[BRASSO]

DrumManTx, on 26 April 2012 - 10:28 PM, said:

So I'm having a DCI party to get more exposure to the activity at my high school, and I need to chose 6 shows from 2006 - 2010 to show. Most of them don't know/only seen a little of drum corps. So they need to be pretty easy to comprehend (no BD 2010 lol), so what should I show? I'd greatly appreciate the help. Discuss!

For filler, you could show a DCI Highlights clip too if you can get access to it. It might keep newbies attention better too, imo. The highlights clips seem to have less " down time " and shows the full panorama of emotion better in my opinion that the entire, longer drawn out full shows of the Corps. I'd do a few full shows, but I 'd definately show a Highlights Clip from one of the years or a couple of the years as a supplement to this.

This post has been edited by BRASSO: 27 April 2012 - 10:01 AM

[Tim K]

First, I wish I went to high school who wanted to have a party with DCI shows as the entertainment. Keep in mind I graduated in 1981 so we would have had Super 8 movies shot by someone's Dad and the music would have been captured on cassette tape so it wouldn't have been that effective.

I'd like to share a quick lesson from a man I know who wanted to expose his children to opera, so he purchased tickets for his family to attend "Parsifal," Wagner's last great masterpiece. His children still talk about the long, boring opera at they saw. Even being at the magnificent setting of the Metropolitan Opera house in New York didn't help matters. I know others who have gone to "La Boheme" as a first opera, still a masterpiece, very accessible, and they're hooked for life. My point: what drum corps fans consider to be great may be shows that are not always comprehended by novices. I don't say this to be a snob. I'm just being realistic. Last summer I was at East Coast Classic and a high school group sat in front of me. SCV, BD, and Cadets were in the show as was, of course BAC who hosted the event. BAC's show was by far the most accessible, but I knew that the loudest and the crowd pleasing show was not going to place first and while I could explain the judging after scores were announced, people couldn't see it. They were impressed by each corps, but Boston hooked them. Selecting shows that are excellent as well as shows that are audience friendly in the general sense would be important.

Judging from the crowd response at Big, Live, and Loud, which always has lots of high school kids, Boston Crusaders and Carolina Crown, any of the years you mentioned would be good choices. Cadet's 2010 with "Little Geoffrey" is a good choice too. 2010's Madison "Rhapsody/Slaughter" show may not have the impact of when they performed these pieces earlier, but it's still great and will wow any of the brass players at your party. PR's "Spartacus" is probably the best show of the years you mentioned, but it may not be appreciated if it is the first selection you show.


If you can only choose between 2006 and 2010 because those are the DVD's in your collection, you have plenty of good shows, but if you have some DVD's from each era of DCI, show at least some vignettes. Yes they can appear old fashioned, and some of the hairstyles and costumes may be dated (Star of Indiana, what were you thinking with those color guard wigs in 1986?), and the sound isn't always the greatest, but entertainment wise they do hold up remarkably well, and even if they evoke a laugh or two, they're fun to watch and show us how far we've come and the sky's the limit of where we'll go. If it means buying the DVD's and you're on a budget, use the money for pizza, chips, salsa dip and soda (you're in high school, so it better be chips, salsa dip, pizza, and soda)and show the DCI 40th anniversary vignettes. It has great clips and will compliment whatever shows you choose.



Enjoy!!!

[glory]

Agreed on not over-doing it. I'd have two shows to show. Then hold a couple in reserve IF there is demand for more.

Another possibility is to present one of the fine video productions that certain corps have done that aren't shows. Something like this captures elements of the experience that the programs themselves cant'.

HH

[jonnyboy]

My thoughts exactly, don't over do it. I've had great luck in showing YouTube videos mixed with some of the "This is DCI" type stuff. I've actually done this and not shown a full DCI show to students when time is pressing.

What might be fun is to show the The Cadets video you linked, followed by the show from that year. Show a drumline up close video (in the lot type stuff). I would show a Vanguard line playing double beat and give a few copies of the sheet music to your drummers. Drop in a slow motion video from YouTube of them playing, then show a Vanguard video. YouTube has a bunch of "Best Drill Moves 2010" type stuff, always great for hype. Find that video of Phantom jazz running while playing, and find some good clips of Color Guards doing work then circling up and hugging at finals....works every time.

You might let the kids vote on a whole show after seeing a "Best Of" reel. You would be surprised how fast kids not exposed to drum corps might develop favorites, based on music played, color of uni etc. Maybe even throw in a clip or show that your band had played on the field or in concert? It's always engaging to a kid when they recognize a piece being played. Don't forget to mention Open Class!!!

It's all about exposure. I went to three high schools on a recruiting campaign and showed videos and talked. I got one kid to come to one camp. The kids I got to talk to during practice when I taught and who's directors supported corps stood a much better chance of trying corps.

[littlejaw]

6 could be too many, 3 or 4 could be more reasonable.

10 or 06 cavaliers
08 blue devils
and 08 phantom regiment
maybe then add in one of the great crown shows.

These were fan favorite shows and should be appealing to first time DCI'ers.

[GREENBLUE]

CAVIES 06 MACHINE

BLUE DEVILS 06 GODFATHER

CAVIES 08 SAMURAI

PHANTOM 08 SPARTACUS

CAVIES 10 MAD WORLD

CROWN 11 RACH STARR

This post has been edited by GREENBLUE: 27 April 2012 - 11:53 AM

[CrownBariDad]

This might also work for high schoolers. (My wife teaches music at a local elementary school and does this for the 4-6 graders. They love it! The 4th-now-6th graders always pester her this time of year about "when are we gonna watch some more Drum Corps?")

Pick either the top 3 or maybe the 3 most "accessible" shows from a single year. Show them to the kids (randomize the order) and then have them vote for the rankings. As they might not match up with the actual results, that gives you the opportunity to talk a little about how Drum Corps is judged.

Good luck! Have fun!!!

[euphman89]

GREENBLUE, on 27 April 2012 - 11:52 AM, said:

CAVIES 06 MACHINE

BLUE DEVILS 06 GODFATHER

CAVIES 08 SAMURAI

PHANTOM 08 SPARTACUS

CAVIES 10 MAD WORLD

CROWN 11 RACH STARR

Be careful with showing Rach Star in the classroom. As silly as it sounds I don't think I'd want an administrator walking in on a close up of the colorguard members from that show. Don't think you'd be in trouble over it, but it's a hassle you can avoid by showing a different show.

[Noname]

I think 6 is fine. It's a little over an hour, people can talk over it, and have snacks.... and whatever. I've shown the top 12 at a party before. I agree that that's too much, and if I have a party again, it'd probably be the top 7 from a year, or 6 shows. As long as people know what they're coming for, it should be fine.

As for my choices:

Bluecoats 2010
Cavaliers 2006
Blue Devils 2009
Carolina Crown 2009
Santa Clara Vanguard 2007
Phantom Regiment 2008

[glory]

Noname, on 27 April 2012 - 02:03 PM, said:

...As for my choices:

Bluecoats 2010
Cavaliers 2006
Blue Devils 2009
Carolina Crown 2009
Santa Clara Vanguard 2007
Phantom Regiment 2008

You recommended BD 2009. I didn't think that was permitted on DCP. Have new terms of service been issued?

HH