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3538 Peoria St #500
WELCOME
to the 2025 edition of the Dot Book for drum majors! If you’re reading this, it is for one or two reasons:
You want to become a drum major of the Blue Knights.
You want to learn how to be a better drum major for your program.
By extensively highlighting and breaking down the Blue Knights’ approach to being a drum major, this book will help you on your path to either or both of these goals. Understand that by taking the leap to be reading this right now, you have already set yourself apart and acted upon a calling to better yourself for those you may serve. While there is no one single way to be an effective and consequential drum major in the marching arts, this book walks through the approaches and techniques which have worked and continue to work for the Blue Knights. Our approach has been continuously developed throughout our 60+ year history, being passed down and built upon progressively with the coming and going of each and every iteration of our drum corps, as well as with the drum majors which served them. What you are about to read is the culmination and current manifestation of that journey, and we truly hope you benefit greatly from reading it.
PART ONE
conducting
THEmost outward facing of the responsibilities of a drum major is that of being a great conductor. An impeccable communication of time to the ensemble is an absolute must in terms of skills, both in clarity and control. While the total role of the drum major may truly only hold a small portion in conducting, it is absolutely essential.
In our audition process, it is not necessary to enter the audition with any specific level of skill in conducting. Rather, we look for those with an open mind who learn and adapt quickly, and can demonstrate a solid understanding of the fundamentals of conducting after the learning portion of the audition. Conducting is much more easily learned in a short amount of time than the nuanced aspects of effective leadership.
With that, this section of the Dot Book will walk you through the fundamentals of the Blue Knights’ conducting style. Starting from the very beginning with posture and the set position, you will be able to follow along through written text, diagrams, and a number of videos to help you understand the technique and execution we are looking for in our drum majors. No matter your skill level at the moment of reading this, it is incredibly important that you learn starting from the very beginning; the concepts build upon and rely on each other as you get further in the material, and in many cases are specific to the style of the Blue Knights. Know that there are many great approaches to conducting, and the approach you learn here does not discredit any others; it is a detailed explanation of the style and technique that we know to work best for us.
If there is one constant approach you must take through this learning process and onward into your conducting, it is to always be relaxed. Before we get started, and as you read and practice along with the material here, make sure your body is free of tension and your breathing is normal and calm. It is common to tense up and breathe irregularly when learning how to conduct for the first time, or facing new approaches. As you are conducting, constantly monitor yourself: do you feel tense? Can you breathe? One of the best tests of this is trying to talk while conducting. If you are sufficiently relaxed, you will be able to talk normally; if not, you will find it very difficult to speak while conducting. Stay relaxed!
TOstart, a conductor must absolutely have great posture. Posture is the foundation for successful conducting not only because of the power of presence, but because conducting is an athletic venture which requires you to support your body in the right way to avoid getting hurt. Dependent on the position of your shoulders, elbows, hips, and more, you may be exerting far more effort than you need to, or you may be applying far too much unnecessary force on certain muscles or joints. Incorrect or counterproductive posture can lead to compensating with unneeded use of muscles and unneeded movement in joints. We want to make our conducting as efficient as possible to save energy and prevent needless wear and tear on our bodies. Approaching conducting with the mindset of being efficient and safe sets us up for success in the long run, both in terms of our health, and in the end product. The following video works through the details of the posture we want to achieve while conducting:
The most important things to take away from what you just watched:
• Your shoulders must be over your hips, which must be over your ankles.
• Your chest should be pointed slightly above horizontal.
• Your shoulders should be back; if a line were drawn from shoulder socket to shoulder socket, that line should cross through your body, not in front of it.
• Your shoulders should be kept down - away from your ears. Relax.
• There should be almost no tension in your body.
Set Position
After a solid posture has been established, the next most important foundation is in your set position. This is your home base, your go-to, and your default. You’ll go here before you start reps, after you finish them, and ideally this will be the position you hit on every beat. The following video works through the details of finding the appropriate set position for you:
Important takeaways from this video:
• Your forearms should be horizontal, or otherwise stated: parallel to the ground.
• Maintain all parts of the posture you built earlier.
• Your elbows should be slightly in front of your torso, and only about a fist length away from your sides.
• Your hands should resemble a relaxed handshake position; you don’t need to squeeze your hand, but there shouldn’t be space between your fingers. Allow your thumb to sit neutrally.
• Walk through the build up of your set position frequently to check back in on yourself: hug the tree, middle fingers touching in line with your belly button, leave the elbows where they are and rotate, and then make small adjustments as needed.
Movement Through Space and Time
BEFORE we look at patterns, it is absolutely imperative that you understand the approach to moving through space and time. This is where what you learn here will likely differ from other resources; we focus extensively on exactly how our hands and arms move, as opposed to focusing most on where they move. The reasons for this are simple. We want to make our conducting as easy as possible to both read and predict, and we want all of our drum majors to look as similar as possible.
