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A question about getting cut


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This year, I auditioned for the first time ever at the corps I have always wanted to march with. I got a callback but in the end got cut, and was told that while my musicianship was up to par my marching technique needed work, and that I should march somewhere else this season for experience and audition again next year. While I do not dispute that my low scores on everything visual were likely accurate, my question is this: Would it be frowned upon for me to continue attending winter camps for this corps so as to begin to understand their technique better and lead to a more succesful audition next season? Or would doing so make me "that" person who seems to be incapable of accepting getting cut?

Thank you!

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I have never marched a corps, but my initial reaction it that you should float the idea to the staff first.

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This year, I auditioned for the first time ever at the corps I have always wanted to march with. I got a callback but in the end got cut, and was told that while my musicianship was up to par my marching technique needed work, and that I should march somewhere else this season for experience and audition again next year. While I do not dispute that my low scores on everything visual were likely accurate, my question is this: Would it be frowned upon for me to continue attending winter camps for this corps so as to begin to understand their technique better and lead to a more succesful audition next season? Or would doing so make me "that" person who seems to be incapable of accepting getting cut?

Thank you!

First of all, ignore anything I say - I'm 100 years old and aged out 14,000 miles away the year that DCI was formed.

Disclaimer done I would add my 2 cents - there's the corps you've always wanted to march with, and what happens when that doesn't work the first time.

Most people don't know an enormous amount about the corps to which they aspire. They see them on the field and fall in love at first sight - the "dating" metaphor is used on purpose here.

Sometimes it works out, sometimes not as well - sort of like life in general - okay here's the advice you should ignore:

If you really want to march, and the corps that was first on your list didn't click off the bat, march at choice #2 (all other factors being viable, e.g. you can afford it, and can travel, etc.)

There's something special about most drum corps - if you're willing to invest yourself, to give your heart. There are friendships that last lifetimes - there is the shear joy of sweat equity in a product, a piece of art, that lasts forever in nearly every corps you could choose.

At the end of the season, if your heart still burns for #1, give it a shot again. Believe it or not, there's a decent shot you'll choose never to leave that "second choice".

Love is a funny thing. Sometimes you find it when, and where, you never expected to.

But ignore me. I'm old. You'd be better to talk to my kids that played in Crossmen, Boston, Blue Devils, and oh yeah, one more in Crossmen in Texas. They'd be more qualified to speak to your concerns.

Best of luck - it's a trip.

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This year, I auditioned for the first time ever at the corps I have always wanted to march with. I got a callback but in the end got cut, and was told that while my musicianship was up to par my marching technique needed work, and that I should march somewhere else this season for experience and audition again next year. While I do not dispute that my low scores on everything visual were likely accurate, my question is this: Would it be frowned upon for me to continue attending winter camps for this corps so as to begin to understand their technique better and lead to a more succesful audition next season? Or would doing so make me "that" person who seems to be incapable of accepting getting cut?

Thank you!

In order to make a Corps future slot, follow the advice that THEY gave you that in their opinion gives you the best chance of making a slot in their Corps in the future. Good luck to you in whatever you decide... and never, ever, give up on your dreams until all hope vanishes completely,( and it appears that it has not here.)

Edited by BRASSO
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DO: Go march somewhere and improve your visual abilities.

DO NOT: Go back to that corps' camps for this season. At this point, they've made selections and now focus on the membership that's there.

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Take this from a recent DCI ageout ('13)

Please march somewhere else! It is most definitely worth the experience and you will come back from the season with an idea of what DCI is all about. I can say from experience that staff members in upper tier corps are always looking for members with experience, and can be just as important as talent in the end (because they know you can handle the activity). After marching at said corps this coming season, if you still desire to audition at this upper tier corps (from the sounds of it it sounds like an upper tier corps) then you will be loads ahead of those who haven't marched and your visual skills will come over time. I suggest marching somewhere with a similar technique program, if you have questions shoot me a private message.

