I must say I agree with points from all three posts. Variety is the spice of life, and it tends to be the spice of a routine as well. Without variety, a routine can be incredibly bland, no matter how well-executed.
HOWEVER, no matter how many different spins, transitions, and specialty moves you toss in there, it will most likely look sloppy if not well-executed. I've always been a stickler to be at least near-perfect with each and every move, and always want every move to make sense in respect to the entire routine (relation to content, style, and type of routine), the specific command it's being executed in (serves a purpose in relation to all of the other individual moves), even down to that very segment of the command (flows well from the preceding move, and into the following move). Having said all of that snobby-sounding jargon, you can see that I'm dead-serious about execution.
I must agree that DMs should create, practice, and perfect their routines far earlier than their first performance...definitely not a week before. During our practice (Montebello, c/o '97), we would sprint/run, pick up our batons and do our routines while talking about something else completely or had someone ask us random questions. We wanted to make sure both our brains and bodies knew our routines inside out, and could perform them under pressure. Execution mattered that much to us.
...Please bare with me...
After saying all of that mumbo jumbo about how important execution is (and it really is), variety still remains the spice of life and routines. I must agree that there are plenty of cloned routines out there today, as there were yesterday, five years ago, ten years ago, and so forth. The problem could be solved for many with correct practice habits, good direction, and dedication.
In regards to style, I believe it's totally fine and respectful to utilize one learned from others, but DMs should definitely take ownership and expand from it.
Since the first post is imploring current DMs, I'll follow suit and toss in my two cents (or more) of advice:
- Know your basics inside out! Just like your band director, other teachers, and everyone else has probably said, you cannot build something awesome without a very sturdy foundation.
- Don't be lazy! Get the basics down so you can learn more intricate moves that are probably based on those exact basics (hence the term "basic"). Just like with any other activity, you can't be pushed anymore than you'll allow yourself to be pushed.
- Add variety to your routine! Practice it early enough to have it down cold before performance. Even if you use only your basics, there are soooooooo many ways to tweek them.
- Put thought into your routine, not just random moves! Like I said earlier, routines should make sense. Think it through, and your hard work will be evident. It's so awkward seeing a move that just doesn't fit...it almost makes me ignore the rest of a well-executed command.
Sorry to all if I sound like a tyrant/whiner here. I guess this thread just opened up some frustrations I feel watching recent Youtube vids. The most important thing is to have fun, learn, and all that positive stuff.