We take an approach known as “natural gravity” conducting, where we move our arms in a way which as closely as possible mimics the natural movement of objects falling from the pull of gravity. To best picture this, imagine dropping a bouncy ball, tennis ball, or basketball on a hard surface; what happens over the course of one bounce? Starting from the top, the ball has zero velocity the moment that you let it go. As the ball is pulled by gravity and falls towards the ground, it acceleratesor, it speeds up continuously until it hits the ground. In this way, the point at which the ball is fastest is at the very bottom when it hits the ground. Once it hits, it will then bounce back and leave the ground at the same speed it hit with, just in the opposite direction. On the ball’s way back up, it will decelerate (continuously slow down) until it reaches the top again and has zero speed. The cycle then repeats. This is the cycle we mimic with our conducting - our hands become the ball and follow the same pattern of accelerating and decelerating into and out of our ictuses (the point(s) where our hands articulate the beat). o visualize this, find a ball with some ability to bounce and observe how that ball moves at the top of its path, at the bottom, and in between after dropping it. Focus mostly on the first few bounces after the ball is dropped. If it helps, try to take a video from a distance of the ball bouncing and watch it a few times!
In the real world, there is obviously a loss of energy when bouncing a ball, where the ball will not return to the same height we dropped it from. However, in our conducting we pretend our “ball” is bouncing perpetually in an ideal world. Otherwise stated, it will repeat the very first bounce over and over again.
There are three other common approaches to moving through space and time: moving with constant velocity, “reverse” gravity conducting, and the “wait longer, move faster” approach. All of these will be explained and demonstrated in the next video for the purpose of comparison. The reason why we find the natural gravity approach to be superior to others
DID you know?
Members of the Blue Knights receive a printed washer, known as an enzo at the end of every season. This tradition started in 2013, when the enzo (Japanese for circle) was a recurring theme in the show “No Beginning, No End”. Members typically wear their enzos on necklaces suspended from shako links. New members receive their shako links from veteran members at the end of spring training.
Movement Through Space and Time
is because of how extremely predictable it is. We want our peers on the field to be able to easily anticipate our conducting, as opposed to having to react to it. People inherently understand what it looks like when something falls due to gravity, and we want to leverage that understanding. You have nearly two decades of experience in watching things fall!
Choosing any common movement approach in general when in a team of conductors is actually the most helpful thing to do in order to get each member of the team to look the same. Have you ever watched a group perform, and wondered why the drum majors look so off from one another, even though they seem to be hitting their ictuses at the same time? It’s almost certainly because they aren’t moving through space the same way. They may be at the same place on the beat, but at every other point on the way up and back down, they are in different places. Independently this may be fine, but when moving back and forth between watching different conductors, this can be detrimental to the performers on the field!
The following video walks through a demonstration of what natural gravity conducting should look like, what other movement approaches look like, and an exercise to make sure you understand the approach we’re looking for. The next video after this one will expand on how to accomplish this style of movement. This video is a demonstration for reference: Takeaways from this video:
• Accelerate all the way into your ictus, do not slow down.
• Spend most of your time at the top part of your pattern, and spend the least amount of time at the ictus.
• Different tempos are simply that video of the ball bouncing sped up or slowed down.
First corps photo, 1958
ABOVE
we explored what your conducting should look like, and what you are trying to achieve. With that in mind, we are now going to break down exactly how to achieve that. What muscles do we use? Exactly how do we involve our joints? The exact mechanics behind conducting in any particular style are incredibly important to explicitly think about as you form your familiarity with that style. You want to learn it correctly the first time, as it can be difficult to backtrack in order to fix bad habits.
Let’s start with joints. You have two sets of joints in question here: your shoulders, and your elbows. These are the two in which you have a choice in how to use; we’ll get to the wrists later. Your shoulders and elbows have two ways to be used: they can be moved in space, or they can be rotated. The video below isolates different cases to demonstrate this principle:
Some of the most common problems people have in marching conducting is that they go too far into one extreme, as seen in the video. Someone might always conduct by only rotating their shoulders and moving their elbows, while someone else may always conduct only by rotating their elbows and doing nothing else. Both of these put restrictions on how far someone can go in their conducting, and make it much more difficult to achieve a natural gravity style of movement. The truly correct approach to joint movement lies in the gray area of involving both the shoulders and the elbows at the same time. Because there are infinite combinations of what this might look like, we use two rules and one guide to narrow down what our specific combination of these movements should look like.
The one absolute rule of joints is to never move our shoulders in space. The center of our shoulders should remain static in comparison with our torso and head. The first and major guide here is to imagine a flat plane in front of you running from the floor to the sky, such as looking at a wall. When in the set position, this plane crosses through your hands. As you conduct, your hands should not leave this plane, though they can move within it. Some incorrect combinations will lead to your hands leaving the plane and getting closer to your face. Other incorrect combinations will lead to your hands leaving the plane and moving outward and away from your body. We want our hands to remain in the same plane that they started in. The second guide is that the palms of our hands should be facing nearly directly outward on the upbeat before beat one for any pattern which is not intentionally very
The Blue Knights were invited to perform at Ronald Regan’s inauguration in 1985.
small. This ensures that we give a very clear and distinct signal that beat one is about to happen, and it also serves to guide our hands in order to better achieve the correct combination of elbow and shoulder rotation. The following video demonstrates all of these concepts in detail:
A recap of the rule and guides:
• Rule: The shoulders never move in space.
• Guide: Our hands never fully leave the flat plane which crosses through our hands in the set position.