Edited by TimbreDeBrass
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You make what I think is a really good point: at the top of the top you get fabulous instruction, or actually direction and a wonderful performance opportunity. From 8 or so down into the mid-teens, you can get wonderful teaching.

A younger player, someone that has not really completely mastered his or her instrument to the fullest (in my opinion) really benefits more from the experience in the mid to lower echelon.

Don't get me wrong - great teachers at the top - maybe even better than the rest - but like NFL football compared to college - the activity moves at too quick a pace to really make the most of the teaching that goes on. It's for the most accomplished of the accomplished.

There is little joy in feeling like it's going by too quickly for you to take it in. (just my opinion)

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  • 3 weeks later...

Are you familiar with the movie Rudy? The one in which the kid attends Notre Dame to play football despite the fact that he doesn't stand a chance of actually playing in a game and spends his practices being a tackle dummy for the starters who out weigh him by around 100 pounds and take turns knocking the snort out of him. I never understood why so many people thought this was such a great movie. I suppose if your a masochist....! My best friends 2 older brothers both played pro football. Really big guys. My friend, not so much. But he was very smart. Smart enough to know that he was not going to have much fun playing at a Division 1 University. He went to Bowdoin College, a Division 111 school. He played, started, and eventually was named Captain his Senior year. He also met his wife there. He also went on to get a MBA from Harvard University but that was only because he was a really obnoxious guy. My advice to you is that you should not decide to become a practice dummy. Find a Corp that fits your ability, focus on your marching, and give it another shot next year. You might also want to think of taking up something that helps you with your co-ordination. I'm not insinuating that you are lacking, after all how would I know. But something that gets you in-tune with your body. I would recommend Yoga along with some aerobic exercises.

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Find an organization you can afford and can develop yourself in that you'd feel comfortable with. Good advice all around so far. Not easy to make that final top 20 or so percent cut. BITD, main worry was the commitment. Now, seems mainly ability to handle visual packages.

Best of luck- now get out there and perform. Somewhere a corps will need you and not send you packin'. :)

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Are you familiar with the movie Rudy? The one in which the kid attends Notre Dame to play football despite the fact that he doesn't stand a chance of actually playing in a game and spends his practices being a tackle dummy for the starters who out weigh him by around 100 pounds and take turns knocking the snort out of him. I never understood why so many people thought this was such a great movie. I suppose if your a masochist....! My best friends 2 older brothers both played pro football. Really big guys. My friend, not so much. But he was very smart. Smart enough to know that he was not going to have much fun playing at a Division 1 University. He went to Bowdoin College, a Division 111 school. He played, started, and eventually was named Captain his Senior year. He also met his wife there. He also went on to get a MBA from Harvard University but that was only because he was a really obnoxious guy. My advice to you is that you should not decide to become a practice dummy. Find a Corp that fits your ability, focus on your marching, and give it another shot next year. You might also want to think of taking up something that helps you with your co-ordination. I'm not insinuating that you are lacking, after all how would I know. But something that gets you in-tune with your body. I would recommend Yoga along with some aerobic exercises.

The movie and real life story of Rudy is a good example of someone going for the " name " and not the experience. We sometimes assume that getting out on the field with the name unit is the big cheese, and thats the best thing for us. But in reality its oftentimes not the case at all. Going for " The Name " unit ensues nothing. For example, Rudy Ruettiger was recently indicted and charged with felony Securities fraud by the SEC in 2011. He paid $382,000 in court settlement costs for defrauding investors, and to allow himself not to don an orange jump suit in Federal Prison for a bit. We'll never see a Rudy Movie sequel. It might have been different had he gone to Bowdoin, then again, maybe not, who knows. But like you, I never quite understood the fascination among some people with this Rudy's quest to become a practice dummy and so desperately felt compelled to try and get into one play in one game with " The Name ". It never did work out for Rudy with his quirky priorities, values. But its a free country, and people make choices on things for all sorts of reasons that may not make sense to others, and so it is what it is.

Edited by BRASSO
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