It's Simple.....Dream Big
Dream Big It's the Lord's desire for you to Dream big In everything you say and do You'll see your greatest dream come true 'Cause all of Heaven is dreaming big for you — Willie Davis
When pondering this blog topic, I was reminded of this song (Dream Big recorded by The Martins) that my wife and I listened to about 20 years ago and this blog was motivated by my work with clients/watching high school marching band performances in my area. I want to encourage every band director/staff to DREAM BIG! Have a small band? Dream Big! Have a large band? Dream Big! Have a limited budget? Dream Big!
Dreaming Big doesn’t necessarily look the same for every group. To me, Dreaming Big means not settling for, “what we’ve always done.” Dreaming Big is asking the question, “What can we do this year to make it special/different from all the others?” Here is an example. I hope to not offend any of my colleagues in the local band director ranks, but I see complacency all around me. And here is where I think the root of the problem is. Too many high school marching bands around here are awarded Superior Ratings (this could also be true in other areas of the US). I’ll delve into the topic of standards at a later time…….After a few years in the business, band directors learn what they must do to get that Superior. They do that for a few years and the Superiors begin to add up. If I’m one of those band directors whose only motivator in programming/rehearsing my marching band is getting that Superior, I begin to zero in on how that looks and I do just that. Year after year I’m just kind of repeating/replicating that level of effort, research, rehearsing, coordination, etc. I’m not growing as a musician, a coordinator, or maybe a teacher. I’m certainly not growing as a DREAMER. More importantly, my program is staying right where it is and not growing the way it could or should. This creates a huge “Creative Rut.” Not a Groove. A Groove is something completely different from a Rut. And not blaming all directors for falling into this trap. Some directors face pressure from band parents and/or administration to get that Superior.
So many times, I see good ideas that are not fully developed in a production just because the director/staff didn’t go far enough. They didn’t Dream Big enough. The idea stops at the music selection. Or it stops at the coordination of 1 or 2 drill sets/body moves. It may stop at the introduction of a character that just doesn’t go anywhere. The idea just doesn’t ever move to completion. I touched on this topic in my last entry: The High School Design Season Part 3: COMMUNICATION. If you think about those field productions you’ve seen that really made an impression upon you, chances are they weren’t just performed well, but they had complete ideas. Ideas that were communicated completely and clearly to you as an audience member.
When I say Dream Big, do I mean that there has to be a giant prop on the field? No. Does it mean there needs to be props at all? No. Does it mean spending thousands and thousands of dollars on custom arrangements, staff, and visual design? No. It just means to try something new.
Maybe it’s leaning a little about props and organizing parents/students to build them.
Maybe it means really spending the time/effort to generate a show idea and explore it thoroughly musically, visually, etc.
Maybe it means expanding the amount of colorguard equipment in your inventory so your students have the option of expressing a larger variety of moods.
Maybe it’s identifying the strengths of your ensemble and building the program around them as a centerpiece.
Maybe it’s identifying the areas of your ensemble that could use development and making sure an appropriate amount of the production is dedicated to that end.
There are SO many ways to Dream Big! Dream Big and then find a way to make it happen!
As a designer, I want to work with directors/staff who aren’t afraid to Dream Big.. To go places they haven’t been before and make the effort to do something special. Something performers and fans will talk about for years to come. If you want to Dream Big, call me. —DB