• Guide: In any non-small pattern, on the upbeat before beat one, the palms of our hands should point directly outward.
Body Mechanics - Muscles
Just as we have dissected how we engage our joints in detail, we will do the same for how we engage our muscles. Which muscles we use and when we use them will play a big part in both how we move through space, and how much effort we have to exert while conducting. Keeping in mind that we want to conduct in the natural gravity style, and that we want to be as efficient as possible to avoid over exerting ourselves, there is a specific approach we need to take.
Our starting point is establishing a hierarchy for when we involve our muscles depending on how large our pattern is. Looking at one extreme, when we are conducting with an incredibly small pattern, we should think about only using our smallest muscles. This means using just our forearms, while avoiding using our chest and back muscles. As we build our pattern to be larger and larger, we should avoid using our chest and back muscles as much as possible, until it can not be avoided. This is typically only when conducting in extremely large patterns, and/or extremely fast patterns. Why do we take this approach? Why would we avoid using our back and chest muscles when these are obviously our strongest? Also, why haven’t we talked yet about how we articulate our ictus or flick our wrists? The following video explains these in detail, as well as the exact approach to using our muscles:
A recap of the rule and guides:
• Prioritize smaller muscles first for sharper movement, and to avoid unnecessary fatigue.
• Use as minimal chest and back muscles as possible.
• Avoid any and all continuous use of muscles. Most energy should be expelled instantaneously at the ictus.
• Expend almost all of your effort on the ictus, and stay almost entirely relaxed everywhere else: “99% on the ictus, 1% everywhere else.”
• Do not explicitly think about flicking your wrists; by turning your arms around fast enough, and not having too much tension, your wrists will naturally lag behind and create enough natural flick for a great articulation.
Now that we’ve broken down the approach to achieving the correct mechanics to support our conducting, we’ll want to practice and know if we’re doing this correctly. There is one specific exercise we can do to test our approach, which works mostly on the ability to accelerate all the way into our ictus without slowing down. This exercise is highlighted in the video below:
NOW
that we have our mechanics down, we will break down our patterns. Patterns display the current meter, and as you will always be using at least one pattern, these are key to master early on. There are two kinds of patterns, used in distinct situations. The first group of patterns is referred to as point time, and is used for when we are conducting slow to mid-speed tempos, up to around 160 bpm. There are three patterns for the main meters: 2, 3, and 4. Illustrations of these patterns are shown below: Patterns
Patterns
THE
following video will exemplify these patterns in motion, walk through key concepts to be aware of, and provide an exercise for practicing patterns on your own:
Key takeaways from this video:
• Our ictus is always in the same place.
• Direction changes should be as instant as possible.
• Our hands should follow straight line paths.
• When conducting in 3 or 4, our hands should not cross on the inward motion.
• When conducting in 4/4, the and of 1 should be half the height of the and of 4.
• Any meters above 4 can be conducted using a combination of 2, 3, or 4.
The other category of patterns is referred to as stop time conducting. Stop time is used for when the tempo is around 160 bpm and above. This type of conducting trades a slight amount of information shown for added clarity, and thus is more efficient in terms of energy you need to spend as a conductor. In an even meter, such as 2 or 4, the concept is to be fully stopped for every beat that you are moving. In an odd meter, specifically 3, you do not actually stop, but still change patterns. The following video explains these ideas and more in detail:
Important concepts from this video:
• All beats must still be communicated - do not flow through even beats such as 2 and 4 when conducting in an even meter.
• You can practice articulating even beats by starting from rest and repeatedly pulling away as quickly as possible.
• In an even meter, you must be stopped for as long as you are moving.
• When conducting in 3, you will have two distinct ictuses.
• In 3, your primary ictus (count 1 and 3) can be brought inward.
Countoffs and Cutoffs
Our ability to command the use of different patterns with ease is the final layer in building the base of our conducting. After we have developed this skill as well as all of those before it - great posture, a solid and consistent set position, and proper mechanics - we can move to using these skills in context. In context, when conducting a group, we need to be able to start reps, and thus comes the countoff. Likewise, we need to be able to signal the end of sustained notes either in the music, or at the end of a rep. Thus comes the cutoff. The following video explains the mechanics and approach to these two tools:
• A countoff is always in 4/4, regardless of what the starting meter of the rep is.
• A countoff happens eight counts before beat one of the rep.
• A cutoff always starts two counts before the actual cutoff.
• Do a double-pump for slower temps, and a single-pump for faster tempos; you do not want to be late for the cutoff.
• Still pass through your ictus at the appropriate time when flowing through for a cutoff.
• Rather than completing the circular motion of a cutoff, come to your typical position you would be in on the and count before beat one, and then come straight down.
• When doing the “pump(s)” before a cutoff, consider a different hand position to signify that the cutoff is coming.
