Basics

From JPSBand

Basics are the fundamentals of good marching on the field.

Contents 1 General Principles 2 Warmups 3 Attention 4 Marking Time 5 Halt 6 First Step 7 Backwards 8 Dress 9 Slide

General Principles

• Look the part: If you look like you know what you're doing, even if you actually don't, the audience will think you do
• All steps in a movement are the same size! Corollaries:
  • First step must be a full step
  • Last step must be the same size as the others
• Recover: Recognize your mistakes, then move on
• Do not let instruments bounce.
• Basics is cumulative: Don't forget what we did yesterday!
• PUSH before beat ONE!

Warmups

• Pedios: Practice for the backwards step. Heels up: lift toe.
• Torso-twist: Sidways step

Attention

 1    2   3   4   | 1
"Band Tan Hut And | (Hit)"

• New format this year! Feet form V, 30 degrees apart.
• Posture (rib-cage is up, chin is raised)
• No movement: discipline!

 1    2     3       4     1
"Band Horns Down/Up And | (Hit)"

• Snap = Instantaneous

Marking Time

 1    2    3   4
"Mark Time Hut Check"

• Start: Feet apart

1. Right foot straight
2. Left foot straight (both feet are forward now)
3. Hit right heel
4. Hit left heel
5. Etc.

Heel comes up (an inch)

4/4: R  L  R  L
     1  2  3  4

Halt

                - placing -
 1    2     3    4   | 1
"Band Ready Halt And | ONE"
          Place: LEFT  RIGHT

• Last step with right foot is a close not a full step

First Step

• Push before beat one
• Hit on the beat
• Weight moves by beat one!
• Consistent step sizes
• If you get on the wrong foot, do a double
• Roll your feet!
• Take a good first step

4    +   | 1   +     2   +
PUSH AND | HIT CROSS HIT CROSS ...

Backwards

• On your toes
• Do not lean back (slightly forward is good)
• Use upper leg, NOT knee
• Do not separate feet
• Do not point heels inwards
• Heels do not hit ground!
• Close to the ground (glinding)
• Roll into beat 4: place (left, right)
• Steps forward tend to be longer than steps backwards

Dress

Dressing means making sure everything is straight.

• Dress file / Cover file: Vertical
• Dress left / right

Slide

• Rotate your entire torso: shoulders and hips
• Keep feet parallel
• Don't kick leg out