The DCI board of directors wrapped up winter meetings this morning, voting on several rules proposals and amending previous decisions on retreats, caption awards and other topics that have been deliberated upon all weekend. Rules proposals Read the rules proposals in their entirety. Sideline boundary proposal -- passed unanimously Prohibit use of powder -- passed unanimously Prohibit use of water/liquid -- passed 23-1 The four rules proposals regarding I & E competition were put together as a single proposal, which passed unanimously. Allowing electronic instruments -- Did not pass, 21-3 Restructuring of the color guard adjudication sheet -- Did not pass, 13 to 11 "I think there is a lot of positive passion on both sides of this issue, and the color guard community needs to spend even more time discussing direction," said Jeff Fiedler, director of the Cavaliers, who voted against the proposal. Denise Bonfiglio, a guard instructor with the Santa Clara Vanguard, and a co-author of the bill, was disappointed with the vote tally. "Two-thirds of the drum corps instructional community approved it," Bonfiglio said, adding, "My hope is that it will be trialed for the 2005 season." Retreats At all events beginning next summer, retreats will consist of a drum major-only awards ceremony, followed by two horn lines playing "America/O'Canada," then an encore performance by a predetermined corps, consisting of musical material not performed on the field in performance that evening. This new format was partially driven by a discussion between tour event partners who were concerned that full, traditional retreats held at regional shows would affect the ticket sales of smaller shows where retreats have been reformatted. "I think we've found a good, new place to be, where we're picking up that road time to tour more efficiently," said Greg Orwoll, director of the Colts. "We've found a real creative way (to change the format of retreats)." Orwoll commended the board of directors for "listening and reacting to" the concerns of tour event partners. Caption awards Caption awards will be reinstated in 2005. The awards will be presented in the same format as they were in 2004. "I think that one of the most important parts of this weekend was the information we got from instructors and partners. This was certainly a hot topic, and it needs to stay a part of our championship event," said Brian Hickman, director of the Glassmen. Critiques Although the topic of eliminating critiques has been debated since the summer (and was deliberated upon this weekend), a DCI committee will re-examine the structure of critiques – considering travel, time and corps scheduling for the 2005 season. "The task force is examining creative new ways to replace the traditional format," said DCI chief judge administrator John Phillips.