Flourishes
AFTERwe have found our grasp on everything above, and can conduct with comfort and clarity, only then can we begin to add in additional flourishes to our conducting. That idea is absolutely crucial: do not add in extensive flourishes until you have an incredibly comfortable grasp on your base technique. Our job as conductors is first and foremost as a clear and accurate communicator of time. If you are not yet to a place of clarity and comfort, adding additional “extras” to your conducting will only make your technique and subsequent clarity suffer. Jumping into cueing, extensive expression, etc is obviously enticing, but you must walk before you can run. However, once you do get the point of adding to your conducting, and you are absolutely sure you are ready, it is important to GO FOR IT. Do not only partially sell what you are putting out; if you make the decision to do something, you have to fully DO it, and sell it. The energy and confidence you put into your flourishes are a huge part of their effectiveness. With that, this section will briefly cover some of the simpler forms of expression and additional flourishes you can add to your conducting lexicon. The following video will walk through some of these add-ons in order of increasing difficulty:
Key points, and a recap of introduced add-ons:
• You must maintain great base technique and communication of time as you add additional flourishes.
• Ask yourself: are you adding something for you, or for the performers on the field?
• Lower body: feel free to move your lower body by changing feet positions, moving around on your podium, bending your knees, and more. Keep your lower body from just remaining static.
• Rotation: without having to adjust your upper body, you can rotate from your hips to create great enunciating effects.
• Facial expression: the best thing you can do is to not allow yourself to do nothing with your face. Openly express what you feel. This might feel awkward at first, but it is actually more awkward to do nothing or half-sell what you are feeling. Open yourself up and go for it!
• Size of pattern: this is one of the easiest and best ways to add to your conducting. Start by practicing the extremes, and then fill in the spectrum between.
• When cueing, you must signify that the cue is coming before it actually happens: there must be significant visual prep before the moment of the cue. It is in this way that a cue is truly the prep into the moment you are cueing.
• When utilizing any kind of hand independence, the right should almost always remain giving solid time. The left hand primarily gives all cues.
• When cueing, this right hand keeping time must be as clear as before cueing; clarity can not be sacrificed for cueing.
• Different hand independence cues: dropping a hand, pointing, the fist, and a corkscrew.
THISconcludes our breakdown of the Blue Knights’ conducting technique starting from the very beginning, and up through the basics of expression. This is a lot of information to receive, especially without immediate feedback. In order to develop your capabilities as a conductor, you must practice on your own. Performing in front of lots of people or leading a rehearsal is a lot of pressure, and not the ideal place to hone conducting skills. The absolute best advice you can be given for practicing: find a mirror!!! Truly, having the ability to watch yourself while you conduct can allow you to grow so much faster in ability and style. If you don’t have a large enough mirror, use your computer and turn on the camera to watch yourself on your screen. Being able to see what you look like, comparing yourself to what you would like to look like, and being able to experiment in a low-stress environment is crucial to developing quickly.
In addition to practicing and watching yourself conduct, you can watch videos for ideas, inspiration, and guidance. In line with the information you’ve seen here, we have some videos which capture the Blue Knights’ conducting technique in action. Use these videos as guidance and inspiration as you work on the information you’ve received here. As a note, some of the moments of expression and stylistic choices made in these videos have not been directly talked about here, but are just within reach of what has been. Even with the same base in technique and knowledge, conductors develop their own style through the choices they make in expression. Take these videos as examples of the Blue Knights technique, and as examples of possible stylistic choices in expression. Happy watching!
DID you know?
The Blue Knight’s iconic Dots uniform was designed in 1991 by corps alumni David Lacy and were inspired by the United States Air Force Academy ceremonial uniforms. 1991 marked the corps’ first appearance in Finals.
PART TWO rehearsal facilitation
OF COURSE
the job of a drum major, even just on the field, does not stop at conducting. Though the extent may vary group to group, drum majors must also assist in leading and facilitating rehearsals to ensure they are efficient, smooth, and focused. For us at the Blue Knights, we ask a lot of our drum majors, as they handle giving the corps most instructions coming from the staff, as well as the overall pacing of the rehearsal. Being able to translate the thoughts of the staff into meaningful information for those on the field is both an art and a science, but understanding your show to the fullest extent is most of the battle. You must know how the music relates to the drill, how this relates to the metronome’s programming, how all of this relates to rehearsal markings, and more. This is a daunting task when unassisted, but thankfully we have some tools we can create to help us. In comes the count sheet.
AS WE
have taken an extensive look at conducting so far, there is another tool that drum majors must use on the field to create an effective and efficient rehearsal environment: the count sheet. The count sheet is an effective way to help facilitate running a rehearsal, and can be made multiple ways. We will take a look at what we have found to work best at the Blue Knights, though of course the ideas presented here can be used to craft your own format and style. In this portion, we will go over three different sheets that each serve different purposes:
• The basic count sheet
• The drill sheet
• The master sheet/programming sheet
• The Basic Count Sheet
The basic count sheet allows the drum major to know the conducting patterns and meters, section specific markings, and the tempo, without having to directly follow the score. Generally, this is used when first learning the music, as it is very difficult to simultaneously conduct and flip the score pages on your own. The basic count sheet is a quick and easy reference that one can follow when first learning a piece of music.
• The numbers in brackets represent the meter.
• The number outside the brackets is the number of measures.
- If there is no number outside the brackets, that indicates one measure of that specific pattern.
• The tempo markings are listed underneath, exactly where they would change within the music.
- If there is a decelerando or accelerando, those are also noted within the basic count sheet.
