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Who Are You Writing For?

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We’re now in the middle of the winter guard season and the competitive heat is on. Many instructors struggle with what to do with judge’s comments. You’ve probably been told that something in your show that you thought was great isn’t so great. Now you have to decide what to do.

We who judge like to think we have all the answers. But if you wait until next week, you’ll probably find another judge with a different answer. It can be maddening, but that’s what you get when you try to put an “objective” evaluation on a creative process. (Interestingly, in the “real world” people in various creative fields disagree ALL THE TIME and no one loses any sleep over it. It’s our own desire to create a definitive “best” that causes our troubles.) As the director/designer/instructor of your program, your job is to do what’s best for your students and the program. So, here are some things to consider:

1. How many judges are giving you the same feedback? NEVER make a change because of ONE person’s opinion (unless you agree). If you get similar comments from several people it may be worth taking a look at it.

2. Make sure you really understand what the concern is. If you don’t, you’re going to have a hard time deciding how to fix it.

3. How will the change affect your students’ performance? Is it something that will be easy to master? How will it impact the rest of your “to do” list and rehearsal schedule?

4. Do you have a BETTER idea. I’ve known groups to make changes week after week without any improvement because the changes weren’t better than what was there originally.

5. Will it matter? Do YOU think it will make the show noticeably better? Will you be rewarded numerically for your efforts (more points, higher placement)?

Sometimes instructors (especially younger or less experienced instructors) over-value the importance of the score and the judges’ opinions. Of course everyone wants to give themselves the best possible shot at competitive success, but you’re the one responsible for steering your program. No judge can tell you what’s best for your circumstances. They don’t know your students, your rehearsal schedule, etc. Even if you believe the feedback you’re getting is correct, it’s OK to make a different choice that’s better for your program.

At the end of the day, you’re primary responsibility is to your students. I would encourage you to make choices that give them the best chance of having a final performance that they feel great about. If they can perform with confidence and feel that they’ve fully mastered their show then the numbers won’t seem so important.


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