender archetypes was their raison d'etre that previous year. They were artists with a unique, universal point of view. Their primary goal wasn't to "innovate." An artist doesn't announce that his primary goal is to "innovate". In Bizarre Bazaar, they had a social commentary, a fierce view of the world that needed to be shouted. That was an example of legitimate, substantial show and a pure, authentic artistic intent. That's artistry.

[@lukest.romain6208]

You comment on your every color Guard video. You’re such a fucking asshole.

[@jesuspectre9883]

@@lukest.romain6208 I will continue to comment on those productions that lack artistic merit. It's our responsibility to take WGI to the next level: to create shows of substance. It's simply not enough to have a show that pushes technical boundaries. For example, Cirque du Soleil shows push technical boundaries, but there's an underlying spine of meaning to their show. There is always a thematic argument underneath- that's what gives Cirque's productions depth and longevity. Why can't WGI rise to the next level? Ice skating routines have evolved to include themes and dramatic arcs. Hell, even bad performance art often has a clear artistic purpose and thematic argument underneath. Drum corps shows have evolved to include themes and substance, to great success.
--Why don't WGI dance instructors and choreographers explain the specific thematic meaning in their productions, even if it's abstract or subconsciously derived?
--Why don't WGI dance instructors and choreographers demonstrate a responsibility of interpretation?
--Why do WGI dance instructors and choreographers often rely on random four-count abstract movement without any tie-in to any theme of substance?
--Why do WGI designers create shows without any transformation by the end?
--Why don't WGI choreographers feel like they need to include the audience in the action of the show, and make sure it's relatable, cohesive and explainable?
--Why don't WGI choreographers and designers adhere to professional standards of meaning, substance, thematic arguments and artistic accountability?