The Drill Sheet
THEdrill sheet allows the drum major to understand how the drill and music line up in terms of starting and stopping points. This allows the drum major to give more complete sets of instructions, letting the members know both where they are starting in the music, as well as what set that correlates to. Different from the basic count sheet, this takes the sheet one step further to include the set numbers.
DID you know?
• The first column is the set number.
• The second column is the correlation to the music.
• The sets can also be written in the score, but this abbreviated version. allows for a quicker reference.
The Blue Knights’ home show, Drums Along the Rockies, is one of drum corps’ longest running shows, having been held every year for the past 56 years (with the exception of 2020). Drums Along the Rockies also holds the distinction of being one of DCI’s few shows held in a pro football stadium, sharing home field with the Denver Broncos for the past 30 years.
The
Master Sheet/Programming Sheet
THEmaster sheet allows the drum major, or anyone else, to program a metronome for rehearsal. The metronome is the most important tool for any group, and programming the metronome to exactly match the score and tempo(s) is an important skill. The master sheet gives the exact tempos, counts, and memories necessary to program a metronome.
• The first column is the starting point in relation to the music or set number.
• The second column is the loop.
-This is the exact number of counts in that memory.
-In the case of a decelerando or accelerando, the loop is important to be able to accurately match the tempo changes.
-The number in parentheses is the loop specific to that letter chunk, the number outside the parentheses is the cumulative loop
• The third column is the tempo.
-This includes any tempo change that is either made over time, or instantaneously.
• The fourth column is the memory (working with a DB-90).
-The memory saves all formatting for the tempo, the style, and the loop.
-There will need to be a new memory for every individual tempo change.
PART THREE leadership
THISportion of the packet will introduce some of the major leadership philosophies of the Blue Knights.
As an organization, our number one commitment is to providing our members with positively life changing experiences. Nothing else matters more in our organization than this, and that is reflected in both what we look for and ask from our leaders.
The role of a drum major varies from group to group in terms of how much responsibility is given to direct leadership. Some groups prefer to have their drum majors serve primarily as conductors, while others ask their drum majors to take on far more abstract responsibility in leading. The Blue Knights are absolutely the latter. Though we do expect our drum majors to be excellent conductors, we view this to be only a small fraction of the total role. We give an incredible amount of weight to the drum major position in our organization at its minimum, but leave the role open ended at the top for those who want to take it as far as possible. In other words, at the very least a Blue Knights drum major is expected to be a leader at every turn in their role, but the sky is the limit with how far it can be taken. The material seen here will reflect that.
Because this book is intended both as a learning tool and an audition preparation, we do not want to go into extreme detail of exactly what we are looking for in our drum majors. The reality is that there is no one set of capabilities and personality traits that we are looking for. Because in any given year we have a team of multiple drum majors, our approach is always to find as well-rounded of a team as possible. There are many types of leaders and many ways to be a leader, and we both recognize that and reflect that in how our drum majors are chosen. We have no interest in molding you into some predetermined persona; we have every interest in guiding you and supporting you in realizing the best possible version of yourself as you truly are. Keep this in mind as you read this section - do not try to memorize the material here to attempt to regurgitate in an audition. These are concepts to be aware of and to guide you in thought. If you are reading this for your own information, the same sentiment applies! The information here is not a guide on what to do as a leader, but a compilation of thoughts and realities to be aware of as you form your own approach to leadership. This is also in no way a comprehensive collection of thoughts, but rather a collection of what we feel to be some of the best items to serve as a catalyst for further thought, and move your attention to the most crucial areas of student leadership in the Blue Knights’ style.
ONsome level, there must be a base identity in leadership style - one all encompassing philosophy or guiding principle that all other thoughts and choices can be derived from. In the world of marching music as a student leader, that base identity is servant leadership. At its most basic level, servant leadership is the philosophy that the primary goal of the leader is to serve those they lead. Leaders are servants first, and a conscious choice brings them to want to lead. This style flips the typical leadership script by putting the people you lead ahead of power.
Being a servant leader requires you to constantly ask; “how can I make the experiences and lives of those around me better?” or “what can I give to make the situation better for everyone?” Such an approach may not always come naturally, as often we as human beings have an affinity for power, recognition, and status for ourselves. However, in the context of the marching arts, it is futile and unnecessary to take up these pursuits. As a student leader, you will have no true power of authority over any of your peers; you will only have the power of influence if you build respect for yourself. When attempting to achieve recognition, from whom are we wanting this recognition? Is recognition from outside the group you lead at all meaningful in comparison to recognition earned from within? What kind of meaningful status does a title bring which holds no true power, and only the room for opportunity so long as you are willing to rise to the occasion? This is why the pursuit of self as a student leader in the marching arts as a primary driver has not, does not, and will not work.
