We learned the music first.

We would learn the drill then add body movement as we were cleaning things up. We did this one piece at a time so as movement 1 hit the field we would be adding the body movement inside in rehearsal and then applying it to the field.

I tried to design and have the kids design and it was an epic, awkward failure. So I had it designed by the show designers. Same as the guard work. Kept it to a minimum. If it didn't add to the show we didn't do it. And I really preferred my kids were moving as it is a marching band. So we had very few sets where the band was planted. I'm old school.