Rehearsal & Season Terms

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Move-In — The official start of the season when members arrive and immediately begin full-time rehearsal life.

Spring Training — An intense several weeks (often May/June) where the show gets built, your legs get strong, and you learn that sunscreen is not optional.

Block — A rehearsal chunk (usually 2–3 hours) focused on a specific skill or section.

Dot — Your exact position on the field at a specific count in the drill.

Rep / Repping — Repeating a section again and again until it’s clean.

Water Break — A short, sacred window where everyone drinks water like it’s a competitive sport and tries not to sit down.

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Drill & Movement Vocabulary

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Forms / Sets — The shapes the corps creates on the field at specific musical moments or counts.

Step Size — How big your marching step is (8-to-5, 16-to-5, etc.).

Tracking — Maintaining straight lines while moving, especially diagonally.

Dress / Dressing — Aligning perfectly with others through spacing, posture, and timing.

Interval — The space between you and the next person in the form.

Tick — A small mistake in timing, technique, or alignment that can cost points.

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Brass-Specific Drum Corps Language

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Hornline — The brass section (trumpets, mellophones, baritones, euphoniums, tubas).

Breathing Gym — Structured breathing exercises designed to improve tone, control, and endurance.

Release = Together — Everyone stops sound at exactly the same time. No band fade-outs.

Carriage — How the horn is held while playing and moving.

Projection — Sending sound forward and out, not just playing loud.

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Percussion-Specific Terms

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Battery — Marching percussion including snares, tenors, and bass drums.

Front Ensemble / Pit — Stationary percussion at the front of the field, including marimbas, vibraphones, and electronics.

Listening Back — Playing slightly behind the beat so sound aligns at the box (the judges).

Clean Beats — Perfectly synchronized stick heights and timing.

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Tour Life & Corps Reality

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Housing Site — Schools or gyms where the corps sleeps while on tour.

Laundry Block — Scheduled time to wash clothes.

Bus Box — Storage area under the bus. Organization matters.

Food Truck — The mobile kitchen that feeds the corps.

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Mental & Cultural Concepts

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The Grind — The cumulative physical and mental challenge of the season.

Trust the Process — You won’t be perfect early. Improvement is intentional.

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Legacy & Corps Culture Terms

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Age-Out — Your final eligible year to march drum corps.

Alumni — Former members who often remain deeply involved and respected.

Tradition Night / Legacy Night — A night dedicated to corps history and culture, often shared by staff, alumni, and current members.