That isn’t to say that a leader must be all-sacrificing in the marching world with no hope of personal gain or fulfillment. It is exactly the contrary. Taking the path of being a servant leader can be one of the absolutely most fulfilling experiences our activity has to offer. By helping other people, setting them up with the best possible environment for success, giving yourself to guiding and mentoring free of ego, and ensuring a positive and life-changing experience for others... you can unlock social and emotional connection, self-appreciation and realization, large-scale changes for the better, and so much more beyond what you may have ever thought possible from one activity. The difficulty lies in the fact that the journey of being a servant leader is one of playing the long game. Whereas self-serving leadership can be instantaneously gratifying, this is fleeting and shallow. Being a servant leader requires building trust, being “in the trenches” every day, doing the hard and dirty work, being aware of others at all times, and putting the interests of the group ahead of the interests of yourself at nearly every turn. This takes time, patience, and incredibly hard work. In an activity which almost defines “delayed gratification,” this takes it even further. While the journey is long and challenging, the end result is beyond gratifying.
Through every detail, advice, truth, and experience we can put in our toolbox of leadership skills, being a servant leader is the base and driving philosophy every step of the way behind us in our journey.
Horn line, mid-80’s
EMPATHY
is a person’s ability to both understand and share the feelings of others. Empathetic leaders create a culture that encourages collaboration, transparency, shared values, and a greater sense of purpose. When empathy is a core value, it impacts an organization’s culture at a foundational level. Empathy is at the heart of servant leadership. It is an essential skill based in active listening, transparency, and demonstrating authenticity and a connection at a vulnerable human level. Being able to be vulnerable with those you lead and empathetic in their struggles, experiences, and perspectives allows you to better understand both them, and their environment and how it affects them. Empathy at its best creates an acute awareness of others and a trust granted in you by those others. When you understand those around you and their experiences, you are better equipped to mold the current environment and make decisions which will have significant impacts on your peers.
Leading by Example
There are many high standards in the marching arts: standards of performance, standards of conduct, standards of work ethic, and more. As student leaders, there is a lot of pressure to uphold these standards in our organizations. When tasked with doing so, we have a wide range of paths we could take, but none so much serve us better than leading by example.
By meeting all the standards you wish to see met by all of your peers, and unwaveringly doing so, you are creating a culture and environment that expects these standards to be met as a norm. Not only expects them to be met, but does not do so blindly or hypocritically. You are creating a culture where the standard is consistently modeled, and always present as something to aspire to be. As a leader, you have a deep social responsibility. What you do is magnified and emulated throughout your program, especially from the youngest members. People will naturally look to their leaders for what to do in a given moment, and what they see will often determine the upper limit of what they themselves will give.
This is a truth of being a leader in this activity. You are always a leader at every moment, and always being watched as someone to emulate. The decisions you make in how to carry yourself and how to do your job have an impact far beyond just yourself. Always ask yourself, “if everyone was doing what I’m doing right now, what would that look like?”
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.”
- Aristotle
Guard members, 1995
KINDNESS
is a primary influence over the culture of an organization. By having strong kind leaders, this attitude is perpetuated through an organization, with the members responding to each other in the same way.
People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
-Maya Angelou
Student leaders are often tasked with upholding order in their organizations through some form of granted authority. However, this authority is largely superficial and lacking true backing, and our peers recognize this on some level. Save for moral objections, why do you not openly commit crimes? You fear the consequences. The same can not truly be said here; what kind of consequences can you enact on your peers for not adhering to rules or standards? Likely all you can do is escalate to a staff member, which is the exact same as any other member could do. It is in this way that your authority as a leader is based almost entirely on a social contract between you and your peers upheld by trust and kindness. Your title is merely the opportunity to prove yourself worthy of being the other party in this contract. People will honor what you say and what you ask of them when they respect and trust you.
THATrespect and trust is not easy to gain and uphold as your end of the contract, and while there are many approaches to achieving this, one stands above the others: kindness. Treating others with respect, giving them a voice, being patient, and recognizing everyone’s humanity will take you far in having your leadership and guidance respected. People should want to willingly follow you and respect what you have to say. Given the structure of power in student leadership, this is absolutely the most effective way to have your “authority” respected, albeit very difficult.
While it has been proven that “good people consistently get superior results,” as leaders within an organization, we walk a fine line between leading with kindness first, and being not taken seriously by our peers when the context requires it. We must effectively lead those that exist within our own social circles. A gentle approach to leadership and promoting the principles of kindness and empathy help to come over that barrier, but an environment that is too relaxed can lead to a tendency for some members to take advantage of this kind disposition and leadership style. When we see something that must be addressed, we must address it then and there. Even though you are with your peers, and even still while maintaining a policy of kindness, you must recognize situations that you must rectify in the immediate, no matter how uncomfortable confrontation may be. Allowing that which should clearly not be let slide to go unaddressed out of fear for losing social standing is actually counterproductive. When people notice that you will allow yourself to be stepped on or walked past, you will lose respect and the cycle will continue. You must be able to lead with kindness while still remaining steadfast to your principles and that which is right, even when it is socially uncomfortable.
A word of caution: we must be careful of the extent to which our kindness is perceived as (and is) genuine. People can very easily sense fake interaction/kindness that is used to persuade or manipulate. We must take this idea to heart; leading with kindness requires a genuinely kind disposition and real, connective human interaction. Often in the heat of a season we throw the human element of a situation out of the window because “we just need to get stuff done”. Always reminding ourselves of the humanity of the people we lead, their real emotions and feelings, and the impact we have on them will keep our interaction genuine.
DID you know?
Self Awareness
ASa servant leader, it is extremely important to understand yourself both in terms of your own strengths and weaknesses, and in your preferred approaches and philosophies.
Take inventory of your own strengths and weaknesses, and figure out how you fit into your section, into the rest of the leadership team, and into your overall program. Like we said earlier, we are not looking to create molds for leaders/the drum major team. We want to build the most well-rounded team to best serve the program. Each person has their own skills and passions to leverage.
The job of a student leader in the marching arts is already complex and wide reaching, and the expectation that any one leader should be excellent or even perfect in every bit of this space is both unnecessary and detrimental to everyone. There is a team of leaders, and a team of drum majors for this very reason. When someone is able to focus much more of themselves on that which they truly excel at, or are truly passionate about, they will better be able to do this job and serve those around them. When you have a team of people doing this, and you’re able to cover as many bases as possible with different leaders, this can be an incredible phenomenon for both the leaders and the organization.
It is because of this that knowing yourself is absolutely crucial on your journey as a leader. Recognizing your own passions, strengths, and limitations can help you see opportunities to leverage both yourself, and others in specific situations.
To assist in this, we have provided a quick exercise on personal evaluation and self awareness. This is just a short sample and a potential pace to start in exploring yourself. Remember, no one has to live with you for as long and often as you do! It’s worth it to get to know yourself!
In 1990, after narrowly missing finals after a heartbreaking drop from 12th in Quarterfinals to a 13th place finish in Semifinals, the corps would sing “I Go On”, a selection from that year’s production featuring Bernstein’s Mass. “I Go On”, a song about continuing forward despite tough times and obstacles, would later become the official corps song, and is sung by the members after every performance.
Self Awareness
Rate yourself on each of the qualities listed below
A rating of “1” represents your weakest ability, while “10” represents your strongest ability (Each number may only be chosen once)
“If you act the way that you want to be, then you will be the way that you act.”
Another great test-based tool that we highly recommend is the “high 5 test” which is a free strengths test online that has been used by millions of people. Again, of course none of these numeric or algorithm based examinations are all encompassing, but they are great places to start and use as a launching pad for diving into some deep thought about yourself. Being self aware can absolutely be liberating as a leader.
We highly recommend taking this test if you are reading for your own information, and ask that all those auditioning to be drum majors please take and record your results to give us even more information to help in getting to know you.
YOUrob yourself of the opportunity to truly lead when you spend your time trying to mold yourself into the image of what you think people in your role are inherently supposed to do.
Early in someone’s exposure to the activity, they might describe a drum major/section leader/captain as someone who is stoic, a solid disciplinarian, hardened, emotionally unaffectable, and a great executor of tasks and demands. Many leaders find themselves trying to fit rigidly into this box when they are first starting - and this can make it incredibly difficult to ever feel truly fulfilled, or effective. A leader can begin to truly find their stride by simply looking around for that which is most needed around them, and propping themselves there using their own personality and set of strengths.
You can find your place not by distancing yourself from your identity, but by leading with it and leveraging from it. Not by trying to fit a preconceived image, but by focusing your effort where you feel it is most needed using your natural personality. Being great at your “job” is always what you should strive for, but who is to say exactly how it should be done? If at the end of the day you can get all of the expected boxes checked, why must you follow a certain path to get there, and why stop at just the expected checklist?
You are your most effective as a leader when you are simply yourself.
Building Relationships
Groups that trust each other work together to accomplish more. Cultivating relationships among your specific section and entire program is vital in creating a culture and a community. As a servant leader, build those relationships and promote self growth and awareness. By building a community, you are amplifying the voices of those around you, and indulge in building meaningful relationships that carry trust and investment in one another. Not just this, but you will find it personally so much more rewarding and fulfilling when you truly know your peers. Get to know the amazing people around you!
No one experience stands out in my memory more than the knowledge of being a part of a group of dedicated people who gave birth to an organization that has weathered the test of time for the last thirty years. I was honored to have been given the privilege of being one of the original directors. In that position, I was able to touch the lives of many young people, encourage their self-esteem and help prepare them for adulthood. This goal was accomplished through discipline, organization, music, marching and participation in the total drum corps experience. Most of these young people have taken their place in society and have made us all proud of them.
Ray Route, Founding Director, upon the 30th anniversary of the Blue Knights in 1988
Communication and Collaboration
EFFECTIVE
communication and effective leadership are closely intertwined. Leaders need to be skilled communicators in countless relationships within the organization. We need to think with clarity, express ideas, and share information with a multitude of audiences. You must learn to handle the rapid flow of information within the organization, and share in a timely manner with your peers. Not everyone communicates the same way, and not everyone receives information in the same way. Knowing your audience and tailoring your communication to that diverse audience is what can separate immature leaders from mature leaders. In the digital/technology age, communication has changed dramatically; electronic methods of communication now often represent the majority of our communication. However, as an organization, we must recognize this isn’t always the most effective medium.
“That which is the most efficient, is not always the most effective.”
If you are to err, err on the side of over communication, rather than under communication. Granted many leaders will have to hold confidential information, but when able to trust your best judgment, the more benign information those around you have, the better they can often find the best way to fit themselves into the greater puzzle.
Know that while leaders are often expected to have all the answers, you often will not. When in this situation, rather than materializing a partially true or even “hopefully” true answer, realize that it is okay to admit that you don’t know. However, you can almost always help to find that answer: “I don’t know, but I can find someone who does” is one of the best responses you can ever give, and can help you and your peers immensely. Always remember to follow up, no matter how trivial!
GREAT
leaders have mentors and are mentors themselves. Trying to do great things is difficult. Trying to do them alone is, more often than not, is impossible - especially if you think you alone have all the answers. We learn through mentors and mentorship; both are tools that can be used to improve leadership skills. By mentoring, we are able to train ourselves to focus our full attention on others and improve our listening skills. It can also broaden our perspectives; being able to see things through others’ eyes, and learning from them. By being mentored, we are subscribing to the idea that no matter our role, age, skill, etc, we never stop learning and should never stop learning. The moment you believe that you know everything is the moment that you stop growing and immediately hinder your effectiveness. As an organization, we benefit greatly when everyone is empowered to lead and learn, and we are able to see from the perspectives of others.
Developing Leaders Around You
In order to maximize your effectiveness as a leader, and the strength of your program, you should invest in building up your peers as leaders as well. If everyone is dedicated to maxing out their potential, success is inevitable. If we are called to “build leaders” around us, there are four simple guidelines:
1. Appreciate them for who they are.
2. Believe that they will do their very best.
3. Praise their accomplishments.
4. Accept your personal responsibility as their leader.
It takes a leader with a vision to see the future leader within someone else. A servant leader focuses primarily on the growth and well-being of people and the communities to which they belong. The servant leader shares power, puts the needs of others first, and helps people develop into leaders themselves.
Qualities of World-Class Leaders
Of course the full range of competencies and capabilities of leaders can not be condensed into one small list, especially given differences in leadership styles. With that however, the qualities below are some of the best items which we know to be almost certainly universal in the role of a student leader in the marching arts. These are qualities that you should constantly seek to be aware of and build over time, no matter what your specific leadership style may be. No matter your leadership title, striving for skill and balance in each of these qualities is a key element in becoming an exceptional leader:
HUMILITY This is the ability to control your ego, not permanently subdue it. Humility should not be confused with timidity. Humility is keeping one’s ego in check. Being a leader isn’t at all about you, it’s about those you serve.
COMPETENCE This is the demonstration of knowledge and skill as it relates to your specific area of responsibility.
APPROACHABILITY Individuals will approach those whom they trust, that is, those with integrity and those whose personal styles and demeanors are flexible rather than rigid. Learn to be adaptable to the various needs and personalities of others.
DISCIPLINE Exercise the required self-discipline to deliver what you say you will deliver, and behave the way you know you should behave. Discipline puts feet to intent.
CONVICTION People will follow those who believe in themselves, and display conviction regarding the course of action. Assess carefully how you will lead and then persevere, displaying confidence and conviction as you lead others towards a common goal. Confidence and conviction are not the absence of fear, but the ability to accept the consequences of your actions ahead of time, good or bad, and then act in the face of that fear.
DECISIVENESS Assess and then act. Take responsibility for your actions, don’t prepare a barricade or pass blame for your decisions in times of failure. When you must make a decision, make it decisively, and take responsibility for its outcome.
KNOWLEDGE Use your knowledge wisely to promote effective action, and when in doubt, gain the necessary knowledge. If you don’t know something, you should almost certainly know someone who does.
DIRECTION Have clear goals and a clear vision for yourself, which you then pass on to others. It is important that you have clarity of direction yourself, and the ability to clearly communicate this direction. You never stop learning and improving; where do you want to go from where you are now?
CLARITY Your communication should be simple and memorable. People must be able to understand it in your presence, and recall it in your absence.
CHARISMA Charisma does not mean the ability to win a popularity contest; rather it means that you are likable. We all tend to gravitate to individuals we like, and so as a leader be friendly and be likable. Strive for versatility, and availability.
The integration of these ten qualities taken together will provide you with a balanced set of competencies to leverage in your role. Strive to not over-play one or more competencies, at the cost to others. Strive for excellence and balance
Knowing Your Why
ASa leader, you will face countless challenges and difficulties that will at times work to degrade your confidence, greater perspective, and willpower. There will be moments where you might wonder why you ever got yourself into such a role, and why you continue on. These moments are normal, and this is a normal response to incredibly stressful situations and environments. When this happens, you will need a strong base to stand on and find your footing again.
You must find your “why” - that is your base to stand on. Why do you do what you do? Why are you a leader? Why are you here, and why did you make your way here? Why do you get up everyday to serve these people?
There is of course no right answer to any of these. Every person can have their own motivations, passions, and reasons for doing what they do. The important thing here is to always remember that why, and lean on it when you need strength. If your why is ingrained in your mind and solidly supporting you, you can always take a step back to regain that perspective when things get tough. In the moment, it is easy for us to lose sight of the big picture, but coming back to your why can bring this back for you.
As part of the drum major audition and our process to get to know you, we want to know what your why is. That is incredibly important to us. Why do you want to be a leader? Why do you want to be a drum major? Why do you want to take on this endeavor?
